Going through my mom and my grandma’s old binders of recipes is like going through a culinary time capsule. There are yellowed newspaper clippings… index cards that have been splattered with oil, flour and chocolate… lists of ingredients with absolutely no method… recipes that start with “Great Aunt Margie’s” or “Millie’s”. The word “oleo” appears more often than not, and there are tons of clippings from old food packages. One of my latest re-discoveries is this recipe for s’mores bars made from Golden Grahams, which originally appeared on the back (or side?) of the cereal box.
When my sister and I were kids, all of the fun-looking cereal was a big-time no-no in our house. That meant no Lucky Charms, no Captain Crunch, no Cocoa Puffs. No to just about everything a little kid whines for in the cereal aisle. The discipline that my parents must have had! Once in a while we were allowed to venture outside of Cheerios, Total and Rice Krispies, and there were two treats that would appear in the cereal cabinet: Golden Grahams and Frosted Flakes. (As an adult now, I would totally classify Frosted Flakes as a super sugary cereal, but as a kid, I was happy it was allowed into the house!) I think they showed up because my dad loved both of them, and as a result, I became a huge fan of both. To this day they are my favorite “splurges” when it comes to cereal. For as much as I love Rice Krispies treats of every shape, size and flavor, it’s incredibly natural to pair Golden Grahams with marshmallows and chocolate for a super easy, delicious s’mores bar.
These are made in the exact same fashion as Rice Krispies treats, only instead of melting the butter and marshmallows in a pan on the stove, you microwave them along with chocolate. The original recipe calls for semisweet chocolate chips, but since these are s’mores bars, I thought the chocolate needed to be consistent with actual s’mores bars made over an open flame, which means using good old-fashioned Hershey bars. Between the graham cracker-flavored cereal, tons of marshmallows and the Hershey bars, these are an incredible recreation of the s’mores flavor… minus the burnt marshmallow. I always burn my marshmallows!
Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and line with parchment paper; set aside.
Place the cereal in a large mixing bowl; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the 5 cups of marshmallows, 1½ cups of chopped chocolate, light corn syrup and butter. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
Pour the melted mixture over the cereal and, using a buttered spatula or wooden spoon, gently stir until all of the cereal is coated. Stir in the additional cup of marshmallows.
Turn the mixture out into the prepared baking pan. Butter your hands or spray them with non-stick cooking spray, and press the mixture evenly into the pan, pushing it down into a flat, even layer. Let set at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or pop them into the refrigerator to firm up faster. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
What a mess……….the corn syrup made it very tacky and hard to work with. Why did you use it? I scanned other receipes and corn syrup is not incld. It s not even good for us. Waste of time.
Made these last night and ate them today. The only difference I made was that I didn’t melt the chocolate, but instead added the broken up firm chocolate pieces after the marshmallows were mixed with the golden grahams. But I am not sure what I did wrong. The golden grahams were soggy, chewy, and not crunchy. I made some rice krispies treats last night too and they turned out great but the only thing I could think was that maybe it was the microwaving, maybe stove top would have been better?
I tasted it once at someplace(I don’t remember where)…they tasted DELISH!!! I made them according to your recipe, and they tasted exactly as I remember. Good job!
I just made these & they are so yummy! I only had large marshmallows & itty-bitty ones (they are actually called ‘micro mini’ marshmallows. We get them at a specialty store, they are like the ones in hot cocoa mix, but soft.) So, I melted the large ones & added the micro mini ones in with the cereal before I added the melted chocolate goodness to it. I didn’t think it would mix very well after the cereal was combined, (and it didn’t) so I’m glad I addded it with the cereal. The chocolate mixture was really thick, I could almost pick up the whole glob of treats. You have to make these! They are so good & addicting!!
question? I tired these last night and mine turned out dry and chalk (chocolate) and it won’t hold together. :( It’s definitely not gooey looking like yours. I weigh everything and used just shy of the 10 oz bag of miniature marshmallows and the just shy of the 11 oz box of golden grahams. Any suggestions?
Hi Jade, I didn’t weigh the ingredients for these, but I wonder if there is a conversion issue. Are you going on a straight 8-ounces = 1 cup measurement? If so, I think that it could definitely be off there.
No, I usually use ounces, but since I don’t have a conversion sheet for it, I used what was on the box. ¾ of a cup per serving equals so many grams, divided it by 3 then multiplied by for to get once cup. I’ll try it again over the stove. I get nervous with the chocolate and marshmallows that I might over heat them. I really hope to get that gooey stage. Before you add the cereal, can you descried the consistency of the marshmallow, butter, corn syrup, and chocolate? Min looked gummy almost like dough, like dried glue. I’m thinking it should have been looser, like fresh glue.
Hi Jade, The melted chocolate mixture should be really fluid, and definitely pourable. It sounds as though maybe yours got cooked too long and it started to firm up?
