Halloween S’mores Bars (Bloodshot Eyeball Treats)

This is a sponsored post by Challenge, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee’s Kitchen possible!

These s’mores bars may very well be the easiest dessert I’ve ever made. The graham cracker crust requires one bowl and a spoon for mixing; everything else gets layered in an 8-inch square pan.

I’m not sure what made me think to turn marshmallows into bloodshot eyes, but I guess that’s where my mind is right now. S’mores bars are a delicious dessert all year round, but it was especially fun for me to adapt them for Halloween. This easy Halloween s’mores bars recipe brings the spooky while retaining the campfire flavor without any open flames. It’s perfect for a Halloween party or just to share with your family.

What Goes into Halloween S’mores Bars?

These bars come together with pantry staples. Each layer plays an important role in preserving the gooeyness of a campfire s’more after being formed into an individual bar:

• Melted Unsalted Butter: Because this recipe has so few ingredients, it’s important to make sure everything you use is of the best quality. I used Challenge butter because they use fresh, hormone-free milk, and they don’t add any unnatural additives. Melting the butter keeps the graham cracker crust soft instead of dry and crumbly.
• Brown Sugar & Vanilla: Adds subtle caramel note that complements the honey-graham flavor.
• Graham Cracker Crumbs & Flour: Provides that authentic s’mores flavor with enough flour structure so the bars hold together when sliced.
• King-Size Chocolate Bars: Two 7-ounce chocolate bars fit across an 8-inch pan. Milk chocolate gives a classic, nostalgic s’mores flavor, but dark chocolate creates a less sweet, more chocolatey flavor to balance the marshmallow topping.
• Marshmallows: Standard regular-sized marshmallows work great to fit the pan grid, or you can cut 10 jumbo marshmallows in half with kitchen shears.
• Candy Eyeballs & Red Decorating Gel: The simple decorations that transform the s’mores bars into spooky Halloween eyeball treats.

How to Decorate Marshmallow Eyeballs for Halloween

Turning ordinary marshmallows into creepy bloodshot eyes is easy and requires no artistic skills. In fact, imperfect squiggles actually look creepier!

Getting the Marshmallows Golden: Low-Broil Oven Setting

The secret to toasting the marshmallow layer indoors is using your oven’s broiler on low. Slide the pan onto the middle rack, turn the oven light on, and do not walk away. As soon as the tops turn golden and puffed (about 1 to 2 minutes), pull them out immediately.

Squiggly Bloodshot Lines & Candy Eyes

Let the bars cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before decorating so the icing doesn’t melt. I used Wilton Red Sparkle Gel to create the squiggly bloodshot lines, and then I stuck colored candy eyeballs on top. If you can’t find the gel, use any type of red icing.

You can find candy eyeballs in the baking section of most grocery stores this time of year, but if you have issues finding them, use an M&M or a Spree and draw a little black pupil on the candy with an edible marker.

My Tips for Easy Cutting

Melted chocolate and toasted marshmallow can be difficult to work with and slice. These two simple steps help guarantee precise squares every time:

The Aluminum Foid Sling

Butter your 8×8-inch baking pan, then line it with aluminum foil, leaving 1 to 2 inches of overhang on opposite sides. Butter the top of the aluminum foil too. Once the bars are cool and the icing is set, use the foil handles to lift the entire block straight out onto a cutting board.

In my original recipe, I used parchment paper, which worked well but is at risk of burning/catching on fire under the broiler. I changed to aluminum foil, which works just as well without the risk of burning. I do not recommend using parchment paper for the sling.

Slicing

Cut your squares along the marshmallows to avoid cutting the marshmallows themselves and making a gooey mess. If need be wipe your knife between cuts.

How to Prep Halloween S’mores Bars Ahead of Time

These bars are ideal for party planning because they taste just as good made in advance:

• Room Temperature Storage: Store cooled, decorated bars in a single layer inside an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Skip the Refrigerator: Do not store these in the fridge. Chilling is not needed and can ruin the gooey texture of the toasted marshmallows.
• How to Transport: If you need to transport them to a Halloween party, make sure to avoid stacking the bars directly on top of each other.

Looking for more spooky inspiration? Check out all of my Halloween recipes! Personally, I think these would work well on a dessert platter with my Bloody Shattered Glass Cupcakes and Monster Sandwich Cookies.

As Seen on TV

I made this recipe on Fox59!

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