Whether you're planning on camping this summer or just looking for an easy way to enjoy the outdoors, you can't go wrong with s'mores. These delicious treats are one of the most popular campfire treats and are easy to make. All you need is some marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers. The best part is that they're ready in just a few minutes and you don't have to do much work to make them. 

This S’mores Day, follow these easy steps to build the perfect campfire for s'mores and enjoy the classic campfire treat. And don't forget to check out the fantastic s'mores recipes with a modern twist later in this blog post!

How To Build a Campfire

If it's your first time building a campfire, this guide is for you. Building a campfire isn't as hard as you think. From choosing a safe spot to choosing your firewood, we'll walk you through the entire process.

To build a campfire, you first need to find a safe spot. Make sure to check the area for dead branches and other potential hazards. Next, lay down a layer of tinder. This can be made from dried leaves, grasses, and even small logs.

Then, add larger pieces of kindling on top of the tinder, and then build your fire frame. When you are ready to light your campfire, start by arranging the larger pieces of wood around the bed of tinder. Once the fire is burning well, you can add smaller pieces of wood and start cooking your s'mores or enjoying a warm blaze.

Building a campfire is easy – just gather some tinder, kindling and firewood, and you’re good to go! Make sure your tinder is thin and your kindling is small – if it’s too thick, your small fire will not catch and will extinguish. Also, when gathering firewood, make sure it’s completely dry – wet wood will not light easily or maintain a good flame. And lastly, bring along a spark or flame source to start your fire!

If you want to learn more about starting a fire, check our previous blog post about it here.

Different Types of Campfires

There are different types of campfires you can use at your s'mores party. When you are camping, it is important to have a variety of different types of campfires to choose from.

1. A tepee or cone is a circular base with a wide diameter. Use a large amount of tinder and small pieces of kindle to start the fire. While it burns through wood quickly, it's good for warming up quickly or for small cooking tasks.

2. A log cabin is stacked wood in a cabin-like shape. It's long-lasting and starts at the top. The logs will burn down, and the fire will spread down the logs. This type of campfire is good for cooking.

3. An upside-down platform is also designed to cook food like a log cabin. In the platform campfire, you start the fire at the top instead of the bottom. 

4. A star is perfect for situations where you don't have enough firewood. The slow burn is caused by using whole, un-split woods. A star campfire creates long-lasting fire that will serve as a beautiful centerpiece to your campsite.

5. A lean-to uses its own wood as a windbreak. Just like a star campfire, a lean-to is perfect for breezy conditions. 

To summarize, the tepee or cone fire is a classic campfire shape that gets its name from the shelter it resembles, while the log cabin and platform fire are designed for cooking. If you are low on wood supplies, try building a lean-to fire using whole, un-split logs. And finally, when trying to start or maintain a fire in high winds, build a lean-to using your own wood as a windbreak.

Firewoods You Can Use

There are a variety of different firewoods you can use for your campfire. 

For a hot, minimal-sparking campfire, oak is the perfect firewood. It's dense and slow-burning, so it produces a hot, minimal-sparking fire. Oak is also one of the most popular types of firewood, so you're likely to have some around if you're camping.

If you're looking for a long-burning campfire with high heat output, maple is the perfect wood. Maple trees are dense and hard, so they need to dry a long time before use. When they're properly seasoned, maple firewood produces a long-burning campfire with high heat output.

For a cheerful, bright campfire, birch is the perfect wood. It is a softer type of wood that tends to burn quickly. However, it also gives off plenty of heat, creating a cheerful, bright campfire.

And when it comes to burning hot and slow, ash is perfect. It's lightweight and easy to split, so you can easily get a good fire going. Ash firewood is also known for its low amounts of smoke, which means you won't be bothered by pesky smoke while cooking.

Amazing S'mores Recipes

Building a campfire and learning its intricacies is one thing, but getting your hands on some delicious s'mores is even more fun! This S'mores Day, you don't need to go camping, build a campfire, and make s'mores over it. Check out these three fantastic s'more recipes with a modern twist.

Hershey's S'mores by Hersheyland

To make Hershey s'mores in the microwave oven, start by breaking the graham crackers in half and breaking the chocolate bar into small pieces. Then, put one piece of chocolate on each graham cracker half, and top with a marshmallow. Place the sandwiches on a paper towel, and microwave them at medium (50%) for 10 seconds per sandwich. After 10 seconds, remove the sandwiches from the microwave, top them with another graham cracker half, and let them stand for a minute so that the chocolate can soften. Serve immediately.

S'mores by Allrecipes

Making a s'more is as easy as heating up some marshmallows and breaking some graham crackers in half. Then, you sandwich the chocolate between the cracker and the hot marshmallow. Once it's cool, enjoy!

The Ultimate S'more by Sunset Magazine

The ultimate s'more is a lot like wrappinsag a present. First, you fold up 12 sheets of foil, each 12 by 20 inches. Then you oil the top of the foil so that the graham crackers will stick to it. Next, place one graham cracker on each oiled sheet and top it with a piece of chocolate and a marshmallow. Finally, you fold the foil over the s'mores and crimp it closed to make a perfect little package.

To cook this recipe, you can cook them over a campfire or on a grill. Either way, it will only take about 2 to 3 minutes for the chocolate to melt. Once the chocolate has melted, you can enjoy your s'mores! However, make sure to store them in an airtight container in the fridge to stay fresh.