I love these bars! The cafeteria I frequented in college sold these for 75 cents a bar, and I would buy almost all of their stash so I could eat them all week long! Now, I make them at home at least once a month. It’s such a perfect dessert!
Oh my gosh, I wish I had time to make these before I leave on vacation tomorrow! This is exactly the kind of food I need to be eating in a bikini on the beach.
Oh my word, YES!! I adored Golden Grahams as a kid. We were allowed sugary cereals, and they were one of my favorites. I haven’t had them in ages but now you have me craving them, for breakfast and dessert :)
I got excited when I saw the title of this post, because I knew exactly which recipe it was. My grandma made these frequently when I was growing up, and I sometimes randomly think of them even though I haven’t had them in at leat 15 years. I’m going to have to bring them to our next family gathering as a little tribute to her!
I LOVE golden grahams. I saw a recipe for golden grahams s’mores on two peas and their pod and have wanted to make them ever since. So perfect for summer!
I love graham cracker cereal, and I haven’t had that in forever. These smore bars look amazing! Perfect for camping or just hanging around a bond fire!
I just said to my friend last week that I needed to make these again because I loved them as a kid! Thanks for the reminder…headed to Big Bird to get a box!
These look so ooey gooey and delicious! I love dessert ideas that don’t involve turning the oven on, especially since it’s supposed to hit 95 in New England today and I live on the third floor of an un-airconditioned apartment, eek!
Don’t feel bad Michelle…My mom wouldn’t let the “good” cereals in the house either because of the preservatives like BHT. The only time we could have them was when we visited my uncle in Michigan. They had a smorgasbord of breakfast treats. Back in the ’70’s Kelloggs would give tours in their Battle Creek location. At the end all the kids got ice cream with fruit loops on top and their very own variety pack. I can still remember sitting on the swings eating my sugar pops! Thanks for letting me share some ancient history and for an oldie but goodie recipe that my son will flip for I am sure.
*Drool* I LOVE Golden Grahams! I was gutted when they stopped making them here in the UK but now they’re back which means I can make this delicious looking recipe! <3
Our version of Golden Grahams in Dubai are called Curiously Cinnamon and it’s my boys fave cereal (though I do try to limit it as it is loaded with sugar!!). They will love these bars, esp with the marshmellows inside – yummo :)
I saw GG’s smores bars on another blog today and it reminded me that I have a GG Smores recipe too that I forgot about (but I baked rather than no-baked mine) and now you have me craving GG’s (love them!)
welcome to brown eyed baker!
Hello and welcome! I'm Michelle and I believe anyone can learn to confidently make recipes worthy of celebration.
Just made this receipe.
What a mess……….the corn syrup made it very tacky and hard to work with.
Why did you use it?
I scanned other receipes and corn syrup is not incld.
It s not even good for us.
Waste of time.
I still
Make these- exactly like the recipe. They are my adult kids favorite
Michelle, I just made these & sprinkled red & white swirled white chocolate chips over the top. The gang at work are going to love them tomorrow!
Made these last night and ate them today. The only difference I made was that I didn’t melt the chocolate, but instead added the broken up firm chocolate pieces after the marshmallows were mixed with the golden grahams. But I am not sure what I did wrong. The golden grahams were soggy, chewy, and not crunchy. I made some rice krispies treats last night too and they turned out great but the only thing I could think was that maybe it was the microwaving, maybe stove top would have been better?
I tasted it once at someplace(I don’t remember where)…they tasted DELISH!!! I made them according to your recipe, and they tasted exactly as I remember. Good job!
Goodness gracious! These sound incredible – and the perfect way to use up those leftover Golden Grahams!
I just made these & they are so yummy! I only had large marshmallows & itty-bitty ones (they are actually called ‘micro mini’ marshmallows. We get them at a specialty store, they are like the ones in hot cocoa mix, but soft.) So, I melted the large ones & added the micro mini ones in with the cereal before I added the melted chocolate goodness to it. I didn’t think it would mix very well after the cereal was combined, (and it didn’t) so I’m glad I addded it with the cereal. The chocolate mixture was really thick, I could almost pick up the whole glob of treats. You have to make these! They are so good & addicting!!
I am in love with these!! How perfect for summer!
S’Mores that don’t require a buggy bonfire?!?! I’ll take it!!
question?
I tired these last night and mine turned out dry and chalk (chocolate) and it won’t hold together. :( It’s definitely not gooey looking like yours. I weigh everything and used just shy of the 10 oz bag of miniature marshmallows and the just shy of the 11 oz box of golden grahams. Any suggestions?
Hi Jade, I didn’t weigh the ingredients for these, but I wonder if there is a conversion issue. Are you going on a straight 8-ounces = 1 cup measurement? If so, I think that it could definitely be off there.
