Frozen S’mores

I find that during long stretches of hot summer days, you can never have enough frozen treats on hand to cool things down—and they’re even better when they taste like other summery sweet treats. One recent favorite is frozen s’mores. They capture all the flavors of s’mores—no campfire necessary.

This ice cream dessert is made with oven-toasted marshmallows that turn golden in less than a minute. They’re folded into vanilla ice cream, which then sits on top of a layer made with frozen chocolate pudding and Cool Whip. And of course, graham crackers hold everything together! Once prepared and frozen, stash the sliced and wrapped s’mores in the freezer for an easy grab-and-go snack. Or, make them to share: I brought out frozen s’mores bars at our last backyard barbecue and they were a huge hit.

Ingredients for Frozen S’mores

• Graham crackers: Two layers of creamy filling are sandwiched between … what else? Sheets of graham crackers! Use your favorite type of graham crackers for s’mores, whether it’s cinnamon or classic.
• Vanilla ice cream: We keep the ice cream layer to simple, delicious vanilla so that the chocolate and marshmallow flavors can shine.
• Miniature marshmallows: These are too small to toast over a campfire, but they’re perfect for toasting in the oven and then folding into the ice cream. In my opinion, the browned bits are the tastiest part, so using mini marshmallows vs. regular-sized marshmallows provides even more toasted surface area.
• Instant chocolate pudding: Pudding gives frozen s’mores the flavor that stands in for the few rectangles of Hershey’s chocolate in regular s’mores desserts.
• Whole milk: When blended with cold milk, the pudding is ready in minutes. Half-and-half cream can also be used for a creamier texture.
• Frozen whipped topping: When folded into the pudding, a whipped topping like Cool Whip lightens the chocolate layer inside the ice cream bars.

Directions

Step 1: Make the bottom layer

Preheat the broiler for high. Line a 13×9-inch baking dish with parchment. Arrange a layer of graham crackers over the bottom of the lined dish.

Editor’s Tip: Cut one long strip of parchment to fit the dish lengthwise and another to fit widthwise. Both should be long enough to hang over the edges. Also, don’t be afraid to break the graham crackers as necessary to fit them in and cover the entire bottom of the dish.

Step 2: Toast the marshmallows

Line a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet with parchment, then spread the mini marshmallows in a single layer on the pan. Place the marshmallows under the preheated oven broiler, 3 to 4 inches from the heat, for 30 to 45 seconds, watching closely until the tops are a deep golden brown. Then, take them out of the oven and let them cool for a minute or two.

Editor’s Tip: The marshmallows toast very quickly, so turn on the oven light and do not walk away. The moment they have a deep, golden brown color on top, pull the pan from the oven so that they don’t burn.

Step 3: Make the marshmallow ice cream layer

Place the softened ice cream in a large bowl. Use a spatula to scrape the toasted, melted marshmallows from the baking sheet into the bowl.

Then, fold the marshmallows into the ice cream. Freeze the mixture until mostly firm but still spreadable, about 20 minutes.

Step 4: Make the chocolate layer

Meanwhile, pour the chocolate pudding mix and the cold milk into a bowl. Whisk them together for two minutes.

Then, fold in the thawed whipped topping until no streaks of white remain.

Step 5: Layer the dessert in the pan

Remove the marshmallow-ice cream mixture from the freezer. Spoon the ice cream mixture in dollops over the layer of graham crackers in the baking dish, and smooth it into an even layer.

Spoon the pudding mixture over the ice cream in the baking dish and smooth it into an even layer.

Then, arrange another layer of graham crackers over the top.

Step 6: Freeze

Cover the dish and place it on a level shelf in the freezer for at least four hours or overnight.

Step 7: Cut and serve

Uncover the pan and use the parchment edges to lift the frozen s’mores out of the baking dish and onto a cutting board. Use a sharp kitchen knife to slice down through the layers and cut the s’mores into 12 ice cream bars. Serve them immediately, or wrap them to store in the freezer.

Editor’s Tip: If the s’mores are difficult to remove from the pan, run hot water into a rimmed baking sheet and set the pan of ice cream bars in the hot water for a minute or two. This will thaw the bottom just enough to make them easy to lift out.

Frozen S’mores Variations

Like classic s’mores, it’s easy to customize these ice cream sandwiches. Pull inspiration from other surprising things you’d add to s’mores, or try one of these variations:

• Make the viral frozen protein s’mores: Stir a scoop of vanilla protein powder into the thawed whipped topping before folding it into the pudding.
• Try different graham crackers: Cinnamon, honey or even chocolate flavored graham crackers are delicious in s’mores bars.
• Make it peanut buttery: There are a few ways to do this! Chop peanut butter candies, like miniature peanut butter cups or Butterfinger bars, and sprinkle them over the ice cream layer. Fold a scoop or two of powdered peanut butter into the whipped topping. Or, use peanut butter ice cream instead of vanilla.
• Add a chocolate coating: Melt semisweet or milk chocolate chips in a shallow bowl. Dip each sliced ice cream bar halfway into the chocolate. Set them on a waxed paper-lined tray and return them to the freezer until the chocolate is set.
• Dip them in nuts or candies: After slicing the ice cream sandwiches, dip the edges in chopped nuts like pecans or almonds. Or, coat the edges with sprinkles, mini M&M’s or mini chocolate chips.

How to Store Frozen S’mores

After cutting the frozen s’mores into bars, wrap each one tightly in parchment paper, waxed paper or food wrap. Store the wrapped bars in the freezer.

How long will frozen s’mores last?

When the frozen s’mores bars are well-wrapped to protect against freezer burn and kept in the freezer, they’ll last for up to one month.

Frozen S’mores Tips

What if my frozen s’mores aren’t freezing all the way?

The ingredients used for the layers in this frozen s’mores recipe, including chocolate pudding and softened ice cream, should have no trouble firming up in the freezer. However, it’s important to give them enough time to completely set for at least four hours, but overnight is even better. Otherwise, they’ll be too soft and fall apart while you eat them.

Can you make frozen s’mores bars dairy-free or gluten-free?

Yes, there are easy swaps to make gluten-free or dairy-free versions of the frozen s’mores recipe. For a gluten-free version, substitute gluten-free graham crackers for the regular ones. To make a dairy-free version, use almond or coconut milk to make the chocolate pudding. Fold the marshmallows into a dairy-free vanilla ice cream, trying one of our recommended vegan ice cream brands.