Toast pieces of cheese over a fire, slide 'em onto hearty crackers, slather on your favorite spreads, and you've got savory s'mores—the snack that's become a viral sensation.
I Made Savory S’mores, and They’re Even Better than the Sweet Ones
Published on Jul. 03, 2025
Summer bonfires will always bring memories of s’mores, but usually it’s the chocolate and ‘mallow on a graham cracker kind of memories. Even beyond the fire, the iconic trio has inspired dozens of s’mores dessert recipes. Now, however, there’s a s’more in town that’s made for charcuterie lovers and people who don’t love sweets. Meet: savory s’mores.
What are savory s’mores?
Imagine a traditional s’more, but with toasted cheese in the place of marshmallow and your favorite condiments and cured meats layered on top. Voila, a savory s’more! It’s like crossing the charcuterie board at a fancy gathering with the laid-back vibes of a camping trip. It’s my favorite new way to make s’mores.
We made our savory s’mores with friends, and everybody had an absolute blast playing around with flavor combinations and, occasionally, losing a piece of cheese in the flames…it was all part of the fun.
What can go on a savory s’more? Pretty much anything! Our combos were inspired by different world cuisines, paired with all of the condiments that we happened to have in the fridge.
Ingredients for Savory S’mores
- Cheeses: Babybel, mini Brie (or regular sized Brie cut into wedges), cheese curds, cheddar cubes and Halloumi will all work well if you’re heating the cheese over a fire pit or a grill. If you’re using a broiler or a pan to toast the cheese instead, your options could include good melting cheeses such as Monterey Jack, fontina, Gruyere, raclette and mozzarella.
- Crackers: Choose large, hearty crackers that can stand up to condiments and hot ingredients. These may include round butter crackers, woven wheat crackers and seeded gluten-free crackers. For savory-sweet combos, try Carr’s Whole Wheat Crackers and literally anything from the Effie’s Homemade line. You can also use baguette.
- Spreads: Go wild! We tried Blake Hill Farm’s cherry-cardamom jam, apricot jam, fig preserves, spiced honey, orange marmalade, Dijon mustard, preserved lemon paste, pesto and caramelized onions.
- Meats: Prosciutto made an excellent topping, as did various salamis, smoked turkey slices and crispy bacon. Love seafood? Topping your crackers with tinned seafood like smoked mussels gives you an extra elegant savory s’more.
- Other items: Pickle chips, olives, sweet ‘n’ tangy peppadew peppers and slivers of regular roasted red pepper were all lovely additions. Raw red onion or shallot would provide a nice counterpoint to fatty, salty combos.
Savory S’mores Combinations
- French Countryside: Brie, sweet wheat crackers, apricot jam, Dijon mustard
- New Englander: Cheddar, herbed crackers, smoked turkey, cranberry jelly
- Fancy Schmancy: Halloumi, rosemary crackers, smoked mussels, cucumber
- Elegant Italian: Fontina, baguette, prosciutto, fig jam
- Classic Italian: Mozzarella, black pepper crackers, salami, pickled peppers
How to Make Savory S’mores
Before you start cooking, lay out all of your ingredients, and make them easily accessible. Once you’ve got hot cheese on a stick, you’ll need to move quickly. You can toast the cheese over a campfire, a gas fire pit (like a Solo stove), a charcoal or gas grill or even a gas burner on your stove.
Depending on the size and intensity of the flame, you can spear cheese pieces on a stick, a long fork or a skewer. An alternative is to fire up the broiler in your oven, place slices of cheese on a foil-lined pan, and toast the cheese a few inches from the heating element until it bubbles and browns, leaving the oven door slightly ajar so you can keep an eye on the process.
Once the cheese is gooey, slide it onto a cracker, layer it with complementary spreads and meats, and top it with another cracker. You’ve got yourself a savory s’more!
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