Easy S’mores Cupcakes
Easy S’mores Cupcakes
These Easy S’mores Cupcakes have all the flavors of a classic campfire s’more packed into one adorable chocolate cupcake. Rich chocolate cupcakes are topped with fluffy marshmallow frosting, mini chocolate chips, and a generous sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs.
You get chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker in every bite—without building a fire!
I love recipes like this because the decorating is incredibly simple, but once everything comes together, the cupcakes look so pretty. That big swirl of white marshmallow frosting against the dark chocolate cupcake is already gorgeous, and the little chocolate chips and golden graham cracker crumbs make it instantly obvious that these are inspired by s’mores.
They’re perfect for summer parties, cookouts, birthdays, camping-themed parties, or anytime you’re craving s’mores but don’t have a campfire nearby.
Why You’ll Love These S’mores Cupcakes
- Rich chocolate cupcakes
- Fluffy marshmallow frosting
- Classic s’mores flavors
- Easy to decorate
- No campfire required
- Perfect for summer parties
- Great for birthdays and cookouts
- Fun camping-themed dessert
- Chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker in every bite
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup hot water or hot coffee
Marshmallow Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, if needed
S’mores Topping
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
How to Make Easy S’mores Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Brown, chocolate-colored, kraft paper, or simple white cupcake liners all work beautifully for these.
Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
Whisk until everything is evenly combined and any large lumps of cocoa powder have disappeared.
Step 3: Add the Wet Ingredients
Add the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
Mix until everything is well combined.
Step 4: Add the Hot Water
Slowly pour in the hot water or hot coffee while stirring.
The batter will be thin.
Don’t worry—that’s exactly how it should look.
Hot coffee is a great option because it intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the cupcakes taste like coffee.
Step 5: Fill the Cupcake Liners
Divide the chocolate batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners.
Fill each liner approximately 2/3 full.
Step 6: Bake
Bake at 350°F for 17–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Avoid overbaking.
You want the cupcakes to stay soft and moist.
Step 7: Cool
Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for approximately 5 minutes.
Transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely before frosting.
How to Make Marshmallow Frosting
Add the softened butter to a large mixing bowl.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter for approximately 2–3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
Add the marshmallow creme and vanilla.
Beat again until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time.
Continue beating until the frosting is fluffy and thick enough to pipe.
If your frosting seems too thick, add heavy cream or milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you want.
How to Decorate S’mores Cupcakes
Make sure the chocolate cupcakes are completely cool.
Transfer the marshmallow frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round or star tip.
Pipe a tall swirl of marshmallow frosting onto each cupcake.
Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the frosting.
Then sprinkle plenty of graham cracker crumbs over the top.
That’s it!
The combination of dark chocolate cake, snowy marshmallow frosting, tiny chocolate chips, and golden graham cracker crumbs makes these look exactly like the dessert they’re supposed to be.
Jennie’s Thoughts
S’mores are one of those desserts that don’t need much improvement.
Chocolate, marshmallow, and graham crackers are already perfect together.
But I also love turning familiar desserts into cupcakes.
For these, I wanted to keep everything really simple.
I started with a rich chocolate cupcake and topped it with a big swirl of marshmallow frosting.
Then instead of adding a bunch of complicated decorations, I just sprinkled mini chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs all over the frosting.
And that’s really all they need.
As soon as you see them, you know they’re s’mores.
I especially love the graham cracker crumbs because they stick to all the little ridges in the frosting, while the mini chocolate chips give you little bursts of chocolate in every bite.
They’re easy enough to make for a casual summer cookout but cute enough to put on a dessert table for a birthday party.
And you don’t have to stand over a campfire trying to keep your marshmallow from catching on fire—which is always a bonus.
What Do S’mores Cupcakes Taste Like?
Exactly what you’d hope.
The cupcake gives you that deep chocolate flavor you normally get from the chocolate bar in a s’more.
The frosting is sweet, fluffy, and marshmallowy.
Then the graham cracker crumbs add that familiar toasted graham flavor and a little bit of texture.
The mini chocolate chips give you even more chocolate.
Together, you get all three classic s’mores flavors in every bite.
Can I Use a Chocolate Cake Mix?
Absolutely.
If you want to make these cupcakes even easier, use your favorite boxed chocolate cake mix.
Prepare and bake the cupcakes according to the package directions.
Let them cool completely.
Then make the marshmallow frosting and decorate them with mini chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs.
