This s’mores hot chocolate recipe starts with a base hot chocolate made by whisking 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1–2 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt with 2 tablespoons of milk into a smooth paste, then whisking in 1 cup (240 ml) of hot milk. Top with 2–3 marshmallows toasted under the broiler for about 60–90 seconds, a drizzle of melted chocolate, and a sprinkle of crushed graham crackers. About 10 minutes, no campfire needed.
A s’more is really a memory with a marshmallow in it: the smell of woodsmoke, a stick held a little too close to the fire, the chocolate that never quite melted. This drink takes the three parts, chocolate, toasted marshmallow, graham cracker, and rearranges them in a mug for a kitchen in February. The trick that makes it taste like the real thing rather than a sweet cocoa with a garnish is the toasting, and it takes a broiler and ninety seconds of undivided attention.
How do you make this s’mores hot chocolate recipe?
Makes: 1 mug (about 1 cup / 240 ml) · Prep: 3 minutes · Cook: 7 minutes · Total: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (11 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1–2 tbsp (12–25 g) sugar, to taste
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- 2–3 large marshmallows
- 1 tbsp (15 g) chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, melted
- 1 graham cracker sheet, crushed
Instructions
- Make the base. Whisk the cocoa, sugar and salt with 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the milk into a smooth paste, then whisk in the rest of the milk heated until steaming, about 160°F (70°C). The full method is in our hot chocolate recipe with cocoa powder if this is your first time making the paste.
- Toast the marshmallows. Set the oven to broil. Place the marshmallows on a foil-lined tray and broil 60–90 seconds, watching constantly; they go from golden to burnt in seconds. No broiler: use a kitchen torch, or toast one at a time on a skewer over a gas burner.
- Melt the chocolate. Microwave the chocolate in 15-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth.
- Assemble. Pour the hot chocolate into a mug, top with the toasted marshmallows, drizzle with the melted chocolate, and sprinkle with crushed graham cracker.
How do you toast marshmallows without a torch or campfire?
The broiler is the closest kitchen equivalent to an open flame: high, direct, top-down heat that browns a marshmallow’s surface in under two minutes. Line a tray with foil, place the marshmallows a few inches from the element, and stay at the oven the whole time, because the difference between golden brown and on fire is only a few seconds. If you do not want to run the broiler for one mug, a small kitchen torch gives more control, moved in slow circles until the surface is evenly toasted.
Why does this taste like a s’more?
A campfire s’more is three things eaten together, and this drink keeps all three separate in the mug instead of pressed into a sandwich. The melted chocolate drizzle stands in for the chocolate bar; the broiled marshmallow keeps its toasted, slightly charred edge, which is the flavor your memory is actually looking for; and the crushed graham cracker adds the crumbly, faintly cinnamon-y crunch. Using unsweetened cocoa for the base, rather than a sweet drinking-chocolate mix, is what stops the cup from turning into pure sugar once the marshmallow and the drizzle go on.
Can you make this ahead or for a crowd?
The cocoa base scales up in a saucepan using the same ratios per cup, or in a slow cooker for a party with our crockpot hot cocoa. The marshmallow topping does not hold: broil marshmallows just before serving, since they deflate and turn chewy within a few minutes of leaving the oven. For a crowd, keep the base warm on the stove and broil marshmallows in batches right before topping each mug, or set out the toppings and let guests build their own at a hot cocoa bar.
Which cocoa makes the best base?
With sugar coming from the marshmallow and the drizzle, the cocoa underneath should bring depth, not more sweetness. Grevista’s cocoa is unsweetened, non-alkalized, single-origin Vietnamese Trinitario with nothing else in it, and its lab reports are public on Lab Results & Awards.
Choosing a cocoa for this drink? Our guide to the best cocoa powder for hot chocolate compares natural, Dutch-process and black cocoa by how they taste in a mug.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use mini marshmallows instead of large ones?
Yes. Mini marshmallows toast faster, so start checking at 30 seconds under the broiler.
What if I don’t have a broiler?
A kitchen torch works well for one or two mugs. Toasting over a stovetop gas flame on a skewer also works, one marshmallow at a time.
Can I make this with hot cocoa mix instead of cocoa powder?
Yes. Follow the mix’s instructions for the base, then add the same toasted marshmallow, chocolate drizzle and graham cracker topping. Expect a sweeter cup, since the mix brings its own sugar.
Is there caffeine in s’mores hot chocolate?
A little, from the cocoa. USDA values put 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder at about 25 mg of caffeine; the marshmallow, chocolate drizzle and graham cracker add none.
More to make and read
The base recipe is hot chocolate with cocoa powder. For the other seasonal cups, try peppermint hot chocolate, Mexican hot chocolate and pumpkin spice hot chocolate.
Commercial relationship: Grevista distributes this cocoa and earns revenue from sales on Amazon. See our Affiliate & Commercial Disclosure.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central: Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened (FDC ID 169593), portion weight and caffeine, checked September 15, 2026.
Written by the Grevista Editorial Team. Last updated October 22, 2026. How we check facts: Editorial Policy.