These might be the best summer cupcakes. Nothing says summer like campfire s’mores! These toasted s’mores cupcakes have a graham cracker crust and a very moist chocolate cupcake. They are filled with hot fudge and topped with a toasted marshmallow meringue. These are messy, gooey, and oh so good.
The BEST Part About These Toasted S’mores Cupcakes.
Honest time. These cupcakes are all around amazing. The best part, though, is the marshmallow meringue. It is super easy to make, and it tastes just like a fluffy marshmallow! Then, take a torch and it give it the campfire smoky taste.
Now the topping is the best part, but this whole cupcake is amazing! On the bottom is a graham cracker crust. It is firm but not hard. It is the same recipe I use for the S’mores Mini Cheesecakes.
Then, there is the actual chocolate cupcake. This chocolate cupcake is moist, fluffy, and super chocolaty. The filling is HOT FUDGE. The kind you buy from the store next to the ice cream section. There is so much chocolaty goodness!
How To Make The Graham Cracker Crust
First things first. You need a 12 cup muffin tin. Then, line it with muffin liners.
To make the graham cracker crust, start by crushing the graham crackers in a food processor/blender. If you buy the traditional graham crackers, then it needs one whole package of the crackers. Make sure you blend it well, so there are only fine crumbs.
Then, mix together the crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter until combined. It should resemble wet sand (except more yummy).
Scoop 1 TBSP of crumbs into the muffin liners. Then, use a 1/8 cup measuring cup or the back of a spice jar to compact the crust down. You will have extra crumbs leftover, but don’t use them.
Tips On Making The Chocolate Cupcakes
Making cupcakes is super simple, but if you want cupcakes with perfect domes, then follow these tips.
- Flour- Before you scoop the flour, use your spoon and fluff up the flour. Then, spoon it into a measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. This will make sure there is a perfect amount of flour. Compacting the flour will cause the cupcake to dry out.
- High Altitude Baking- I live in Colorado, so I always have to edit recipes for cake in this altitude. Add 1 TBSP extra of flour and an extra tsp of buttermilk. The extra flour helps prevent sinking and the extra buttermilk makes sure the cake is still moist.
- Buttermilk- Make sure to use buttermilk. Buttermilk has a high fat content that helps to break down the gluten from the flour. This helps to make these cupcakes extra moist!
- Room Temperature Ingredients- Make sure the eggs and buttermilk are room temperature. Room temperature dairy ingredients will blend and aerate so much easier. You will get a fluffier cake! Bring them out on the counter about 1 1/2 hours before you start baking.
- Hot Water- Boil hot water in a saucepan until it is steaming and moist. The hot water helps the chocolate to bloom and have a bigger flavor.
- Use a Mixer- It can be hand or stand mixer. Mix the dry ingredients together with with mixer. Then, mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and then add them into the dry ingredients.
Filling The Toasted S’mores Cupcakes With Hot Fudge
Hot fudge is the best right? It makes the best filling because it is so silky and rich!
To fill these cupcakes, use a cupcake corer to cut out the middle of the cupcake. Go about 3/4 down the actual cupcake part (not including the crust). Any farther down and the cupcake will fall apart. Make sure to save the tops of the cupcakes!
Then, heat up the hot fudge in the microwave for 30 seconds. It should be more on the runny side and easy to pour into the cupcakes.
Fill the cupcakes almost up to the top with hot fudge. It should be super full, but still enough room to place the tops back on. After they are all full, place the tops back on and chill the cupcakes while you make the marshmallow meringue.
If the hot fudge gets hard to pour that means it cooled off. Just heat it back up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until it is the best consistency again.
Can These Chocolate Cupcakes Be Gluten Free?
YES! They can be gluten free. Use a 1:1 baking gluten free flour and gluten free graham crackers. Easy peasy.
Steps To Make Marshmallow Meringue
Marshmallow meringue is so much easier to make than it seems! Here are the steps to make it.
- Heat water in a saucepan- Heat the water in a saucepan until it starts to steam. Then, place a glass bowl on top of the saucepan. The water should NOT touch the glass bowl. If it does, dump a little out.
