Five Easy Camping Desserts for Adventurers with a Sweet Tooth

You’re thinking about packing up your bags and going on a wilderness adventure. Typically, your camping checklist includes a tent, sleeping bag, lantern, and all your other camping necessities. But will it include dessert ingredients? If you have a rather frequent desire for sweets, what are you going to do when you’re out in the middle of nowhere? Maybe you love crafting your own desserts, and campfire s’mores just don’t satisfy your craving. What can you easily make for dessert on your camping adventure? You’re in luck! Below is a list of 5 healthy, quick, delicious, and easy camping desserts recipes that will satisfy your sweet tooth. All you really need is a few ingredients, a pot or pan, and a source of heat. The best part is that all recipes contain wholesome ingredients that will fill your body with trail-ready energy. Plus, they can easily be eaten for breakfast, and many of the individual ingredients can be munched on separately as snacks.

1. Campfire Apple Peach Crisp

Apple Peach Crisp is an incredibly simple, sweet dish that everyone will enjoy. It’s perfect for dessert, as well as breakfast. All you need is a large pan or pot, some heat, and hungry bellies.

Ingredients

• 2 apples (preferably organic)
• 2 peaches
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar
• Granola or chopped mixed nuts

Instructions

First, dice or slice your apples and peaches. If you slice them, the thinner the better. Next, place the pan on a camp stove. If you’re cooking over a campfire, place the pan on a grate over hot coals and away from the flames. Then place the coconut oil in the pan to melt. Add your apples and peaches and cook for 3-5 minutes. Throw in your oats, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Finally, add the cinnamon, sweetener of choice, and the granola or mixed nuts. Let it cook for another minute or two, and the enjoy! Campfire apple peach crisp is best served warm, but it is also just as good the next morning before going out on a hike.

2. Amped-Up Date Rolls

This treat is ideal if you don’t want a lot of prep work or dishes to clean but are craving a satisfyingly sweet treat. This easy camping dessert is simple and delicious.

Ingredients

• Pitted dates or date rolls
• Choice of cuts
• Coconut butter (optional)

Instructions

Dates are the star of this show. Find them in most grocery stores, either pre-packaged or in the bulk section. Date rolls are preferred for this recipe, and if you don’t know what a date roll is, you are missing out! Found in the bulk section, these are pitted dates rolled in coconut shreds. Dates and date rolls are amazing to snack on by themselves, giving you loads of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Find your favorite type of nut in the bulk section of most grocery stories. Walnuts are great for this recipe and contain high amounts of omega-3s and other healthy fats that are great for your brain. To take this recipe to the next level, pack coconut butter. Also known as “coconut manna,” it can be found at any health food store or in the health food section of most grocery stores. Melt the coconut butter by placing the jar near the fire or in a pot of boiling water (being careful to handle the hot jar and pot with heat-resistant pads). Next, grab a date or date roll, and simply stuff about three broken up nuts inside the date. This is great to eat on its own, but take the extra step and dip the date into the melted coconut butter for an amazing treat. Two or three of these amped-up date rolls are perfect for one person. They taste even more delicious served with a cup of warm campfire coffee, chai tea, or hot chocolate. Try them, and you’ll see how they earned a spot on the list of easy camping desserts!

3. Caramelized Chocolate Covered Plantains

The plantain is a great choice for a campfire dessert. Similar to a banana, it’s a great source of several key vitamins and minerals, but plantains are larger, tougher and hold up much better in a cooked dessert. In a pinch, use bananas for this dessert.

Ingredients

• Sliced plantain or bananas
• Cacao powder
• Coconut oil
• Sea or Himalayan salt
• Cinnamon
• Coconut sugar
• Coconut butter (optional)

Instructions

1. Grab a medium-sized pan, and warm over heat. If you’re using a stove, use medium heat. If you made a campfire, place a pan on a cooking grate over hot embers.
2. Place a tablespoon of coconut oil and the sliced plantain into the pan. Cook the plantain slices on each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and caramelized.
3. Make the chocolate drizzle by adding 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to a small pot along with 3 tablespoons of cacao powder. If the mixture gets too thick, add more coconut oil; if it gets too thin, add more cacao powder.

4. Once you have reached the desired consistency, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of coconut sugar, a dash of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
5. Drizzle chocolate over your caramelized plantains and enjoy! If you feel like taking it to the next level, melt some coconut butter and drizzle that over your drizzle; it’s like a healthier version of icing.

4. Chia Seed Pudding

Chia seeds make a simple and satisfying dessert that is creamy, thick and loaded with protein, fiber and omega-3s.  This pudding can be made warm, or you can simply mix all the ingredients together and let it come to a thick pudding-like consistency. Either way, this is a delicious, healthy recipe that will fill you up without making you feel sluggish.

Ingredients

• 3-4 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 cup coconut milk
• ½ tablespoon honey, maple syrup or sweetener of choice
• Fresh berries and/or bananas

Instructions

1. Add coconut milk to a pot, and place it over medium heat to warm up.
2. When the milk begins to steam, add your sweetener of choice.
3. Add the chia seeds, and either turn heat to low or remove from the campfire.
4. Give the mixture a stir, and let sit until the chia seeds absorb the milk (5-10 minutes).
5. Top with fresh berries and/or sliced bananas for a delectable sweet treat.

5. Banana Burrito

This sweet treat is super easy, fun to make and does not require much effort.

Ingredients

• Bananas
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• Flour tortilla
• Almond or peanut butter
• Choice of jam
• Sea or Himalayan salt
• Cinnamon
• Honey

Instructions

First, heat your coconut oil in a pan, either over low heat or on a cooking grate over campfire embers (no fire). Place a tortilla in the pan, and let it warm on each side for 2-3 minutes. Next, add a spoonful of nut butter to one side of the tortilla and your choice of jam to the other side. Peel your banana and add it as is. Top it all off with a drizzle of honey, a dash of cinnamon, and a sprinkle of salt. Remove it from the pan, roll it up, and there you have it – a banana burrito!

Enjoy the Sweet Life (in a Healthy Way)

When you’re camping and enjoying all that nature has to offer, the last thing you want are unhealthy, heavy desserts at the end of a long day of hiking or fishing. The recipes above are simple enough for campsite cooking, but are also a step above traditional s’mores. These recipes are not only great for dessert, but they’re also great for breakfast or any time you need a sweet pick-me-up. Plus, many of the individual ingredients are great to munch on by themselves. The next time you pack your newest KÜHL gear, don’t forget to plan out some easy camping desserts! Also, check out more posts from our camping cooking series: The Complete Camping Food Guide, Camping Vegan Style and Easy Camping Meal Ideas for Families.

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