This is a great shortcut when you’re making cupcakes for a large party.
What Kind of Graham Crackers Should I Use?
Regular honey graham crackers are perfect.
Place several graham cracker sheets in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
You can make the crumbs as fine or chunky as you like.
I actually like leaving a few slightly larger pieces mixed in because they give the cupcakes more texture and make the graham cracker topping easier to see.
Can I Use Graham Cracker Crumbs From a Box?
Yes.
Pre-made graham cracker crumbs work perfectly and save a little time.
If you’re photographing the cupcakes, however, I like adding a few hand-crushed graham cracker pieces along with the fine crumbs.
They show up better in pictures.
Can I Toast the Marshmallow Frosting?
Yes!
If you want an even stronger campfire look, very lightly toast the marshmallow frosting with a kitchen torch.
Hold the torch several inches away and move it constantly.
You only want to lightly brown the highest ridges of frosting.
Then add the mini chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs.
The toasted frosting gives the cupcakes that roasted-marshmallow appearance that makes them look even more like real s’mores.
Make Them Extra Chocolatey
Chocolate lovers can easily take these cupcakes one step further.
Try adding:
- Chocolate drizzle
- Hot fudge sauce
- Chocolate shavings
- Extra mini chocolate chips
- A small square of chocolate on top
You could drizzle a little melted chocolate over the marshmallow frosting before adding the graham cracker crumbs.
Add a Graham Cracker Crust
If you want even more graham cracker flavor, add a simple graham cracker layer underneath the cupcake batter.
Combine:
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Place approximately 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner.
Press it down gently.
Bake for about 5 minutes at 350°F, then add the chocolate cupcake batter and continue with the recipe.
Now every cupcake has a little graham cracker crust underneath it.
Add a Marshmallow Center
For an even more over-the-top s’mores cupcake, fill the center with marshmallow creme.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, remove a small amount of cake from the center with a cupcake corer or paring knife.
Spoon a little marshmallow creme inside.
Replace a small piece of cupcake over the opening and pipe the frosting on top.
Nobody will know there’s a marshmallow center until they take a bite.
Add a Chocolate Center
You could also fill the cupcakes with chocolate ganache.
That gives you an even richer chocolate center underneath the marshmallow frosting.
Chocolate ganache, chocolate cupcake, marshmallow frosting, and graham cracker crumbs would make an incredibly decadent s’mores dessert.
Mini S’mores Cupcakes
These are adorable as mini cupcakes.
Prepare the batter the same way and divide it between mini cupcake liners.
Because they’re smaller, start checking them much earlier than standard cupcakes.
Pipe a small marshmallow frosting swirl onto each one and finish with just a few mini chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs.
Mini S’mores Cupcakes would be perfect for a party dessert table.
S’mores Cupcakes for a Summer Party
These cupcakes are practically made for summer entertaining.
Serve them for:
- Backyard cookouts
- Pool parties
- Camping parties
- Birthday parties
- Summer potlucks
- Family reunions
- Fourth of July gatherings
- Bonfires
- Movie nights
They’re especially fun if you’re having a camping or outdoor-themed party.
How to Store S’mores Cupcakes
Store the finished cupcakes in a covered cupcake container.
They can be kept at room temperature for about a day in a cool room.
For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 3–4 days.
Let refrigerated cupcakes sit at room temperature for approximately 20–30 minutes before serving so the cake and frosting can soften.
Can I Make S’mores Cupcakes Ahead of Time?
Yes.
Bake the chocolate cupcakes a day ahead and store them in an airtight container once completely cool.
You can also prepare the frosting ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator.
Let refrigerated frosting soften slightly and whip it again before piping if necessary.
For the best appearance and texture, sprinkle on the graham cracker crumbs shortly before serving so they stay crisp.
Easy S’mores Dessert Without a Campfire
You don’t need a fire pit to enjoy chocolate, marshmallow, and graham crackers.
These Easy S’mores Cupcakes give you all three classic flavors in a dessert that’s simple enough to make any time of year.
Start with a moist chocolate cupcake.
Pile on the fluffy marshmallow frosting.
Then scatter mini chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs all over the top.
It’s easy, adorable, and instantly recognizable as a s’mores dessert.
Whether you’re making them for a summer cookout, birthday party, or just because you’re craving chocolate and marshmallows, these cupcakes are one of those easy desserts everyone is going to reach for first.
