S'mores Brownie Pie Recipe

You've heard of s'mores (and perhaps even savory s'mores), you've heard of brownies, and you've likely heard of pies — but a s'mores brownie pie? Now that's an innovative treat, a dessert dream come true, and one made possible by recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse. While this pie may be based on a very old-fashioned and relatively rudimentary treat, the humble s'more, the finished product is anything but. This luxe pie is homemade from start to finish, and it even features a luscious ganache layer and torched meringue on top.

Indeed, this s'mores brownie pie recipe is every bit as decadent as it sounds and looks on the surface, and Rosenhouse is the first to admit it. "This pie is over-the-top indulgent and delicious," she says. "The brownie base gives a nice weight to the pie, with the airy meringue, silky ganache, and crisp graham cracker crust as the ultimate s'mores-inspired contrasts." We can't say that this dessert recipe is as easy to whip up as a classic s'more, but we can say that it's just as delicious as one (more delicious, actually), perfect for serving to adults and kids alike.

Like many great pie recipes, this one starts with a simple homemade crust consisting of graham crackers, melted unsalted butter, and kosher salt. Next up is the brownie filling layer, for which you'll need more unsalted butter, bittersweet chocolate chips, granulated sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, kosher salt, and baking powder.

The pie comes adorned with two decadent top layers: a ganache layer and a meringue one. For the ganache, you'll need heavy cream, milk or bittersweet chocolate chips, kosher salt, and unsalted butter. For the meringue, you'll need egg whites, sugar, vanilla bean paste or extract, and a pinch more of kosher salt. Optionally, you may wish to adorn your finished s'mores pie with graham cracker pieces, marshmallows, or chocolate chips.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

To prepare the graham cracker crust grind graham crackers to fine crumbs in a food processor.

Add the melted butter and salt and pulse to combine.

Press the crumbs up the sides and over the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Set aside.

To prepare the brownie filling melt the butter in a medium saucepan.

Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and whisk until smooth.

Whisk in the sugar.

Whisk in the eggs, one at a time.

Fold in the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder to combine.

Pour into the graham cracker pie crust.

Bake on a lower rack in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out with fudgy bits, not wet batter. Set aside to cool at least 1 hour.

To prepare the ganache, heat the heavy cream in the microwave in a microwave-safe container until steaming.

Add the chocolate and stir until smooth.

Stir in the salt and butter to combine.

Pour the ganache evenly over the cooled brownie layer.

Chill until the ganache is set.

To prepare the meringue, bring about an inch of water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat to low.

Stir to combine the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, and place it over the simmering water. Stir continuously until the egg white mixture is very warm to the touch and the sugar has dissolved.

Remove the bowl and whip the egg whites with a whisk attachment to medium-stiff peaks.

Dollop the meringue over the pie and swirl decoratively to coat.

Use a blow torch (or the broiler) to brown the meringue.

(Optional) Garnish with graham crackers, marshmallows, and additional chocolate chips, if desired. Serve immediately.

• Winter Woods Espresso Martini Recipe
• Easy At-Home Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
• Basic But Foolproof Whipped Cream Recipe
• Peppermint Hot Chocolate Recipe

Although this pie recipe is pretty straightforward, it undeniably does require quite a few steps. From the graham cracker crust to the brownie layer to the ganache to the meringue on top, there are quite literally many layers to this pie, so you may find it helpful to break down the steps or make certain elements ahead of time. 

As you may recall from reading through the recipe steps, once you pour the ganache over the baked and cooled brownie layer, it's straight to the fridge the pie goes. You can use this as an opportunity to pause the baking process until the next day. The ganache can be chilled for as little time as it takes to set, but it can just as easily sit in the fridge overnight, meaning you can halfway prep the pie the day before you plan to serve it, or for even longer if need be. "After the ganache is cold, the pie can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to four days, or frozen for up to two months," Rosenhouse says.

The egg white-based meringue is a little more fickle, as expected, so it's best to whip that up and top off your pie right before serving. And, if you do plan to go the freezer route at any point with this pie, it's best to leave the meringue off and prepare that fresh whenever you intend to thaw and enjoy the pie.

There are common mistakes that nearly everyone makes when baking meringue, but luckily, Rosenhouse has some pro tips to ensure that your egg whites whip up positively fluffy and stiff. First, it all starts with the mixing bowl. "Any trace of fat can prevent the egg whites from whipping up properly," Rosenhouse explains. "Wipe the bowl and whisk with a splash of lemon juice on a paper towel to help kill off any fat."

Next, to ensure that the eggs are cooked before adding them to the pie, this recipe calls for you to heat them over simmering water (this process also helps the sugar dissolve so you don't have a gritty meringue). Just be careful not to overcook the egg whites, otherwise they might start to scramble. Make sure to maintain a steady simmer in the saucepan below and whisk often to avoid scrambling. 

Finally, when it comes time to actually whip the meringue, have patience and trust the process. Also, know what to look for when it comes to medium-stiff peaks. "When you've whipped to medium-stiff peaks, the meringue should stand up in nice strong points and hold its shape," Rosenhouse says. "If in doubt, whip a bit longer for the right volume." 

• Spiced Gingerbread Loaf With Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
• Irresistible Chocolate Toffee Bark Recipe
• 3-Ingredient Nutella Donuts Recipe
• Keto-Friendly Carrot Cake Recipe
• Grown-Up Oreo Dirt Cake Recipe