- Combine eggs whites in the bowl- Mix together the room temperature egg whites, sugar, and creme of tartar. Don’t skip the creme of tartar, it is super important.
- Heat the egg whites- Heat the egg whites/sugar until all of the sugar is melted. It will take 4-5 minutes. To tell if it’s ready, it should be 160F and if you rub the mixture together with your fingers, you shouldn’t feel any sugar crystals.
- Beat on high- Pour the foamy egg whites directly into the mixing bowl and add the vanilla. Then, beat on high using a mixer. Beat for 5 whole minutes. It should be bright white and have stiff peaks.
- Pipe the meringue- Pipe the marshmallow meringue on top of the cupcakes. I used a 1M tip to pipe rosettes.
- Torch the tops- Use a torch to get the toasted tops.
Can I Broil The Meringue In The Oven?
I don’t really recommend broiling the meringue. The torch is going to give you the campfire taste. Beside that, the broil will lose the edges of the rosettes. It will also make it look more melty.
If you do decide to broil the toasted s’mores cupcakes, then make sure it’s on high, place the cupcakes on a cookie sheet, and only do a few at a time. It will only take a few minutes to broil.
How To Store The Toasted S’mores Cupcakes
The toasted s’mores cupcakes should be stored covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. By the end of the 5th day, the marshmallow meringue will deflate a little and not look the same.
Can I Freeze The Cupcakes?
Yes you can freeze them! Freeze them before you add the filling. Wrap them up tight in cling wrap and place in a storage bag. They will last up to 30 days in the freezer.
To thaw, place on the counter for 1-2 hours before you fill them.
Other Recipes To Try
- Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcakes
- S’mores Bars
- Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes
- No-churn Oreo and Hot Fudge Ice Cream
Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats and leave me a review below if you made these cupcakes. I hope you loved it! To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
Toasted S’mores Cupcakes
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 cups Graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- 5 TBSP Unsalted butter melted
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup White granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1/4 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Oil canola or vegetable
- 1/2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk room temperature
- 2 Large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup Hot water
- 11 oz Hot Fudge for filling
Marshmallow Meringue
- 3 Egg whites room temperature
- 3/4 cup White granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp Creme of tartar
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Use a food processor/blender and blend a whole packet of graham crackers into fine crumbs. Combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter until all combined.
- Scoop 1 TBSP of the crust into each muffin cup. Use a spice jar or the back of 1/8 measuring cup to compact the crust.
Chocolate Cupcake
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Heat the water in a saucepan until hot and steaming. In a small bowl, mix the buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and eggs until combined. Slowly whisk the hot water into the wet ingredients.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, mix the dry ingredients for 30 seconds. Then, slowly add in the wet ingredients until just combined. Scrape the bowl and mix again for 20-30 seconds.
- Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the batter on top of the graham cracker crust. It should fill up a little over 3/4 full.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it sit in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight before filling cupcakes.
- Use a cupcake corer or a sharp knife to cut a hole in the cupcake. Only take out 3/4 of the cupcake. Don't go all the way down because the cupcake will become unstable.
- Scoop all of the hot fudge into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Fill the cupcakes to the top with hot fudge. The fudge should be silky and runny. If it starts to thicken, reheat it for 15 seconds.
- Replace the tops of the cupcakes and store cupcakes in the fridge until marshmallow meringue is ready.
Marshmallow Meringue
- Use a double broiler, or a medium sauce pan with a glass bowl. Fill the saucepan with a few inches of water. The glass bowl should not touch the water. Heat the water on medium until it starts to simmer.
- Mix the eggs whites, sugar, and creme of tartar in the glass bowl. Place on top of the saucepan and whisk continuously until sugar is melted. This will take 4-5 minutes. It should get to 160F or if you rub the mixture with fingers you shouldn't feel any sugar crystals.
- Pour directly into a mixing bowl and add the vanilla. Use a mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk on high for 5 minutes until stiff peaks form. It should be a bright white and look like marshmallow fluff.
- Pipe the marshmallow meringue on the cupcakes. I used 1M wilton tip and piped rosettes on top. Use a torch to toast the top of the marshmallows. Store in the fridge.
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