No, I usually use ounces, but since I don’t have a conversion sheet for it, I used what was on the box. ¾ of a cup per serving equals so many grams, divided it by 3 then multiplied by for to get once cup. I’ll try it again over the stove. I get nervous with the chocolate and marshmallows that I might over heat them. I really hope to get that gooey stage. Before you add the cereal, can you descried the consistency of the marshmallow, butter, corn syrup, and chocolate? Min looked gummy almost like dough, like dried glue. I’m thinking it should have been looser, like fresh glue.
Hi Jade, The melted chocolate mixture should be really fluid, and definitely pourable. It sounds as though maybe yours got cooked too long and it started to firm up?
WOW! YUM!
Yum, these look fabulous and so much better than rice krispy treats!
Golden Grahams are the best and I cannot believe how ooey, gooey delicious these bars look!
That last picture…drool-worthy.
This looks SOOO amazing.
Totally made something like this last year with some friends! Golden Grahams go a long way!
My favorite cereal ever ! I crave them when I have migraines but the caffeine in the choclate and the golden grams maybe I found my headache cure!
I love these bars! The cafeteria I frequented in college sold these for 75 cents a bar, and I would buy almost all of their stash so I could eat them all week long! Now, I make them at home at least once a month. It’s such a perfect dessert!
I love going through my grandma’s recipes. What a great tribute!
Oh my gosh, I wish I had time to make these before I leave on vacation tomorrow! This is exactly the kind of food I need to be eating in a bikini on the beach.
Oh my word, YES!! I adored Golden Grahams as a kid. We were allowed sugary cereals, and they were one of my favorites. I haven’t had them in ages but now you have me craving them, for breakfast and dessert :)
oh my gosh. incredible! those look so delicious! my fav flavor combo!
Ohh my you had me at s’mores, these look amazing! :)
I got excited when I saw the title of this post, because I knew exactly which recipe it was. My grandma made these frequently when I was growing up, and I sometimes randomly think of them even though I haven’t had them in at leat 15 years. I’m going to have to bring them to our next family gathering as a little tribute to her!
err merr gerr…want
I made these just a few weeks ago and loved them! Yours look so delicious especially that last picture!! Totally craving Golden Graham’s now!
Wow these look absolutely amazing – all the best things in 1 square!
xo
http://allykayler.blogspot.ca/
What a great way to have cereal in the morning…(and throughout the day for that matter). Looks delicious.
Oh muh guh. My mouth is watering. I forgot about Golden Grahms! Haven’t eaten it in years.
Very cool recipe idea! I think we will try something like this soon!
All kinds of gooey goodness right there!
That last photo is killing me! Looks so good!
I LOVE golden grahams. I saw a recipe for golden grahams s’mores on two peas and their pod and have wanted to make them ever since. So perfect for summer!
I love graham cracker cereal, and I haven’t had that in forever. These smore bars look amazing! Perfect for camping or just hanging around a bond fire!
I just said to my friend last week that I needed to make these again because I loved them as a kid! Thanks for the reminder…headed to Big Bird to get a box!
How do you come up with such great recipes?? WOW! Thanks for sharing!!!
these are an all time favorite summer recipe.
These look so ooey gooey and delicious! I love dessert ideas that don’t involve turning the oven on, especially since it’s supposed to hit 95 in New England today and I live on the third floor of an un-airconditioned apartment, eek!
i made a version of these recently and it rekindled my love for golden grahams-so good!
This looks like a must-try. I’ve just now pulled a batch of s’mores cookies out of the oven, so you know I love the flavors!
Don’t feel bad Michelle…My mom wouldn’t let the “good” cereals in the house either because of the preservatives like BHT. The only time we could have them was when we visited my uncle in Michigan. They had a smorgasbord of breakfast treats. Back in the ’70’s Kelloggs would give tours in their Battle Creek location. At the end all the kids got ice cream with fruit loops on top and their very own variety pack. I can still remember sitting on the swings eating my sugar pops! Thanks for letting me share some ancient history and for an oldie but goodie recipe that my son will flip for I am sure.
Oh yes please!
Growing up, my house was very similar to yours, no sweet brand name cereal. But, breakfast was still a very happy place.
It’s good to know that I’m not the only one. :)
Man! These look like squares of rich, gooey deliciousness!!!!! Yum!
*Drool* I LOVE Golden Grahams! I was gutted when they stopped making them here in the UK but now they’re back which means I can make this delicious looking recipe! <3
Our version of Golden Grahams in Dubai are called Curiously Cinnamon and it’s my boys fave cereal (though I do try to limit it as it is loaded with sugar!!). They will love these bars, esp with the marshmellows inside – yummo :)
These were always a favorite of mine! I’m afraid to make them because I know I’ll eat the whole pan!
I saw GG’s smores bars on another blog today and it reminded me that I have a GG Smores recipe too that I forgot about (but I baked rather than no-baked mine) and now you have me craving GG’s (love them!)