No Grill? No Problem! You Can Still Make S’mores Outside!
The party problem: You want to make s’mores, but you don’t have a grill or a fire pit.
The party trick: Use a terra-cotta planter to toast all the marshmallows.
Some might argue that s’mores are the best part of any backyard barbecue. There’s just something so magical about a marshmallow that’s been roasted over charcoal briquettes (eh, a gas grill is alright, too). And if you’re eating a s’more, that usually means you’re eating outside, so it doesn’t matter if you make a mess on yourself. That’s what hoses are for!
But what if you don’t have a grill or fire pit? You can still make s’mores for your next patio potluck! You just need a clean terra-cotta planter.
Put the planter on its saucer and fill it with about an inch of sand. Then, line the inside of the planter with aluminum foil. Add in a few charcoal briquettes and light. (Do not overfill — a single layer with a few more pieces on top should do the trick!) It will take about 10 minutes for the charcoal to fully heat up, so give it some time. Then, put some marshmallows on a stick and get to roasting.
Some important notes: This is an outside project! The planter will get hot, so hands off. As always, be careful with fire. Keep it on a cleared-off table or on your paved driveway.
While you’re thinking outside of the box, consider setting out some surprising ingredients and toppings. For example, in addition to graham crackers, try peanut butter cookies, gingersnaps, or water crackers. And with the chocolate, add white chocolate or peanut butter cups. Some other topping ideas include Nutella, bacon, strawberry slices, basil, and mozzarella. Almost anything goes!
When s’mores time is over, simply put another saucer on top of the pot to suffocate the fire. (Do not extinguish with water, as that can shock the pot and cause it to break.)