Walk down the toaster pastry aisle and you’ll find dozens of flavors fighting for attention. But Chocolate S’mores Pop-Tarts have earned something most limited-run flavors never do: staying power. After more than a decade on shelves, it’s still one of the best-selling flavors in the entire lineup, sitting right behind Strawberry and Brown Sugar Cinnamon. That’s not an accident — it’s a flavor that solved a real craving problem, and it’s worth understanding why.
I’ve spent a lot of time digging into the Pop-Tarts flavor archive — the hits, the flops, and the ones fans still start petitions for — and Chocolate S’mores tells a more interesting story than you’d expect from a toaster pastry. Let’s get into it.
Just How “Rare” Is Chocolate S’mores, Really?
Here’s the thing: despite what some search results might suggest, Chocolate S’mores isn’t rare at all. It’s a permanent, year-round flavor, and it’s consistently ranked among the top three best-selling Pop-Tarts flavors in the U.S. lineup, trailing only Strawberry and Brown Sugar Cinnamon.
The confusion tends to come from two directions. First, people conflate “rare” with “unusual” — and Chocolate S’mores does have an unusual profile for a Pop-Tart, combining a fudge filling with graham-cracker-flavored frosting and marshmallow swirls, which reads more like a campfire dessert than a breakfast pastry. Second, actual rare Pop-Tarts flavors do exist: think one-off collaborations, region-exclusive drops, and short-run seasonal releases that vanish within a few months. Chocolate S’mores isn’t one of those. It’s a permanent lineup member that’s earned its shelf space through sales, not scarcity.
As for the “OG” flavor question — that title belongs to the original 1964 lineup: Strawberry, Blueberry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, and Apple Currant. S’mores came along decades later, part of the wave of dessert-inspired flavors that turned Pop-Tarts from a fruit-filled breakfast item into something closer to a candy bar you toast.
Where Chocolate S’mores Lands on the Health Spectrum
Let’s be honest about this one instead of dancing around it. Chocolate S’mores Pop-Tarts are a dessert-adjacent snack, and they’re formulated that way on purpose. A standard pastry runs in the neighborhood of 190–200 calories, with a meaningful share of that coming from added sugar and the frosting layer — not dramatically different from most frosted Pop-Tarts flavors, but noticeably higher than the brand’s unfrosted or fruit-forward options.
The bigger picture: No Pop-Tart flavor is going to be your best source of fiber or protein. If you’re comparing flavors specifically for a lighter option, unfrosted varieties and the brand’s reduced-sugar lines will always come out ahead of anything in the “dessert” category — S’mores included. That’s not a knock on the flavor; it’s just useful context if calories are the deciding factor for you.
If you’re looking for something in the same spirit but lighter, Pop-Tarts does offer whole grain and lower-sugar formulations in fruit flavors, though none currently replicate the S’mores profile. For most people, the honest answer to “is there a healthy Pop-Tart” is that it’s a treat food across the board — S’mores is just an especially candid one about it.
A Short History of Pop-Tart Flavors That Didn’t Make It
Part of what makes S’mores’ staying power impressive is how many flavors haven’t survived. Pop-Tarts has released well over 100 flavors since 1964, and the graveyard of discontinued varieties is long — and, according to fans, genuinely painful in places.
Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough might be the most mourned example. It was pulled in 2022, sparked an online petition, and spent three years as one of the internet’s most requested comeback flavors before Pop-Tarts finally brought it back permanently. Frosted Chocolate Vanilla Creme lasted an impressive 44 years — from 1965 to 2009 — before disappearing. Red Velvet ran from 2013 to 2017. Peach Cobbler barely lasted a year, from 2021 to 2022.
What separates the survivors from the discontinued list usually comes down to sales consistency over time, not initial buzz. A flavor can launch to huge social media excitement and still get quietly retired within a couple of years if it doesn’t hold an audience. S’mores has done the opposite — it built a loyal, repeat-purchase base and never left the permanent lineup.
