Put A Salty Spin On S'mores With This Cracker Swap

Over fireside conversations on crisp fall nights, s'mores are all you need for a guaranteed good time. Even when you decide to pass the time indoors, with nothing but an autumnal candle burning in the corner of the living room, it's still this sweet treat that completes the seasonal ritual. Truly, there's nothing more quintessential to fall indulgence than graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate brought together by a bit of heat. A saltine doesn't usually belong in this line-up, but it absolutely should. In fact, switching out your graham crackers for saltines is the first step to upgrading your s'mores, and somewhere down the line, maybe even discovering a new way to color your fall palette.

Don't be fooled by their similar appearance. Saltines and graham crackers may look almost identical to each other, but swapping the two makes a significant difference in the world of s'mores. Aptly implied by the name, saltines feature an intensely sharp saltiness that cuts right through the marshmallow and chocolate's sugary haze. S'mores are often super rich to a fault, but with saltines paving the way, you're instead left with layer after layer of sweet and salty unraveling into each other. It's flavor contrast at its best, especially when backed by a toasty warmth that brings comfort to every crackling, melty bite.

Predictably, making saltine s'mores is not all that different from making regular s'mores, and it's even easier when you use an oven. Simply lay saltines out on a baking sheet, half of which are topped with pieces of chocolate and marshmallow. Bake for around 5 minutes, until the chocolate is decently melted and the marshmallows nicely puffed up, before they are sandwiched underneath the remaining saltine snacks. If you decide to use the broiler for that blackened char, then lower the time to around 1 to 3 minutes instead.

S'mores are among the most creative ways to use saltines, but what if you were even more adventurous and branched out beyond the classic combination? Make a dessert lasagna with saltine layers of sweet treats like peanuts, ganache, pretzels, coconut flakes, and anything else that's been sitting in your cabinet, waiting to be devoured. A fully-loaded baking pan will be the ultimate crowd-pleaser at your next holiday gathering too. 

For less complicated twists, try skipping the chocolate and use cheese instead. Without that classic bittersweetness, your s'mores will undoubtedly taste pretty different, but you might come to adore just how complementary the cheese's tangy richness is with saltines' savory depth. But, if that feels like too drastic of a change, just opt for toffee, peanut butter, or your favorite candy bars to give your s'mores a massive filling upgrade. You'll still get the same decadent richness, only this time, it's dressed up in notes of nutty sweetness.