Amazing Vegan S’mores Cupcakes (Gluten Free Options!)
Fall in love with these amazing Vegan S’mores Cupcakes! Moist chocolate cupcakes on top of a graham cracker base with a marshmallow frosting on top. Gluten free optional.
This is one of those recipes that takes a few extra minutes to make but is SO WORTH IT! The cupcakes are chocolatey and stay moist for days, the graham cracker bases are toasted and tasty, and the marshmallow buttercream frosting on top all combine into one awesome dessert!
Perfect for summertime or anytime you want it to feel like summer.
Ingredients
Graham Crackers – This is one of the most important ingredients for this recipe. I like the plain and simple Nabisco graham crackers as they are one of the few that don’t contain any eggs, dairy, or honey. If you can’t find those, you can always use Biscoff Cookies. Nairn’s Gluten Free Oat crackers or Kinnikinnick Graham Crackers which are also gluten free and vegan!
Marshmallows – My hands down favorite vegan marshmallows are made by Dandies. I use the mini marshmallows for the frosting and the large ones for the toasted marshmallow on top! You can also make this with their new marshmallow fluff.
Other Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Flaxseeds
- Plant Based Milk
- White Sugar
- Neutral Oil
- Vanilla
- Applesauce
- All Purpose Flour or Gluten Free Flour
- Cocoa Powder (natural or Dutch Processed)
- Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt
- Plant Based Butter
- Powdered Sugar
Variations
Need to make this gluten free? No worries! I recommend King Arthur Measure for Mdasure gluten free flour as I’ve always had the best results with that specific flour blend. Use either the Nairn’s or the Kinninnick graham crackers.
Instructions
Make sure to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe and ingredient list.
Prep Step: Oven and Cupcake Trays
Begin with preheating the oven to 350/180 and line the cupcake tray with your favorite cupcake liners.
Step One: Make the Base
In a small bowl, mash the graham crackers into crumbs. Add the melted butter and brown sugar, giving it a good mix.
Scoop 1 tablespoon into each cupcake and using your fingers, press it down.
Step Two: Make the Batter
Start with making the flaxseed egg in a small bowl or mug, mixing the hot water and flax seeds together. Set it aside for 5 minutes to gel up.
In a large bowl, combine all the wet ingredients, the flax seed egg, the plant based milk, white sugar, oil, vanilla, and applesauce. Give this a good whisk.
Next sift in the the dry ingredients all at once into the same bowl – no need to get fancy here. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Switch to a spatula and gently mix this together, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Step Three: Bake
Transfer the cupcake batter to the cupcake tins lined with the graham cracker bases. Fill each cupcake about ¾ of the way full.
Bake these for 22 to 24 minutes.
Remove them from the oven and let them rest in the hot cupcake pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling before frosting.
Step Four: Making the Frosting
Start by melting some marshmallows in a small pot on the stove with a bit of water. It should turn gummy. Let it cool for a minute before adding it to the butter and sugar.
Or, if you are using marshmallow fluff, you can skip this step and move right to mixing it together.
In a large bowl with a hand mixer or with a stand mixer and the whisk attachment, mix the room temperature vegan butter and melted marshmallows together on a medium-high speed for about 4 minutes. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, making sure to turn off the mixer when adding the sugar. Finally, add the vanilla and salt.
Mix this again until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes at medium-high speed.
Step Five: Cupcakes Assemble!
Take a cupcake and frost with either a round tip and piping bag or with a spoon and make a rounded mountain of frosting.
Gently dunk each frosted cupcake in graham cracker crumbs while the frosting is still wet.
Toast more large marshmallows on a baking sheet in the upper third of your oven and set the oven to broil. These brown up almost immediately so don’t look away!
You can also use a kitchen torch, or a long necked lighter to toast each marshmallow individually.
Set these toasted marshmallows on top and garnish with a small bite of chocolate if desired.
How to Store
Countertop: Not recommended for long storage as the vegan butter in the frosting will melt after a few hours.
Fridge: Preferred method. Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If making with gluten free flour, these will taste best through day 3 as after that they start to dry out.
Freezer: Store the frosted cupcakes in a freezer safe container for up to 1 month.
Make Ahead: Prepare the cupcakes without decorating or frosting, one day in advance. Store the plain cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. Make the frosting fresh and frost the cupcakes the day of serving.
More Summer Dessert Recipes
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Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Mixing spoons
- measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- cupcake pan
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Base
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Chocolate Cupcake
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 3 tablespoons hot water
- 1 cup plant based milk
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ cup canola oil other neutral flavored oil also works
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons applesauce
- 1 ¼ cup flour can use gluten free as needed
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Marshmallow Frosting + Toppings
- ½ cup vegan butter
- ½ cup marshmallows slightly melted
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- plant based milk
- ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs
- 15 large marshmallows
Instructions
Graham Cracker Base
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners and line a second pan with 3 more – this recipe makes about 15 cupcakes. Set this aside.
- Make the crumbs. In a medium sized bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs with brown sugar and melted butter of choice. Using a rounded tablespoon, place the wet mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Press down with your fingers so that it is compacted in the base. Set this aside while you make the cake.
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Make the flax egg. In a small heatproof bowl, mix ground flax seeds with very hot water. Set this aside for 5 minutes to allow it to become gelatinous.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the warmed milk, sugar, canola oil, vanilla extract, applesauce, and the flax egg. Mix this together well.
- Add the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients of sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk this together.
- Fill. Pour/spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners. Fill them about ¾ of the way full as gluten free doesn’t rise as much.
- Bake for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes in the hot cupcake pan before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Marshmallow Frosting + Toppings
- Make the frosting. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and melted marshmallows together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, keeping the mixer on low speed until all the sugar is added. Add the vanilla and salt. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes to fully combine. If the frosting looks too thick or thin, add 1 tablespoon of milk or powdered sugar, depending on need. Refrigerate this until ready to frost.
- Frost the cupcakes however you like. I used a piping bag with no tip and made 2 swirls on the top of each cupcake. Gently dunk each frosted cupcake in the graham cracker crumbs while the frosting is still wet.
- Add the toppings. Toast the marshmallows on a large baking sheet in the upper third of your oven and set the oven to broil. They will brown up almost immediately so don’t look away! Once browned, quickly remove them from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Place each on top of the frosted cupcake. Garnish with more chocolate if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- How to Store
- Countertop: Not recommended for long storage as the vegan butter in the frosting will melt after a few hours.
- Fridge: Preferred method. Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If making with gluten free flour, these will taste best through day 3 as after that they start to dry out.
- Freezer: Store the frosted cupcakes in a freezer safe container for up to 1 month.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the cupcakes without decorating or frosting, one day in advance. Store the plain cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. Make the frosting fresh and frost the cupcakes the day of serving.
Nutrition
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