S’mores is a fan-favorite campfire delight, combining the classic flavors of toasted marshmallow, smooth chocolate, crunchy graham cracker, and love.

The thing is, s’mores can be an intricate dessert when you consider the elements at hand. 

To make a s’more, you start off with a classic jumbo marshmallow, some call it the star of the show, the immovable object. Toasting levels depend on personal preference, beginning with a light beige toast all the way to charcoal. If you’re feeling huge, put two to three marshmallows on that stick and light that thing up. 

Not feeling huge? You replace the marshmallow: place on a colorful Peep for a sugary crunch, or use marshmallow fluff and spread it on the cracker—in this case toasting is optional!

A beloved teacher at Brunswick High School, Mr. Johnson has fond memories through the ritual of making s’mores.

“I love making s’mores. I make them with my daughters all the time in our fire pit,” Johnson said. “I even use a sacrificial graham cracker—we put that close to the fire and we melt our chocolate on that, then you just scoop it all off of there.”

The next element: the chocolate.

Hershey’s milk chocolate is most commonly used, dark chocolate being an underrated choice. Slab a Reese’s or a caramel Ghirardelli square on that thing. Add a spread on there, like Nutella, Biscoff, or peanut butter for a Fluffer-Nutter-like s’more. 

Graham cracker wise: there’s levels to this. To continue the sweet flavor profile, swap the cracker with an Oreo, stroopwafel, or a chocolate chip or shortbread cookie. Sweet n’ Salty delivers a new perspective, use a Ritz cracker or a sturdy potato chip.

Consider a fruit theme, a strawberry or lemon curd in the placement of chocolate will have a similar taste to a meringue pie, or smear a berry jam along with original ingredients for an unusual, but pleasant, pop of tartness. 

Bananas are a universal fruit, put some banana slices on a classically made s’more—add some peanut butter if you’re crazy—and sit down by the fire and enjoy a “Funky Monkey” treat. 

Most students at Brunswick High School aren’t aware of the intricate ways of the s’more. Kloey Donovan knows what’s up.

“Eating a Reese’s s’more elevates it to another level,” Donovan said. “You get the peanut butter in there, the marshmallow is melting all together with the chocolate, and the crunch of the graham cracker, it’s just a lovely treat.”

It’s difficult to rank these combinations by taste or complexity because they are so vast from one another, but having the option to mix-match all of these combinations into a s’more can be one of life’s greatest pleasures.