s’mores first appeared as a published recipe in Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts (1927), where they were called “Some Mores.” This now iconic combination of marshmallows, Hershey’s milk chocolate, and graham crackers was suggested as a campfire dessert: marshmallows are roasted on a stick over an open campfire, then sandwiched between two graham crackers along with squares of milk chocolate to make a sweet, gooey treat. It is unclear whether the Girl Scouts actually invented s’mores or whether they were known before the recipe was published. The combination of a smooth chocolate covering, sticky-soft inside, and crisp base was certainly familiar to American consumers: the popular Mallomar cookie had been introduced in 1913, followed by MoonPies in 1917; both consisted of chocolate-covered marshmallow on a crisp cookie layer. See moonpies. However, the fire-singed marshmallow of s’mores distinguished and intensified their sweetness, making them a summertime favorite, especially for children, for whom they remain lovingly associated with camp and campfire songs.
