The Ultimate Guide To Campfire S'mores

No other food screams summer quite as much as a perfectly molten s'more, cooked gently and slowly over the flames of a campfire. These charred-marshmallow and chocolate-filled treats have been enjoyed by kids (and grown-ups) throughout America since the 1920s, when the Girls Scouts spread the word about this magical sweet treat. Since then, the popularity of s'mores has, thankfully, only increased. Today we seem to be simply unable to get enough of them. Here, we talk you through making the perfect, classic s'more, and offer up some s'more inspiration to ensure that your summer evenings spent round a campfire are as tasty as can possibly be.

The Ultimate Guide to Campfire S'mores (Slideshow)

Never set out on a camping trip, or even think about lighting a campfire, until you've stocked up on s'mores-making equipment. You'll need long skewers, cookies (they don't necessarily have to be graham crackers, unless you're a s'mores purist), marshmallows, and chocolate. No fancy equipment is required or desired: S'mores cooked on a stick over a campfire in the middle of nowhere on a warm summer night are always the tastiest.

Click here to learn everything you need to know about campfire cookouts.

While we do love a classic s'more, we can never resist trying out various ways to transform this basic treat into something more extravagant. The fantastic thing about s'mores is that it's incredibly easy to adjust, alter, and improvise on, according to your own creativity and tastes: As long as there's a molten marshmallow sandwiched between something sweet and delicious, it counts as a s'more. Try doubling the chocolate by swapping the graham crackers for chocolate chip cookies, or add some saltiness by swapping chocolate for a peanut butter cup. The variations really are endless.

Let your taste buds guide you on your s'mores adventure, but make sure you study up on the key cooking techniques, and our favorite s'mores variations, before you begin.