This Easy S’mores Cupcake Recipe with Cake Mix is the perfect summertime treat! They are simple, delicious, and taste just like s’mores! You will love this campfire inspired dessert!
Easy S’mores Cupcake Recipe with Cake Mix:
I love a good s’more, but in the middle of the summer sometimes it’s way too hot to build a fire to roast marshmallows. So, I decided to make these s’more cupcakes. The crunchy graham cracker crust, gooey chocolate cake, and smooth marshmallow frosting combine for the perfect summer dessert!
Making them may seem like an intimidating task, but I promise this s’mores cupcake recipe is simple! This step-by-step recipe tutorial below will illustrate the exact steps so you can see how easy they are to make.
Are Homemade S’mores Cupcakes Easy to Make?
Trust me when I say this is the best s’mores cupcake recipe you’ll ever find! Although nothing tops a squishy, toasted marshmallow, these cupcakes are the next best thing, without the risk of tiny fingers or mouths getting burnt. They require very little effort to make, and the payoff is DELICIOUS!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Crust
- graham crackers- They provide a crunchy texture to the cupcake.
- sugar- Gives the graham cracker crust the sweetness it needs.
- melted butter- Acts as the binder that holds the crust together.
Cupcakes
- devil’s food chocolate cake mix– You can’t have s’mores cupcakes without chocolate cake.
- eggs- Hold everything together, so you don’t end up with crumbly cupcakes.
- buttermilk, vegetable oil- Will keep the cupcakes moist.
- chocolate chips- Provide texture while making the cupcakes extra chocolatey.
- graham crackers- Adds a little extra crunch to the cupcake.
Frosting
- marshmallow creme- Creates a light, fluffy frosting.
- butter- Adds body and airiness to the frosting.
- powdered sugar- Gives the marshmallow topping all the sweetness it needs.
- vanilla extract- Adds extra flavor that will take these s’mores cupcakes over the top!
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 325°F, and add your cupcake liners to the 12-cup muffin tin, or grease the tin, whichever you prefer.
I use parchment paper cupcake liners because they do not have to be greased, but you can use regular liners as well.
Step 2: In a small bowl, mix the crushed graham crackers and sugar. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and blend it into the graham crackers.
Tip: To crush the graham crackers place them in a bag and beat them with a baking pin or place them in a food processor and pulse until you get coarse crumbs.
Step 3: Place one tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture into each cupcake liner and press down. If you don’t have one of the tools pictured above, you can use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a smaller measuring cup. Bake for 6-8 minutes, remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire cooling rack for at least five minutes.
Step 4: Raise the temperature of your oven to 350°F. Grab a large bowl and mix the boxed cake mix, eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Only mix until smooth. If you mix longer than needed, your cupcakes will turn out gummy and chewy.
Tip: If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, no problem! Simply mix 1 cup of milk with one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes so it can thicken up.
Step 5: Add the cake batter to muffin tins, and sprinkle extra chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs. Bake the cupcakes for 12-14 minutes or until you can stick a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 6: Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add in the marshmallow creme and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth.
Step 7: Frost your cupcakes and have fun decorating them! I used the extra chocolate chips and graham crackers to sprinkle over the top. Enjoy!
How full should I fill my cupcake liners?
Underfilling will lead to flat cupcakes with too much frosting, but if you overfill, you will end up making a huge mess. So, I typically fill my liners around 2/3 to 3/4 the way full.
How to store s’mores cupcakes:
- Storing cupcakes without frosting- If you need to make the cupcakes ahead of time and are waiting to frost them until later, they can be stored at room temperature for 4-5 days or in the fridge for a week. For best results, frost them 2 days after making them.
- Storing cupcakes with frosting- Store them in an airtight container for 4-5 days at room temperature or in the fridge for a week. S’mores Cupcakes are best eaten 2-3 days after baking. After that, they tend to be a little dry and dense.
- Freezing cupcakes without frosting- Allow the cupcakes to totally cool on a wire rack, then individually wrap them up with plastic wrap. Then place them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. This will prevent them from becoming freezer burnt. You can keep them frozen for up to 4 months. To defrost, place them in the fridge overnight, or allow them to come to room temperature on your counter.
- Freezing cupcakes with frosting- First, freeze the cupcakes unfrosted, then frost them and place the cupcakes on a plate in the freezer for about an hour. Next, carefully wrap the individual s’more cupcakes with plastic wrap and put them in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
How do you frost cupcakes?
- Spreading- For this method, all you need is an offset spatula or a butter knife. Scoop a dollop of frosting in the middle of the cupcake and use your knife or spatula to spread the marshmallow frosting in an outward circular motion evenly. This will result in a smooth finish.
- Piping- All you need for this method is a Ziploc bag. Fold the bag into a triangle shape then add the frosting. Once the marshmallow frosting has been added, twist the top of the bag so that the frosting is pushed down into one corner. Next, snip the tip-off and swirl in a circular motion from the outside until you reach the center.
Variations to this Recipe:
- peanut butter- You could drizzle some peanut butter over the top to make a peanut butter s’mores cupcake.
- change up the chocolate- Not everyone likes semisweet chocolate chips, so you could try any kind you like, such as dark or milk chocolate.
Other Dessert Recipes:
- Chocolate Chip Cookies with Self-Rising Flour
- Cosmic Brownie Recipe
- Moist Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
More S’mores Recipes:
How to Make Easy S’mores Cupcake Recipe with Cake Mix:
Easy S'mores Cupcake Recipe with Cake Mix
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham crackers
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 5 tbs butter melted
Cupcakes
- 1 box devil's food chocolate cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips mini
- graham cracker crumbs
Marshmallow Frosting
- 7 oz marshmallow creme
- 1 cup butter unsalted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Add cupcake liners to pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar together.
- Melt butter in microwave safe bowl and blend into crumb mixture until well combined.
- Add 1 tablespoon mixture to each liner and press down with spoon or tart shaper.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes, remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before adding cupcake batter.
- Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Cupcakes
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the cake mix, eggs, buttermilk and oil until smooth.
- Divide batter on top of cooled graham cracker crust.
- Sprinkle with chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven to wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Frosting
- Cream softened butter in a mixing bowl.
- Add marshmallow creme and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
- Frost cupcakes and decorate as desired.
- Enjoy!