You already know that a charcuterie board can bring your party to the next level. Maybe you've even heard of trends like a hot chocolate "charcuterie" board that was heating up social media over the winter and swaps cheese and meat for hot cocoa and sweet toppings. But now that summer is almost here and we're all set for backyard barbecues, it's time to up your hosting game with a s'mores board.
If your version of s'mores means sticking a piece of Hershey's and a marshmallow between two pieces of graham cracker and holding it over a flame like Ham in "The Sandlot" you need to reconsider your dessert game. For example, this amazing board from Sarah Juenemann @grazingkc on Instagram features an array of sweet options, from Twix to mini Oreos to fresh strawberries, plus the tiniest skillet to roast your marshmallows in — no campfire or barbecue required — for minimal cleanup (brilliant!).
Aubrey Swan, a blogger, military spouse and mom of four in Jacksonville, Florida, wowed her family with her amazing s'mores board that was fun to assemble, and even more fun to eat.
"I love to create grazing boards for different holidays and events," Swan told TODAY Food in an email. "This s’mores board was so much fun because our twins, Jaxson and Wyatt, their favorite dessert is s’mores. They were in heaven! Adding extra options like peanut butter cups and strawberries takes the flavor over the top. If you haven’t tried a s'mores with a strawberry slice, you must try it!"
To make a s'mores board like Swan's start with the different elements you'll want to feature. Swan used Hershey's, Hershey's Cookies 'N' Creme, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kat, pretzels, strawberries, marshmallows and two different flavors of graham crackers.
Instead of holding a marshmallow over an open fire on a stick and risking that overcooked or even worse, underdone 'mallow, she used a cast iron skillet and put the marshmallows under the broiler for 3-4 minutes to get them nice and toasty. She said that you can also put chocolate under the marshmallows in the skillet but said that might be too over-the-top, especially if you're concerned about giving kids a sugar rush.
The rest was artful assembly, with Swan carefully fanning out the graham crackers and pieces of chocolate on her wooden board, adding in clusters of strawberries and marshmallows for variety of color and texture.
Swan said her husband's favorite was adding a Reese's to his s'mores, but that she was bowled over by how good a strawberry tastes on the classic dessert treat (her insider tip is to slice the strawberries thin!).
Need some more s'mores board inspiration? Blogger Melissa Mondragon @no2pencilblog on Instagram made an epic s'mores board, adding peanut butter, marshmallow fluff and Nutella to the mix. (Warning: this board may require you to unbutton your jean shorts!).
Ready to try this Instagram and Pinterest trend? Your crew will definitely be asking for s'more!