Everyone has an opinion about the perfect s’more.
Some like their marshmallows lightly toasted. Others prefer them charred. Some stick to the classic combination of chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows.
Country Living set out to find what would happen if that classic campfire treat took on a local flavor.
To celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, the magazine created S’mores Across America — a collection of 50 recipes inspired by the foods, flavors and traditions that make each state unique.
“As we were thinking about how to celebrate the nation’s 250th, we knew we wanted our concept to be rooted in a spirit of community, and a picnic felt like a perfect metaphor,” Country Living Editor-in-Chief Rachel Hardage Barrett said. “The state-by-state recipes also created an opportunity for our audience to engage with us, no matter where they are.”
Some recipes pay tribute to fruits and desserts closely associated with their home states.
Georgia’s Just Peachy layers fresh peach slices and caramel onto the classic campfire treat. Maine celebrates its famous blueberries with wild blueberry jam and blueberry biscuits, while Florida’s Key Lime Dream swaps toasted marshmallows for marshmallow creme and key lime curd.
Others take inspiration from hometown favorites and regional flavors.
Kansas’ The KC BBQ pairs Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate with charred marshmallows, brown sugar, paprika and burnt ends. Maryland’s Sweet Heat of the Bay dusts its marshmallow with Old Bay seasoning before adding potato chips, while New Jersey’s Down the S’more features crispy pork roll.
The collection also embraces a few playful twists.
California’s Golden State Drizzle combines olive oil and flaky sea salt. Utah’s Dirty Soda S’more adds cola gummies and a squeeze of lime. Nevada’s Up All Night features espresso-dipped marshmallows and chocolate-covered espresso beans, while Alaska’s Aurora S’morealis sparkles with rainbow glitter dust inspired by the northern lights.
Barrett said the project drew on editors from across the country, giving the team plenty of hometown opinions as they debated the flavors that best represented each state.
“Incredibly fun,” she said. “Our editorial team comes from all over, so there was a lot of discussion (and debate!) around what regions can lay claim to certain flavors, and whether certain ideas were too outlandish (dry rub—on a s’more?!).”
Barrett said a few recipes quickly became personal favorites, including Kentucky’s Derby Delight, featuring bourbon caramel drizzle and mint. Others stood out for unexpected ingredients, such as Kansas’ burnt ends and Maryland’s Old Bay seasoning.
“As far as unexpected elements go,” she said, “I’d say burnt ends (Kansas’ The KC BBQ) and Old Bay seasoning (Maryland’s Sweet Heat of the Bay) are high up there.”
From fruity favorites and regional comfort foods to sweet-and-savory combinations and unexpected ingredients, the collection invites readers to discover what Country Living imagined for their home state — and perhaps even recreate it around the campfire this summer.
Dining and Cooking