Chocolate Marshmallow Bars

Think of these as brownies with a gooey, toasted marshmallow crown. The base is a fudgy batter made from melted unsweetened chocolate and butter with chopped pecans folded in for crunch.

The key is the two-stage bake. The batter goes in first for 18 minutes until just set, then comes out to get blanketed with whole marshmallows before heading back into the oven. Those marshmallows puff, soften, and toast lightly golden on top, fusing into a sticky layer that stretches when you pull the bars apart.

Only ½ cup of flour keeps the base dense and fudgy rather than cakey. Creaming the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy before adding the chocolate builds structure without extra flour weighing things down.

Pro Tips

• Use a double boiler for melting the chocolate and butter as directed. Direct heat risks scorching unsweetened chocolate, which turns bitter fast.
• Cut the bars while they’re still slightly warm. Once the marshmallow cools completely, it becomes a sticky mess to slice through. A knife dipped in hot water helps.
• Line the pan with parchment for easy lift-out. Greasing alone can leave the marshmallow permanently bonded to the edges.

Variations

• Use walnuts or almonds instead of pecans for a different crunch.
• Scatter chocolate chips over the marshmallows before the second bake for a s’mores effect.
• Add a pinch of sea salt flakes on top right after baking to balance the sweetness.