These Golden S’mores Rolls bring the nostalgia of a campfire treat right into your kitchen without the need for a fire pit. Soft, fluffy yeast dough is swirled with a rich chocolate filling and graham cracker crumbs, then topped with a cloud of toasted homemade marshmallow meringue.
You will love the combination of the tender, golden roll and the gooey, glossy meringue that gets lightly toasted to perfection.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: This dessert features the classic trio of s’mores flavors: buttery graham crackers, deep semi-sweet chocolate, and sweet, vanilla-scented marshmallow.
- Texture: The rolls are soft and pillowy, contrasting beautifully with the slight crunch of graham crumbs and the sticky, airy texture of the meringue topping.
- Time: The dough requires a short rest, and the active time involves kneading, rolling, and whipping the meringue. Total time is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Difficulty: Intermediate. While the steps are straightforward, making a yeast dough and a Swiss meringue topping requires a bit of attention to detail.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a stand mixer with both paddle and whisk attachments to handle the dough and the meringue. You will also need a medium saucepan for the chocolate filling and a 9.5-inch round baking pan. A double boiler or a heat-proof bowl set over a pot is necessary for heating the egg whites, and a kitchen blowtorch is optional if you want to toast the topping without using the oven broiler.
Ingredient Notes
- Instant Yeast – The recipe uses one packet of instant yeast. This type of yeast is potent and acts quickly, helping the dough rise without a long proofing time.
- Milk & Water – Both liquids should be warm to help activate the yeast and create a smooth dough environment.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – These are melted down with cream and cocoa to create a rich, spreadable ganache-style filling that is far superior to just sprinkling chips inside.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs – Finely crushing the sheets ensures they distribute evenly inside the spiral, giving you that authentic s’mores taste in every bite.
- Egg Whites – Use large egg whites at room temperature. These are the base of the meringue; ensure no yolk gets in, or they won’t whip up properly.
- Cream of Tartar –This acidic ingredient stabilizes the egg whites, ensuring the meringue holds its stiff, glossy peaks.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Chocolate Variety: While semi-sweet is classic, you can substitute milk chocolate chips if you prefer a sweeter, milder chocolate filling.
- Spices: A pinch of cinnamon mixed into the graham cracker crumbs can add a warm, cozy flavor profile.
- Toasting: If you do not have a kitchen blowtorch, the oven broiler works perfectly to toast the meringue just watch it very closely to prevent burning.
How to Make Golden S’mores Rolls
Make the Dough
- Mix ingredients: Using your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the warm milk, warm water, instant yeast, sugar, flour, 2 tablespoons of the melted butter (reserve the rest for brushing later), and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Knead: Switch out the paddle attachment for the hook attachment. Knead on low speed for 6-8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Rest: Place the dough onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Cover it with a clean kitchen or tea towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Make the Chocolate Graham Cracker Filling
- Cook the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the unsweetened cocoa powder, heavy whipping cream, semi-sweet chocolate chips, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Continually whisk over low-medium heat until the filling is well blended and smooth.
- Cool: Remove from heat, then pour into a separate bowl and allow to cool. Note: The graham cracker crumbs are added later during assembly.
Assembling the Rolls
- Prep: Coat a 9.5-inch round pan with a flour-based baking spray and set aside. Adjust your oven rack to the 2nd level mark (just above center) and preheat your oven to 350ºF.
- Roll out: Remove the kitchen towel from the dough. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangle approximately 10″ x 16″ in size.
- Add filling: Using a pastry brush, brush on half of the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter, leaving about 1/2” of space from the edge. With an offset spatula, spread the cooled chocolate filling out into a thin layer, again leaving a 1/2″ border.
- Add crumbs: Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the top of the chocolate layer.
- Roll and cut: Starting with the long side, roll up the dough like you would for a jelly roll, pinching the seams to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut off the uneven ends, then cut the roll into approximately 8-10 equal sizes.
- Bake: Place the rolls into the prepared pan cut side down. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25-28 minutes or until a light golden brown.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool slightly for about 10 minutes while you make the topping.
Make the Marshmallow Meringue Topping
- Dissolve sugar: Using a bain-marie or double boiler, heat the egg whites and granulated sugar over 1 – 1.5 inches of simmering water. Continually whisk until the sugar has fully dissolved (about 5-6 minutes).
- Whip to peaks: Transfer the hot mixture to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Set the speed to high. When the mixture initially reaches the soft peaks stage, add in the cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Finish meringue: Continue to mix on high speed right until stiff, glossy peaks form (about 10 minutes).
- Top and Serve: Top the warm rolls with the marshmallow meringue topping. If desired, lightly toast the top using your oven’s broiler setting or use a small kitchen blowtorch.
