12 Best Desserts for Backpacking
While out on the trails, there's no need to limit yourself to packaged dinner. With a bit of creativity and preparation, you can finish your outdoor meal with a satisfying serving of sweets—made by you!
Merry Mountain Trail Mix
If you're looking for a healthy handful to enjoy for dessert but don't want to sacrifice flavor, whip up a tray of this trail mix and stash it in your pack. The dried fruit is further sweetened by the addition of condensed milk baked into the batch.
Baked Banana with Cinnamon & Honey
While this recipe calls for an oven, you can make this sweet-and-cinnamon banana outdoors by preparing it, wrapping it in foil, and cooking it above the coals.
Dulce de Leche
Sweet caramel spread is as easy as carrying a can of sweetened condensed milk with you in your pack. In a pot of water over a hot fire, submerge the can, boil for a while as you make your camp, and then let cool. Then simply crack it open and spread or dip.
M&M Dream Bars
"Rich, chocolaty, chewy and so easy to make! I followed the recipe exactly as written, and I swear, I had to keep myself from eating them all and save some for gifts."
-bunkie68
Campfire Muffins
"These were excellent! The orange flavor from the peel really infuses the muffin with an excellent orange flavor. I added cranberries to a blueberry and wild berry muffin mix. About 45 minutes and they were cooked perfectly."
-Michelegood
No-Bake Apple Crisp
"This recipe makes for a very, very delicious little healthy snack and tastes very much like a real apple crisp."
-Lalaloula
Campfire Cones
These sweet s'mores-like treats are super-sweet and ultimately customizable to your tastes—whether you like chocolate and caramel chips or plenty of nuts and dried fruit.
-Donna B.
No-Bake Peanut Butter & Cornflake Bars
"These are the best. I love that they are chewy. Perfect mix of chocolate and peanut butter. And they are so easy to make!"
-Weesie D
Boy Scout Apples
"This brought back some great memories. A similar flavor profile to apples we enjoyed over the campfire in Girl Scouts. I used the sugar and cinnamon combo this time, but love the idea of using jam!"
-Starrynews
Stewed Prunes
Simply put dried prunes with some water and sugar in a pot over your burner or campfire and you've got yourself a nice dessert of fruit in syrup!
Chewy Granola Bars
"Call it a "Granola Bar" if it makes you feel better about consuming it, but this is really just a chocolate chip-oatmeal cookie in bar form. It's a great recipe and really tasty, especially with the addition of the Rice Krispies."
-Carissa R
