Keto s'mores bars layer toasted marshmallows and melted sugar-free chocolate over a buttery graham cracker crust — 3.8g net carbs and all the campfire nostalgia without the sugar crash. My go-to low carb dessert any time of year.
I make these year-round. Not just when someone lights a fire pit, but on random weeknights in January when I want something sweet that actually satisfies. The graham cracker flavoring in the crust is what sets these apart from every other version I've tried. Without it, you just have a sweetened almond flour base. With it, you get something that actually tastes like a graham cracker.
No campfire required. I mix the crust in a food processor, press it into the pan, bake for about 10 minutes, then layer chocolate and marshmallows on top with two quick passes under the broiler. The whole thing takes maybe 30 minutes of active work, plus freezer time to set the layers so you can cut clean squares.
The crust holds up. I mean really holds up. I loaded mine with extra chocolate and double marshmallows and the base didn't buckle once. That xanthan gum does more work than you'd expect. If you've ever made a bar like this that crumbled when you picked it up, the combination of almond flour, coconut flour, and xanthan gum is what fixes that.
Each layer does something different. The crust gives you that sandy, buttery crunch. The chocolate sets up firm enough to snap but soft enough to chew through. And the marshmallow on top goes from crispy golden edges to gooey center. When you pull a bar apart, the chocolate stretches and the marshmallow strings out between your fingers. That's what makes these feel like real s'mores and not just a keto dessert pretending to be one.
What I like most is how messy they get. The chocolate stays soft if you eat them at room temperature, and the marshmallow layer pulls apart in that sticky, stringy way that makes s'mores worth eating in the first place. My family asks for these on Friday nights, and my daughter (who will tell me to my face if something tastes off) goes back for seconds without being asked.
If you like low carb treats that deliver on texture, these sit alongside my keto chocolate mousse and keto fudge as recipes I come back to constantly. For something with a similar layered bar structure, my nanaimo bars have the same satisfying crunch-to-filling ratio. And if you want a no-fuss dessert that doesn't need the oven at all, my keto no bake cookies come together in about 15 minutes.
Swaps I've tested
I’ve tested a few ingredient swaps that work:
Graham cracker crust shortcut: For a faster version, grind Catalina Crunch honey graham cereal in a food processor and mix with melted butter. Press into the pan and freeze to set. I tried this on a weeknight when I didn’t want to measure out the dry ingredients, and it tastes just like golden grahams.
Chocolate: No sugar-free chips? I’ve used 85-90% dark chocolate and it works perfectly. Slightly more bitter, but with the marshmallow sweetness on top you don’t notice.
Marshmallows: If you want to make your own, this sugar-free marshmallow recipe is solid. I use store-bought most of the time because the result is the same and it saves me an hour.
Flavor variations
I’ve tried a few twists on the base recipe:
White chocolate version: Swap the dark chips for sugar-free white chocolate. I melt it the same way under the broiler. The flavor is more subtle, almost like my keto white chocolate fudge, but with that graham cracker crunch underneath.
Peppermint bark: I add a drop of peppermint extract to the melted chocolate layer before spreading it. My family requests this version around the holidays.
Double chocolate: Use chocolate-flavored marshmallows on top of the chocolate chip layer. It’s intense. If you love chocolate and want something to pair with coffee, try it alongside my keto mug brownie.
Storage and reheating
I keep these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. They firm up when cold, which actually makes them easier to eat without the layers sliding apart.
At room temperature, they stay good in a zip-top bag for about three days. The chocolate softens and the marshmallow gets stickier, which is how I prefer them.
To reheat: I microwave one bar for 10-15 seconds. The marshmallow puffs back up slightly and the chocolate goes gooey again. That’s the closest you’ll get to fresh-from-the-oven without baking another batch.
I don’t recommend freezing these. I tried it once and the marshmallow texture turned rubbery and lost that pull-apart quality. The crust and chocolate freeze fine on their own, but once the marshmallow layer is involved, fresh is the way to go.
How to make keto smores bars
The crust comes together in a food processor in about 2 minutes. Pulse the dry ingredients, add cold butter and graham cracker flavoring, and pulse until you get coarse crumbs. Press them into the pan, bake, then it's just two rounds under the broiler: first to melt the chocolate chips (about 1 minute), then to toast the marshmallows on top. Watch the marshmallows closely because they go from golden to burnt in about 30 seconds. I stay right at the oven and pull the pan the second the tops look light tan. They keep cooking from the heat of the bars, so what looks underdone is actually perfect. Freeze for 30-60 minutes before cutting, or the layers slide.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Add almond flour, coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt to a food processor. Pulse to combine.
