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Can You Make S'mores on a Charcoal Grill? Yes — Let It Die Down

A charcoal grill works well for s'mores once the coals are grey and low. Fresh coals and lighter fluid are the two things that ruin them.

By Zakaria 2 min read Save to Pinterest — opens Pinterest in a new tab
Two marshmallows on roasting forks held over the flames of an open fire
Photo: iraksoi, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay
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Yes — but let the coals die down. Grey ash with a dull glow underneath gives steady radiant heat with no flames, which is exactly what you want. Fresh coals and lighter fluid are the two things that ruin them.

The method

  1. Use the grill after cooking, once the coals are an even grey ash with a dull orange glow.
  2. Rake the coals into a low single layer on one half of the grate. That gives you a gentler zone and somewhere to retreat to.
  3. Set biscuit halves with chocolate on the cool side or the warming rack, so it softens while you roast.
  4. Roast 6–8 inches above the coals, turning continuously. Even golden-brown over two to three minutes.
  5. Assemble immediately, press gently, and leave it thirty seconds so the chocolate melts through.

Lighter fluid is the one real hazard here

If you can still smell it, the fumes will taint the food. Wait until the coals are fully ashed over and the smell is gone. Better still, use a chimney starter and skip fluid entirely.

Charcoal, gas or pit

This table answers the question on its own
ControlFlavourFuss
Charcoal, burnt downGoodBestWait for the coals
Gas, one burner lowBestFineLeast
Gas, lid down on a trayFoolproofFineNo roasting at all
Open fire pitVariableBestMost

The lid-down tray method on a gas grill is less fun and more reliable: assemble the whole thing, two minutes on the warming rack, done.

Sticks

  • Metal skewers — fine, but they conduct. Insulated handles, or wrap the end in a cloth.
  • Long-handled barbecue forks — good.
  • Thin wooden skewers — char through and drop the marshmallow.
  • Green sticks cut from the garden — don’t. Several common garden shrubs are toxic and the sap gets into the food.

Golden, not black

The temptation is to set it alight for speed. A flaming marshmallow gives you a carbonised shell around a cold centre. Patience and constant turning is the whole technique.

Step by step

  1. Wait for the coals to die down

    Use the grill after cooking, once the coals have burned to an even grey ash with a dull orange glow underneath. Never roast over freshly lit coals or any fire that still smells of lighter fluid.

  2. Rake the coals to one side

    Push the coals into a low single layer on one half of the grate so there is a gentler zone to work over and somewhere to retreat to if the marshmallow catches.

  3. Set the chocolate on the cooler side

    Lay the biscuit halves with chocolate on them on the grate over the cool side, or on a tray set on the warming rack, so the chocolate softens while the marshmallow toasts.

  4. Roast about six inches above the coals

    Hold the marshmallow six to eight inches above the coals and turn it continuously. Aim for even golden-brown over two to three minutes rather than flame.

  5. Assemble immediately

    Slide the hot marshmallow off the stick onto the softened chocolate with the second biscuit, press gently and leave it for thirty seconds so the chocolate melts through.

Common questions

Can you make s'mores on a charcoal grill?

Yes, and it works well once the coals have burned down to grey ash with a dull glow beneath. That stage gives steady radiant heat without flames, which is exactly what toasts a marshmallow evenly. What does not work is roasting over freshly lit coals, which are far too fierce and will scorch the outside before the inside softens, or over a fire that still smells of lighter fluid.

Is it safe to roast marshmallows over charcoal?

Over burnt-down coals, yes. The thing to avoid entirely is lighter fluid — if you can still smell it, the fumes will taint the food, so wait until the coals are fully ashed over and the smell has gone. Use a chimney starter rather than fluid if you make a habit of this. Also keep the roasting sticks long, because a charcoal grill puts the heat lower and closer than a fire pit does.

How far above the coals should the marshmallow be?

Six to eight inches, turning continuously, aiming for two to three minutes to an even golden brown. Closer than that and the sugar surface burns before the centre melts. The goal is radiant heat, not flame — a marshmallow that catches fire has a carbonised shell and a cold middle, which is the opposite of what you want.

Can you do this on a gas grill instead?

Yes, and it is easier to control. Run one or two burners on low, hold the marshmallow above the grate rather than touching it, and turn constantly. Some people lay the whole assembled s'more on a tray on the warming rack with the lid down for two minutes, which melts everything evenly and avoids open roasting altogether. It is less fun and more reliable.

What if I have no stick?

Metal skewers work, though they conduct heat to your hand, so use ones with insulated handles or wrap the end in a folded cloth. Long-handled barbecue forks are fine. Avoid thin wooden skewers, which char through and drop the marshmallow, and never use green garden sticks from an unidentified shrub — several common garden plants are toxic and the sap gets into the food.

How do you stop the chocolate from staying hard?

Warm it first rather than relying on the marshmallow alone. Set the biscuit halves with chocolate on them on the cool side of the grate or on the warming rack a couple of minutes before the marshmallow is ready, then assemble and press, and leave it closed for thirty seconds. Chocolate melts at well under 40°C, so a little gentle heat does the whole job.

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