'I tried the viral airfryer s'mores dip – it's tasty but there's a catch'

Nowadays, it seems like each time you log on to TikTok, a new recipe has went viral with countless people raving about how much you ‘need’ to try it.

Recently, the cucumber salad, Crumbl cookies and broccoli cheddar soup have all been having their moment.

And now there’s a new treat that’s doing the rounds, very suitable for this time of year – an indulgent s’mores dip, which can be made in the air fryer.

The classic American campfire snack consists of melting marshmallows and chocolate over a flame before encasing it in a biscuit sandwich, which admittedly does sound delicious if impractical.

So I decided to make the simpler and quicker air fryer version, to see how well it translated from the staple treat we all know and love.

Admittedly, I don’t really have a massive sweet tooth, so was immediately dubious when the only three ingredients I had to buy were marshmallows, chocolate, and biscuits to dip it in.

I went for the Rich Tea variety in a bid to try and neutralise the sweetness, but you could also go for butter biscuits like my colleague Ellen did when trying out this recipe in the oven instead of the air fryer.

Calling this a recipe seems like a reach, because it literally couldn’t be any simpler to do. According to a viral TikTok made by Cecilie Bak Klemens, all you need to do is layer the marshmallows in your air fryer basket before scattering some chocolate chunks on top before putting it in the air fryer at 200C for five minutes.

Then, when it comes out, you should be left with a lightly browned and melty-looking concoction in which to dip your biscuits in.

This particular video boasts a staggering 78.5 million views and hundreds and thousands of comments raving about how good it is, so I figured they must be on to something.

So first – and this is the most crucial part – line your airfyer, either with a silicone mould or greaseproof paper. I’d considered just leaving this step out since I didn’t own any liners, but thankfully managed to pick some up. You’ll learn why later.

Then, add in your chocolate and marshmallows, and whack it in the air fryer. The recipe says 200C, but I went for 180C for five minutes instead only because I was concerned about burning and 180C seems to be the magic number for anything.

When I took the drawer out, it looked good enough – the marshmallows had lightly toasted, and the chocolate was melting nicely against them.

So I grabbed the biscuits and decided to see if it tasted as good as it looked.

Texture-wise, it was a lot spongier than it looked, which made it slightly difficult to actually scoop on to the biscuit. Maybe a bit longer in the air fryer would have solved this, but I was already committed now.

In terms of taste, it was pleasant – the cosy flavours of melted marshmallow and chocolate are always synonymous with this time of year, even though it didn’t have that smokiness you’d get toasting it over the fire. However, it would be great if you’re just craving a sweet fix, and it’s ready in a matter of minutes.

But after about three dips, I’d fully had enough. It was incredibly sweet, plus the marshmallow had started to stick together even more the longer it cooled down, so you’d need to be ultra-speedy to get the most out of this snack.

And the mess. I thanked my past self for running out to the shops to get silicone air fryer liners, because the sticky rainbow residue it left behind was like nothing I’d ever seen before.

I genuinely think I’d have to throw the whole air fryer away had I not used the liner. Ellen faced a similar struggle making hers in the oven, with one of her skillet pans now looking a little worse for wear.

Would I make this again? Probably not, but for those of us with a strong sweet tooth, this could be the cosy autumn snack you’ll be eating on repeat all through the season.