2
Finish graham cracker crust
Add cold, cubed butter and graham cracker flavoring or vanilla extract. Pulse until coarse crumbles form.
3
Bake graham cracker crust
Press the dough into a square baking dish lined with parchment paper and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 9-12 minutes.
4
Add chocolate layer
Spread chocolate chips evenly over the baked crust. Move the oven rack to the top position and broil on high for 1 minute. Spread into an even layer with a spatula.
5
Add marshmallow layer
Evenly spread marshmallows onto the top of the melted chocolate layer. Return under the broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes until marshmallows have melted and are golden brown.
6
Freeze
Freeze bars for 30-60 minutes to set the layers and cut into squares.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 bar
Calories
237
Fat
20.8g
Protein
3.7g
Total carbs
17.3g
Fiber
13.5g
Net carbs
3.8g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are marshmallows keto?
Regular marshmallows have about 22 grams of carbs per serving, so no. I use sugar-free marshmallows that have zero net carbs. They toast and melt the same way under the broiler, and my family can't tell the difference.
Can you eat graham crackers on keto?
Regular graham crackers are too high in carbs for keto. I make my own crust using almond flour, coconut flour, butter, and graham cracker flavoring. That flavoring is what makes the crust actually taste like a graham cracker instead of just a sweetened nut flour base.
How many carbs are in one s'more?
A traditional s'more with two graham crackers, chocolate, and a marshmallow has about 46 grams of carbs. My version has just 3.8g net carbs per serving. I get the same campfire flavor with a fraction of the carbs.
Can I use vanilla extract instead of graham cracker flavoring?
I've tested both side by side and vanilla just doesn't get you there. It makes a fine crust, but it tastes like a generic almond flour cookie base, not a graham cracker. The flavoring is what makes these taste like the real thing. I use about 3 dropperfuls and the difference is night and day.
What brand of sugar-free marshmallows works best?
I've gone through a few brands and the ones that work best are the ones that hold their shape under the broiler. Some sugar-free marshmallows just melt into a flat sticky puddle and won't toast. I look for brands that puff up and actually brown. If yours are going flat instead of toasting, try a different brand and keep the broiler on high.
Can I make the crust without a food processor?
I've done it with a pastry blender and it works fine. I cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until I get pea-sized crumbs, then keep working it until it holds together when pressed. Takes a couple extra minutes, but the crust comes out the same. It's a similar technique to how I make my almond flour cookies.
Why do my marshmallows burn under the broiler?
Sugar-free marshmallows brown much faster than regular ones. I stay right at the oven door and pull the pan the second the tops look light tan, usually around 60-90 seconds. They keep cooking from the heat of the bars underneath, so what looks underdone when you pull it will be golden by the time it cools. I've burned more batches than I'd like to admit by walking away for even a minute.
Can I make these on a campfire or grill?
I haven't tried the full bar recipe over a fire, but you could bake the crust at home, bring it to the campsite, and top with chocolate and marshmallows over the grill. I stick to the oven because I make these in January as often as July, and the broiler gives me more control over the marshmallow layer than an open flame.
Under 4 net carbs a bar is what got me. I’d written s’mores off after four years of keto, figured the marshmallow was never going to work. Then the tops came out of the broiler actually browned and puffed and I just stood there a second. Ate the first one standing over the pan
Half tsp of cinnamon in the dry mix really sharpens up the graham flavor. Also press the dough a quarter inch up the sides or the chocolate seeps under when it melts.
Made these three times. Good, but I’d cut the chocolate chips to around 5 oz. At 7 the marshmallow gets buried and you lose the s’mores balance, which is kind of the whole point.
Danielle, the ratio is real and I’ve thought the same. At 7 oz the chocolate starts to dominate and the marshmallow kind of disappears into it. I’m trying the 5 oz next batch.
You can skip it, Kristen, but the crust gets crumblier when you cut the bars. The coconut flour holds it together when you’re pressing in, it just won’t slice as clean. I’d use it if you have it.
Wasn’t sure these would hold up past day two without the crust going soft, but sealed tight they’re still good on day four. Cutting cold is the move, room temp gets sticky.
That snap means the chocolate set up right. Heather, sugar-free marshmallow brands vary a lot under the broiler. I have had some that need closer to 2 minutes and some that toast in under 60 seconds.
