For Quicker Oven-Baked S'mores, Go For The Marshmallow Cream

S'mores are one of those impossible to resist classics, thanks to that signature melty chocolate, crisp and crumbly, honey-tinged graham cracker, and of course, the pièce de résistance — a gooey, sticky sweet marshmallow roasted to perfection. For some though, the s'more is relegated to warmer weather when those 'mallows can be scorched over an open fire, which makes for a sadly short window. Fortunately, it's entirely possible to make s'mores right in the oven, which means even more seasons in which to enjoy this beloved treat.

While this indoor style of s'mores preparation is super handy, if you're a person who finds it hard to have patience when a craving strikes, there's one ingredient swap that can shave a few minutes off your wait. Instead of reaching for a bag of traditional puffed marshmallows, grab a jar of marshmallow cream.This stuff is just as delicious, but doesn't require the same amount of melting time as the extruded classic. Once you have this essential element, along with your other two iconic ingredients (chocolate of your choice and graham crackers), the process couldn't be simpler.

To make these simplified indoor s'mores, you'll start the way you typically would, setting your graham cracker squares side by side on a parchment-lined sheet pan, and laying a piece of chocolate over each (leaving a little room in between, as your s'mores' middle will ooze as it becomes gooey and soft). It's the next step where you pivot, and instead of plopping a marshmallow on top, you'll substitute a dollop of this sweet cream before popping in the oven. With the standard marshmallows, you're looking at around 4 to 6 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, but with this sweet swap, you won't have to wait for that 'mallow to melt — which means you can adjust down to between 3 and 5 minutes, depending on your desired level of doneness.

This trick works if you're hoping to work your way through the list of secret ingredients for ridiculously good s'mores, too. For example, you can ditch the graham crackers and upgrade your s'mores with croissants. And if you're so inclined to get creative, you need only two ingredients for easy marshmallow fluff made right at home from scratch. (This gives you a chance to put on your own twist, too, by adding a few drops of flavor like peppermint or coconut extract to complement your chocolatey treat). When making s'mores is this simple, you may find the time to experiment with all kinds of tasty inspiration, any time of year.