The Best Way to Roast a Marshmallow, According to Chefs

You might think of a s’more as an easy summer treat, but for many chefs, it’s also an art form. “Out of all the things I cook, I have some of the deepest affection for s’mores,” says 2020 F&W Best New Chef Douglass Williams. 

While good graham crackers and chocolate are essential, the roasted marshmallow is arguably the most important part of a s’more — and undoubtedly the one that invites the most opinions. Some people prefer an even golden brown, while others like it charred and crispy.

However you like your marshmallow, here are five chef-approved tips for roasting it to your preferred doneness.

Use a long stick or skewer

The best roasted marshmallow starts with the stick. Williams suggests selecting something thick and wooden. “A natural stick as long as your arm is best,” he says. “It allows you to take your time and stay away from the fire so you don’t roast yourself while you’re roasting the marshmallow.”

When your stick is too small or thin, you’ll be more likely to rush the process or pull the marshmallow before it’s done.

Go bigger

“The bigger the marshmallow the better,” says Williams. No matter the brand, an extra-large marshmallow will toast more evenly over a fire and provide more contrast with a larger, gooier center. It also means that your marshmallow will cover every inch of the graham cracker and chocolate without you having to smoosh it completely. 

Find the right place to roast

One of the most crucial decisions you can make when roasting a marshmallow is where you place the tip of your stick. If you put your marshmallow directly into the fire, it’ll burn almost immediately. “Observe the flame and notice where the flame is not — that is exactly where you want to put the marshmallow,” says Williams. The indirect heat will roast the marshmallow more gently, giving you more control over your desired doneness.

Take your time

“Grab a glass of wine, because we need to do this low and slow,” says 2022 F&W Best New Chef Justin Pichetrungsi. Most of the chefs we asked agree that the best type of roasted marshmallow is one that is golden brown. 

“I want the outside caramelized and lightly crisp, while the inside turns molten and gooey, almost like a chocolate lava cake,” says 2011 F&W Best New Chef Ricardo Zarate. “The goal is for the heat of the marshmallow to instantly melt the chocolate. To do this, roast the marshmallow slowly over glowing coals, rotating it constantly like a rotisserie chicken.”

Williams agrees that rotating your stick is essential to an even roast. “As you rotate, you will start to see a lag from the marshmallow. The longer the lag, the more perfect the results.”

2024 F&W Best New Chef Karyn Tomlinson, who likes her marshmallows slightly charred, will move the tip of her stick at the very end. “When it’s gotten nice and puffy and is maybe starting to slide around your skewer, then move it closer to the flame to get the torched effect on the outside,” she says.

Pay attention to the color

Berenice de Araujo, chief culinary officer and partner of JF Restaurants, will only pull her marshmallow away from the fire once it becomes deeply bronzed. “The color of crème brûlée all the way around,” she says. “Never blackened. Never raw.” 

But if you accidentally burn your marshmallow to a crisp, don’t fret. Some chefs, like 2025 F&W Best New Chef Vinnie Cimino, prefer it that way. “You get the caramelized sugars and the crunchy texture. Plus the char is the true essence of fire, which is the whole point of a s’more,” he says. “Let that sucker burn.”