Dropper bottle of flavoring and I’m ten again, burning the marshmallow on purpose at my uncle’s fire pit. Not a perfect dupe, but something real is there.
My son grabbed one thinking they were from a box mix, then took another after I told him they were made with almond flour. The marshmallow layer gets properly toasty under the broiler, which is what convinced him.
My 8-year-old walked in while these were under the broiler and asked if we were making campfire food. She hovered by the counter until I cut into them.
I was skeptical the almond flour base could actually taste like graham cracker and not just, well, almond flour. It does. Everything layered together better than I expected.
Yeah, the flavoring is what gets you there. Without it you’re just making an almond flour cookie. Three dropperfuls and it actually reads as graham cracker.
Added flaky sea salt over the marshmallows before the broil. It pulled the chocolate layer forward in a way I didn’t expect. Good as written, but I’m making this version from now on.
Put the pan in the freezer for about 8 minutes after the chocolate melts and before you spread the marshmallows. They hold on top instead of half-sinking into the chocolate layer, and the texture difference is absurd. Not going back to doing it the other way.
Brought these to a neighborhood cookout and two people immediately cornered me asking where the graham cracker flavor comes from (the answer involves flavoring drops and I just smiled). Nobody asked if they were keto. Nobody.
First keto bake ever, and I kept second-guessing the layering. Marshmallows toasted up great, almond flour crust held together better than I expected. Mine came out crumbly at the edges, still good, but is that normal for a first try or should I tweak something?
Crumbly edges on this one are normal, the corners just don’t compress as tight as the center. Press the crust really firm into the edges before baking, and wait the full 30 minutes to cool before cutting.
My kids have been asking for s’mores since we had a fire pit night last month and I kept putting it off because I didn’t think keto bars would actually scratch that itch. Tried these Sunday and the graham cracker flavoring in the crust is something else, I genuinely did not expect it to taste that close to the real thing. Pulled them out of the oven and my youngest smelled them from upstairs and came running down asking if I had ‘real’ ones. She took a bite and went completely quiet for like five seconds (she’s 9 and brutally honest about keto food, she will tell you to your face if something is gross) and then asked if she could have another one. That silence told me everything I needed to know. Four stars from me because I overtoasted the marshmallows slightly and they got a little chewy in the middle, but that’s on me for not watching them, they puffed up way faster than I thought. Making another batch before the week is out.
Five seconds of silence from a 9-year-old is better than any five-star review. The marshmallows move fast under the broiler, I stay at the oven door and pull them at the first sign of light tan, not toasted. They keep cooking from the heat underneath.
I almost skipped this because xanthan gum has ruined so many things for me and I was sure the crust would fall apart. Made it anyway. It held together like an actual graham cracker base, which I did not see coming. The graham cracker flavoring is carrying the whole thing, that’s what makes it taste like the real deal and not just a sweet almond flour slab. Broiled the marshmallows and they puffed up with this golden edge, and for a second I forgot I was eating keto. One thing: give it time to cool before you cut in. I didn’t and the chocolate wasn’t fully set. Four stars, but with more patience these would’ve been exactly what I wanted. Already planning to make them again once it warms up.
The chocolate needs at least 20 minutes. Cut at 10 and it’s liquid. The xanthan gum here is pretty minimal – way less than most keto crust recipes, so it doesn’t get that weird stretchy thing.
That even layer makes a big difference when you slice into them. I always just press the chips in dry and they end up uneven. Trying this on my next batch.
Had my doubts about the graham cracker flavoring because I’ve never baked with it and it just sounded weird. Made it anyway on a cold Sunday and that crust is genuinely the best part. It actually tastes like graham cracker, not like almond flour with sweetener. Watch the marshmallows under the broiler though, mine went from perfect to slightly burned in about 30 seconds. Four stars, and I’m already planning a second batch.
Batch four and the marshmallow layer still gets me. I pull it from the broiler the second the tops turn gold and the chocolate underneath is still soft enough to press a finger through. Not waiting for summer to make these.
Made these last week on a snowy evening and they were a hit, but my marshmallows went from barely golden to almost burnt pretty fast under the broiler. Any visual cues to watch for, or a specific time that’s worked reliably?
Sugar-free marshmallows move way faster than regular ones under the broiler. I stay at the oven and pull them the second they start to color, usually around 60-90 seconds. When they look light tan they’re done, they keep cooking from the heat of the bars.
