Dirty Dishes: Top 5 Camping Desserts

I don’t know about you guys but when I go camping, the only reason I eat dinner is so I can have dessert afterwards. So I decided to start with dessert recipes. Well ok, one of them isn’t really dessert but it’s sweet and a treat. Here are my top 5 camping desserts. Sorry I don’t have pictures for all of them. I’ll fix that this summer.

 

BackPack Trail Mix (nut friendly)

1.5-2 cups raw organic pumpkin seeds

1.5-2 cups raw organic sunflower seeds

1 cup organic raisins

1 cup shreddies cereal

1/2 cup dried goji berries

1/2 semi sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cups of your favorite granola cereal (I used the Enjoy Life brand that is nut and gluten-free)

 

Preheat oven to 400F. Spread raw seeds on dry cookie sheets in an even single layer. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until seeds are a golden brown. Be careful, they’ll go from golden brown to full on burnt in seconds. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Once seeds are cooled, dump in a large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients. Feel free to add your favourite thing to the mix. Cheerios, nuts, cranberries, what ever. I usually add a handful here and a handful there until it looks like good proportions. Using your hands, gently mix and turn over the mixture. Portion out 1/2 cup of mix into zip lock baggies.

 

BadAss Banana Boats

This is my twist on the classic Banana Boat!

1 banana split lengthwise down the middle

2 large marshmallows

3 squares of your favorite chocolate bar (I like Jersey Milk)

2 brownie bites cut in halves (boom, that’s the bad ass part)

2 caramel squares (you know, the ones you get at halloween?) (YUP! Another boom, right there)

Making a “boat” with tin foil first, spray the bottom with cooking spray. Start with the brownie halves on the bottom of the foil boat. Put banana halves on top of brownies. In between the 2 halves of the banana alternate chocolate pieces and caramel squares, top with marshmallows. Seal up the boat and put in the hot coals for 5-10 minutes depending on how hot the fire is. At a camp ground with a no fire policy? Throw the foils in the oven or in your slow cooker! Now aren’t you glad you brought the slow cooker? They’re done when they look like a little piece of heaven wrapped in a foil bird.

 

More S’Mores 

Ok, we’re not reinventing the wheel here but here are a couple of small adjustments to this camping staple.

Replace graham crackers for digestive cookies that have chocolate on 1 side (made by Christie)

Replace squares of chocolate for chocolate covered cream mints like After 8’s

Bacon. nuff said.

Add sliced pre-grilled apples

Add sliced pre-grilled pineapple

A slather of peanut butter on the graham crackers (if you’re not allergic to nuts like me)

A square of caramel on 1 side and chocolate on the other, marshmallow in the middle. WOW!

 

Fruity Foil Packs 

I use a half piece of fruit for the kids and a whole fruit for adults but for this recipe I’ll do adult size.

1 of the following fruits: peach, apple, pear (halved, seeded and peeled)

1 pat of butter

1 or 2 TSP of brown sugar

drizzle of lemon juice

drizzle of maple syrup

drizzle of Grand Marnier or booze of choice (optional)

Seal in a foil boat and cook on the campfire for about 10 minutes or until the fruit is tender. Remove from heat and pour over individual short cakes or angel food cake or if you have a freezer, ice-cream! Oh yeah baby!

 

Campfire Fudge (via KOA Campgrounds)

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 TBSP water

1/2 cup granola cereal

In a large saucepan, combine first 3 ingredients over medium heat. Melt chocolate. Stir constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and pour into a foil lined 8 inch square pan. Sprinkle granola cereal over the top. Let stand until firm, about 1 hour. Cut and serve.

The original recipe can be found here.