What’s Next for Pop-Tarts in 2026
Pop-Tarts has leaned hard into two strategies lately: reviving fan-favorite discontinued flavors and expanding into new formats entirely. Blue Raspberry returned after a six-year absence via a Marvel movie tie-in, and Frosted Cinnamon Roll came back at the annual Pop-Tarts Bowl. On the format side, the brand has pushed beyond the toaster pastry itself, launching a line of ice cream sandwiches in flavors like Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon and Frosted Chocolate Fudge.
The pattern to watch for 2026 is more of the same: nostalgia-driven comebacks, pop-culture collaborations, and format experiments rather than a single flagship new flavor. If a Chocolate S’mores spin-off shows up in a new format — ice cream, bites, or a collab — it wouldn’t be a surprise given the flavor’s proven fanbase. Nothing specific has been confirmed for S’mores itself yet, so this one’s worth keeping an eye on rather than treating as a done deal.
Homemade Chocolate S’mores Pop-Tarts
If you want the flavor without the ingredient label, this copycat version uses a real graham cracker crust, a fudgy filling, and a toasted marshmallow-inspired glaze. It’s more of a baked hand pie than a true toaster pastry, but it nails the flavor profile.
Prep: 30 minBake: 18 minYields: 8 pastries
For the crust
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 6–8 tbsp ice water
For the filling
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tbsp mini marshmallows
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
For the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp milk
- ¼ cup mini marshmallows, toasted
- 1 tbsp crushed graham crackers
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt together. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together. Divide in half, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate chips with the heavy cream in short microwave bursts, stirring until smooth. Stir in the mini marshmallows and let the ganache cool to room temperature — it should be thick, not runny.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out each dough half to about ⅛-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut into 16 rectangles (roughly 3×4 inches). You’ll get 8 pastries once paired.
- Spoon about a tablespoon of the chocolate marshmallow filling onto 8 of the rectangles, leaving a half-inch border. Brush the edges with egg wash, top with the remaining rectangles, and press the edges with a fork to seal.
- Transfer to the baking sheet, prick the tops a few times with a fork, and brush lightly with egg wash. Bake for 16–18 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely before glazing.
- Whisk the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth and spreadable. Spread over the cooled pastries, then immediately top with toasted mini marshmallows and a sprinkle of crushed graham crackers before the glaze sets.
Note: This is an original copycat recipe developed for this post and hasn’t been kitchen-tested by our team yet — we’d recommend a trial run before serving it to a crowd, and feel free to adjust sweetness or filling ratio to taste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chocolate S’mores a discontinued Pop-Tart flavor?
No. It’s a permanent, year-round flavor and one of the brand’s top three best sellers, alongside Strawberry and Brown Sugar Cinnamon.
How many Pop-Tart flavors exist in total?
Over 100 flavors have been released since the brand launched in 1964, including permanent lineup flavors, seasonal releases, and brand collaborations.
What was the first Pop-Tart flavor?
Pop-Tarts launched in 1964 with four unfrosted flavors: Strawberry, Blueberry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, and Apple Currant. Frosting wasn’t introduced until 1967.
Is there a healthier alternative to Chocolate S’mores Pop-Tarts?
If lower sugar and calories are the priority, unfrosted and whole-grain fruit flavors in the Pop-Tarts lineup are the closest options — though none currently replicate the S’mores flavor profile specifically.
What’s the most requested discontinued Pop-Tart flavor?
Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough holds that title. After being discontinued in 2022, it became one of the most petitioned-for comebacks in the brand’s history and returned permanently after three years.
The Bottom Line
Chocolate S’mores earns its spot in the permanent lineup the hard way — through repeat sales, not hype. It sits at an interesting intersection of nostalgia (campfire flavor) and modern snacking (grab-and-toast convenience), which is probably why it’s outlasted flavors with much louder social media launches. Whether you’re grabbing a box at the store or trying the homemade version above, it’s a flavor with real staying power behind it.
Tried the homemade version? Let us know how your batch turned out in the comments, or share a photo — we’d love to see your take on it.