There’s nothing quite like the moment you strike a match, watch the flame catch the marshmallow, and smell that caramel sweetness mingling with toasted graham cracker and melted chocolate.

The s’mores old fashioned bridges two worlds: the campfire nostalgia of a beloved classic dessert and the sophisticated warmth of a craft cocktail. This recipe takes the flavors you remember from childhood and transforms them into a drink that feels both comforting and indulgent.

What makes this cocktail special is how it captures the actual taste of s’mores without feeling gimmicky. You get real caramelized marshmallow, rich chocolate notes, and that subtle char that makes you feel like you’re actually by a fire, minus the smoke in your eyes and the ants crawling up your leg.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This drink works for anyone who wants to relive childhood joy in a grown-up glass. It’s perfect for fall gatherings, dessert parties, or quiet nights when you want something cozy and memorable.

Tastes exactly like a s’mores experience in cocktail form
Simple enough to make at home but impressive enough for guests
Works year-round, though especially perfect in autumn
Customizable sweetness and strength to your preference
No fancy bartending skills required

My Experience Making This Recipe

I first made this cocktail on a rainy October evening when I wanted dessert but couldn’t be bothered to bake. Instead, I mixed up a batch in my kitchen, and the aroma alone transported me straight to summer camp.

The magic happens when you toast the marshmallow properly. Too quick and it stays gummy, too long and it tastes like charcoal, but hit that sweet spot where the outside caramelizes and the inside stays pillowy, and you’ve got liquid gold.

My friends were skeptical until they tasted it. One person described it as “the best decision I’ve made all year,” which might be overstating things, but I’m not complaining about the compliment.

Recipe Overview

Recipe Name: S’mores Old Fashioned
Servings: 1 cocktail
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Course: Cocktail / Dessert Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories per Serving: 280

Equipment You Will Need

Cocktail shaker or mixing glass
Bar spoon or long spoon
Jigger for measuring
Kitchen torch or long lighter
Small skewer or cocktail pick
Rocks glass or old fashioned glass
Cutting board for graham cracker crust
Small bowl for chocolate melting

Ingredients for S’mores Old Fashioned

Bourbon or rye whiskey: 2 ounces
Marshmallow liqueur: 0.5 ounce
Chocolate bitters: 2 dashes
Angostura bitters: 1 dash
Sugar cube: 1 cube (or 1 teaspoon sugar)
Water: 1 splash
Fresh marshmallow: 1 large piece (about 1 inch square)
Dark chocolate: 1 small square (about 0.5 ounce)
Graham cracker: 1 whole cracker, crushed into fine crumbs
Ice: 1 large cube or 4 to 5 regular cubes
Honey or chocolate syrup: 1 teaspoon (for rimming)

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Bourbon or rye whiskey: The backbone of the drink, providing warmth and depth. Rye adds spice while bourbon adds sweetness; swap based on your preference for either note.
Marshmallow liqueur: Creates the marshmallow flavor without artificial taste. Vanilla liqueur or crème de cacao works in a pinch, though you’ll lose some marshmallow character.
Chocolate bitters: Amplifies chocolate notes and adds complexity. Regular chocolate extract or cocoa powder mixed with a few drops of water can substitute.
Sugar cube: Provides texture and controlled sweetness in the drink. Demerara sugar adds a subtle molasses flavor that works beautifully here.
Fresh marshmallow: Quality matters here since you’re eating it. Avoid the ultra-fluffy brands; look for marshmallows with a firmer exterior that will caramelize properly.
Dark chocolate: Choose 70% cacao or higher for real chocolate flavor. Milk chocolate works but tastes cloying with the marshmallow and liqueur.
Graham cracker: Use honey graham crackers for extra flavor. Digestive biscuits or vanilla wafers provide a different but pleasant texture.

How to Make S’mores Old Fashioned

Step 1: Prepare Your Glass and Rim

Pour a thin layer of honey or chocolate syrup into a shallow dish. Roll the rim of your rocks glass through the honey, then through crushed graham cracker crumbs, coating about half an inch of the rim evenly.

This rim tastes like the actual s’mores experience and gives you a flavor hit with every sip. A proper rim makes the drink look intentional and professional without any real effort.

Step 2: Toast Your Marshmallow

Hold a large fresh marshmallow on a skewer or cocktail pick about 3 inches above a kitchen torch flame. Rotate slowly so all sides caramelize evenly, aiming for a golden-brown exterior with dark caramelized spots.

This takes about 60 to 90 seconds total. You want the outside to be crispy and caramelized while the interior stays soft, which is where the real magic lives.

Step 3: Add Ice to Your Glass

Fill your prepared rocks glass with one large ice cube or four to five regular cubes. Large cubes melt slower and dilute your drink more gradually, keeping it properly chilled without watering it down.

Step 4: Muddle the Sugar and Bitters

Place the sugar cube directly into your mixing glass along with two dashes of chocolate bitters and one dash of angostura bitters. Add one splash of water and gently muddle for about 10 seconds until the sugar dissolves.

You’re not trying to crush the sugar violently. Gentle pressure breaks down the cube and distributes the flavor without aerating the drink too much.

Step 5: Add Your Spirits

Pour two ounces of bourbon or rye whiskey and 0.5 ounce of marshmallow liqueur into your mixing glass with the muddled sugar. Stir gently with a bar spoon for about 20 seconds.

Stirring chills the drink without over-diluting it like shaking would. The longer you stir, the more ice melts and the more water enters your drink, which you want but in controlled measure.

Step 6: Strain Into Your Glass

Pour the mixed cocktail into your ice-filled, rimmed rocks glass using a bar strainer to keep ice and sugar particles out. The liquid should look amber and smell wonderful.

