Summer. Camping. S’MORES.

You’d think I grew up by a bonfire or something. In fact, the best access I had to the outdoors was the apartment balcony I never spent any time in. I can’t remember how I learned about the greatness that is s’mores, but it was probably through a book, which is how I learned about most things American.

The few times I had s’mores growing up, it was over the gentle lick of a gas flame on my kitchen stove. Yes, I know, gross and ill-advised. They tasted pretty gross, too, the marshmallows taking on more hints of gasoline fume than crackling firewood.

As an adult, whenever there’s a campfire, I can’t resist the urge to plunge a marshmallow into the heart of it. I feel like I have years of childhood to catch up on.

Which brings me to the greatest invention ever: s’mores brownies, made in the great indoors, no mess, no fuss.

These may be, in fact, the best brownies I’ve ever had. Something about the graham crackers in the body of the brownie gives it a nice light texture, but the brownie still manages to be rich and satisfying. And if you like s’mores, you won’t be able to resist the chewy, caramely top layer that the marshmallows spread out to form.

I’m always looking for new brownie recipes to try — I feel like I’m searching for my brownie soulmate and have gone out with a lot of pretty awesome brownies, but there’s always something missing. Maybe it’s been in front of me all this time.

Bonus? You can make these brownies in one saucepan. Swoon.

S’mores brownies

Minimally adapted from williams-sonoma.com 

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons natural cocoa powder

6 graham crackers, crushed into chunks by hand

12 large marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugars, then the eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla and salt.

Stir the flour and cocoa powder into the chocolate mixture, until just blended. Stir in the graham crackers.

Pour onto the baking pan, spreading evenly. Top with marshmallows in one even layer.

Bake 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. (For me it was more like 45 minutes). Let cool on a wire rack.