Campfire Marshmallow Bars

Broiling the marshmallows right to the brink of charred gives these bars a smoky taste reminiscent of a campfire cookout. Keep an eye on the marshmallows through the oven door as you would with marshmallows over a fire — charred is good, burnt is bad.

Delicious dessert recipes for the Fourth of July »

Campfire Marshmallow Bars

View this recipe in our California Cookbook »

30 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Ingredients

• 6 cups crisped rice cereal
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, cut in slices
• 1 bag (10 ounces) mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element. Heat the oven to broil, on a medium setting, if possible, and turn on the oven light. Put the cereal in a large bowl.
2. Scatter the butter in a 13- by 9-inch cake pan and place in the oven to cook until the butter melts and its milk solids turn light golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Watch it carefully. Immediately remove the pan from the oven and carefully tilt it to evenly coat the bottom with the butter. Quickly spread the marshmallows in a single layer in the pan.
3. Return the pan to the oven rack and broil, watching the progress the whole time, until the tops of the marshmallows are very dark golden brown and the marshmallows are puffed, 2 to 4 minutes. Carefully and immediately slide the marshmallows out of the pan and into the bowl with the cereal. Leave behind any butter slicking the pan; don’t scrape anything out.
4. Carefully fold the marshmallow mixture together until the cereal is evenly coated. Scrape the mixture into the pan and press it in an even layer. Cool completely, then cut into 24 bars to serve.

Pull the pan out of the oven right when the marshmallows are puffed and nearly charred.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times / Prop styling by Joni Noe)

Variations

S’mores Bars

After pressing the marshmallow treats into the pan, arrange 24 squares of milk chocolate in a 6-by-4 grid on top. Return to the oven and heat just until the chocolate has softened, about 1 minute. Cut 6 graham cracker squares into 4 smaller squares each. Press each square into a piece of chocolate.

Eat them while they’re still warm to enjoy gooey marshmallow and melty chocolate.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times / Prop styling by Joni Noe)

Big Batch Campfire Marshmallow Bars

Follow the method above using a half sheet pan (17 by 11 inches) and 9 ½ cups crisped rice cereal, 6 ½ tablespoons salted butter and one 16-ounce bag of marshmallows.

Make ahead

• The bars can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days.