Pro Tip: To ensure your meringue is not gritty, perform a quick test by rubbing a little of the egg white mixture between your pointer finger and thumb before taking it off the heat. You want to make sure all sugar granules have completely dissolved.
Recipe Tips
- Cool the filling: Be sure to let the chocolate filling cool before spreading it on the dough. If it is too hot, it can cause the raw dough to melt or become difficult to handle.
- Oven Rack Position: Pay attention to the instruction to adjust the rack to the 2nd level mark (just above center). This ensures the tops brown nicely without burning the bottoms.
- Clean Equipment: When whipping egg whites for the meringue, ensure your bowl and whisk are completely clean and free of grease. Even a tiny bit of fat can prevent the whites from reaching stiff peaks.
- Slicing: For the cleanest cuts, use a very sharp knife or even unflavored dental floss to slice through the dough log without squishing it.
FAQs
- Can I make the meringue ahead of time? It is best to make the meringue right before serving. Meringue can lose its volume and stability if it sits for too long, so whip it up while the rolls are cooling.
- Why didn’t my meringue whip up? This usually happens if there was a trace of yolk in the whites or grease in the bowl. It can also happen if the sugar mixture wasn’t heated enough or whipped long enough. Be sure to whisk on high for the full 10 minutes.
- How do I store leftovers? These are best enjoyed fresh because of the meringue topping. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day. The meringue may become sticky over time.
Serving Suggestions
- Hot Beverages: Serve these warm rolls with a cup of hot coffee or hot chocolate to complement the rich cocoa flavors.
- Ice Cream: If you want to go all out, a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the side pairs wonderfully with the warm chocolate.
Make This Recipe in Advance
The chocolate filling can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator; just gently reheat it or let it come to room temperature so it is spreadable when you are ready to assemble. Because this specific method goes straight from assembly to the oven without a second long rise, it is best to make the dough and bake the rolls fresh.
Golden S’mores Rolls
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 rolls 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Golden S’mores Rolls bring the nostalgia of a campfire treat right into your kitchen without the need for a fire pit. Soft, fluffy yeast dough is swirled with a rich chocolate ganache and graham cracker crumbs, then finished with a cloud of toasted homemade marshmallow meringue. You will love the combination of the tender, golden roll and the gooey, glossy meringue that gets lightly toasted to perfection.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup Milk, warm
- 1/4 cup Water, warm
- 2 1/4 teaspoons Instant Yeast (1 packet)
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter, divided and melted (2 tablespoons for the dough, 2 tablespoons for brushing)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
For the chocolate graham cracker filling
- 1/8 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1/8 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs (about 1 1/2 to 2 graham cracker sheets), finely crushed
For the marshmallow meringue topping
- 2 Large Egg Whites, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the warm milk, warm water, instant yeast, sugar, flour, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, and salt. Mix until just combined. Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Make the Chocolate Filling
While the dough rests, combine the cocoa powder, heavy cream, chocolate chips, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk continually over low-medium heat until the mixture is smooth and blended. Remove from heat and let cool.
Step 3: Roll and Fill
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and coat a 9.5-inch round pan with baking spray. Roll the dough into a 10-inch by 16-inch rectangle. Brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spread the cooled chocolate filling over the butter, then sprinkle evenly with graham cracker crumbs.
Step 4: Cut and Bake
Roll the dough tightly starting from the long side and pinch the seams to seal. Cut into 8-10 equal rolls and place them cut-side down in the prepared pan. Bake for 25-28 minutes until light golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Create the Meringue
In a double boiler over simmering water, whisk the egg whites and sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved (about 5-6 minutes). Transfer to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip on high until soft peaks form, then add cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla. Continue whipping until stiff, glossy peaks form (about 10 minutes total).
Step 6: Top and Serve
Generously spread the marshmallow meringue over the warm rolls. For the full s’mores experience, toast the meringue lightly using a kitchen blowtorch or by placing it briefly under the oven broiler (watch closely to prevent burning).
Notes
Slicing Tip: To keep your rolls perfectly round without squishing the dough, try using unflavored dental floss to cut the log. Slide the floss under the roll, cross it over the top, and pull quickly to slice through.
Room Temperature Eggs: Ensure your egg whites are truly at room temperature before heating them. This allows the proteins to bond better, resulting in a fluffier, more voluminous meringue.
Freezing: If you want to prep ahead, you can bake the rolls, let them cool completely, and freeze them without the topping. When ready to serve, thaw, warm them up, and whip up the fresh meringue.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 405
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: smores sweet rolls, chocolate yeast rolls, marshmallow meringue topping, campfire dessert, homemade sweet rolls, baked s'mores