Step 7: Add the Chocolate

Place one small square of dark chocolate into the drink, letting it sink and slowly melt as you sip. The melting chocolate adds richness and creates a textural experience that mirrors actual s’mores.

The chocolate melts gradually, changing the flavor profile as you drink. This is intentional and delicious.

Step 8: Garnish with the Toasted Marshmallow

Balance your toasted marshmallow on the rim of the glass or place it inside if the glass is deep enough. The marshmallow should still be warm and aromatic when you serve this drink.

Guests can break off pieces and eat the marshmallow between sips or pop the whole thing in their mouth for a marshmallow and bourbon combo. Both methods work beautifully.

Pro Tip: Toast your marshmallow right before serving and drink this cocktail immediately. The warm marshmallow and cold drink create a temperature contrast that tastes incredible, and the marshmallow exterior will stay crispy for only about two minutes.

Tips for the Best S’mores Old Fashioned

Use fresh marshmallows from a quality brand. Stale marshmallows don’t toast properly and taste like nothing. Check the expiration date and buy from a store with good turnover.
Chill your glass before mixing. Stick it in the freezer for two minutes while you prepare other components. A cold glass keeps the drink cold longer without requiring excessive ice.
Don’t skip the muddling step. Those sugar crystals dissolving in the bitters create the foundation for the entire drink. Muddling also releases the aromatic compounds from the bitters.
Taste your bourbon before you buy it for this drink. You want something you enjoy drinking straight since it’s the star ingredient. A harsh whiskey makes a harsh cocktail.
Make the graham cracker rim finer than you think you need. Larger crumbs fall off immediately and taste gritty. Pulse your graham cracker in a food processor for consistency.
Keep your marshmallow moving while torching. Stationary marshmallows burn on one side while staying raw on another. Constant rotation ensures even caramelization.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Burning the marshmallow until it’s black and crispy throughout. This creates an acrid, unpleasant flavor that overpowers the cocktail. Caramelization and charring are two different things.
Using stale marshmallows or low-quality brands. Cheap marshmallows taste artificial and don’t have the fluffy interior that makes this drink work. Your drink is only as good as your ingredients.
Over-stirring the cocktail in the mixing glass. Excessive stirring dilutes the drink beyond the ideal balance and makes it watery. Stir for about 20 seconds and move on.
Forgetting to muddle the sugar. Un-dissolved sugar sinks to the bottom of your drink and never distributes properly. Those first few sips will taste terrible while later sips become too sweet.
Making the chocolate square too large. A huge chunk of chocolate never melts into the drink and just gets chewed awkwardly. Stick to pieces about the size of a dime.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this cocktail right after you finish making it, when the marshmallow is still warm and the drink is properly chilled. This drink pairs beautifully with desserts and works as a dessert in itself.

After chocolate cake or brownies for a chocolate-on-chocolate experience
Alongside vanilla ice cream for temperature and flavor contrast
At the end of a fall dinner party or Halloween gathering
With cheese and charcuterie for an unexpected sweet and savory pairing
Solo on a quiet evening when you want something special and indulgent

Variations to Try

Smoky S’mores: Use a smoky whiskey like a peated Scotch instead of bourbon. The smoke amplifies the toasted marshmallow flavor and creates a campfire character that feels authentic.
White Chocolate S’mores: Swap the dark chocolate for white chocolate and add a tiny splash of vanilla extract to the drink. White chocolate creates a sweeter, more dessert-forward flavor profile.
Spiced S’mores: Add two small dashes of cinnamon bitters and a pinch of nutmeg to the muddled sugar. Warm spices complement the caramelized marshmallow beautifully.
Coffee S’mores: Add 0.5 ounce of coffee liqueur and a half ounce of cold brew coffee to the cocktail. Coffee deepens the chocolate notes and creates a sophisticated dessert drink.
Salted S’mores: Rim the glass with a mixture of crushed graham cracker and fleur de sel. Salt amplifies sweetness and creates a more complex flavor experience.

Dietary Adaptations

Vegan: Swap the marshmallow for a vegan marshmallow brand like Dandies, which toasts beautifully and tastes nearly identical. All other ingredients are naturally vegan.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free graham crackers or substitute crushed gluten-free digestive biscuits for the rim. Read all liqueur labels to confirm no gluten.
Dairy-free: All ingredients are naturally dairy-free. Double-check your marshmallow and chocolate brands to confirm no dairy additives.
Low-sugar: Replace the sugar cube with 0.5 teaspoon of erythritol or monk fruit sweetener. This reduces sweetness significantly and shifts the flavor profile toward the whiskey.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator

You can store the mixed cocktail base in a sealed bottle for up to two weeks. Toast fresh marshmallows and prepare the rim right before serving for the best experience.

Pre-mix the bourbon, marshmallow liqueur, and bitters in a sealed glass bottle
Label with the date and shake before each use
Never store the toasted marshmallow as it loses its crispy exterior immediately

Freezer

Freezing this cocktail isn’t recommended since the alcohol content prevents it from freezing solid and the texture becomes unpleasant. Store the mixed base in the refrigerator instead.

The alcohol prevents proper freezing
Refridgerate the base and make fresh when you want to serve

Reheating

This is a cold cocktail and doesn’t require reheating. Serve it fresh from your glass while the marshmallow is still warm and the drink is properly chilled.

Make the drink right before serving for best results
Don’t try to reheat or warm this cocktail

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Information (Per Serving)
Nutrient	Amount
Calories	280
Total Fat	2g
Saturated Fat	1g
Carbohydrates	18g
Fiber	0g
Sugar	16g
Protein	0g
Sodium	45mg
Cholesterol	0mg

Nutrition values are approximate and calculated using standard ingredient databases. Individual brands and preparation methods may affect these numbers.