Sometimes we all need to treat ourselves a little, and there is no better time than after a long day of hard hiking out on the trail. We have curated five fantastic hiking dessert ideas that are bound to make your mouth water after having hiked all day, we have included a mix of make it yourself and prepared hiking treats for almost any hiker who can’t live without that sweet delight at the end of a night.
Before we get started, we of course need to caution you on taking a ‘few’ too many hiking treats, remember to always keep moderation in mind and make sure that your hiking menu is full of a wide range of foods that contain all the vital nutrients for you to complete a hike. So without further ado, let’s get right into the yummy treats!
1. S’mores
S’mores are a camp stable for most hikers who have a little sweat treat at the end of the day so we just couldn't leave this fan favourite off the list of great hiking desserts, S’mores can be far more versatile than most think and are super easy to prepare meaning the time between cooking and eating is as short as possible.
Ingredients needed to make:
Two Flat Biscuits (Per S’more)
1 – 2 Marshmallows
One Square of Chocolate (From a Bar/Brick)
Equipment required:
Roasting Stick
Flame/Fire (to Cook)
To make this recipe it is simple, just get your Marshmallows and Chocolate and melt them over a campfire or stove for about 30 seconds to a minute depending on how you like your marshmallows and then sandwich them in-between your two biscuits. If you are someone who loves S’mores but gets a little tired of the same fillings then why not try some different ingredients such as Peanut butter, Nutella, Berries, Honey, Banana or even different flavoured chocolates such as Mint, Caramel and even KitKats.
2. Chocolate Crepes
Want something delicious but don't want to cook? We’ve got you covered, these chocolate crepes sold in packets at the supermarket are a great treat of flavour and best of all they come ready to eat meaning less time thinking about dessert and more time enjoying it.
Ingredients needed to make:
Chocolate Crepe (Visit Woolworths)
Any extras you want to add (Nutella, Banana, etc.)
Equipment required:
Optional Serving Plate
Bin to dispose of wrapper
Now even though they come ready to eat, that doesn't stop you from getting a little creative with how to serve it. Some great ideas for what to add on top of your crepe to really give it some flavour is simple fruits either dried or fresh and for those looking for even more chocolate you can add some extra Nutella on top. All these additions can add to your crepe but at the end of the day they are still a fantastic treat even without the added toppings.
3. Campfire Banana Boat
If you love bananas, chocolate and marshmallows then we have a recipe that will surely satisfy your cravings. This recipe is a simple and delicious dessert that does require a few ingredients but becomes certainly worth it after you bite into your chocolate, marshmallow and banana end of day delight.
Ingredients needed to make:
A banana
Chocolate Chips or A few Chocolate Squares
2 – 3 Marshmallows
Any Extras (Toffee/Caramel cubes, Crushed Cookie/Biscuit, Berries, Etc.)
Equipment required:
Optional Aluminium foil
Flame/Fire (to Cook)
To prepare this dessert is simple, just cut you banana open while leaving the peal on, then stuff the inside with all your fillings such as your chocolate chips, Marshmallows and anything else such as cookie or biscuit chunks that can add a little crunch to the banana. After you have stuffed your banana you can then either wrap it in aluminium foil and place in a fire or over stove for optimal banana cooking or leave the little bit of aluminium foil at home and cook directly over the fire which can get a little messier and make it not as nice especially when cooking using a stove.
4. Campfire Popcorn
A great after dinner snack is some campfire popcorn, this dessert can be a good option for anyone who wants something not as sweet but rather savory for their after dinner treat. This dessert may not sound like your typical hiking dessert but is certainly worth a try for anyone looking for something new to spice up their hiking menu.
Ingredients needed to make:
Popcorn Cornels (Microwave Popcorn Packet)
Extra Salt (Depending on your preference)
Equipment required:
Bowl to serve
Stove with pot (to Cook)
To prepare your campfire popcorn you will need to have either a pan for pot and place it over a heat source (E.g. Camp stove, Campfire) and then place your corn cornels into the pan/pot. Wait a few minutes and you should have relatively well popped popcorn but may find some cornels at the bottom of the pan simply because of the environment you are cooking them in. You can either eat straight out of the pan/pot for place them onto a plate or bowl and enjoy your end of day, savory and delicious snack.
5. Orange Cake/Brownie
Ever wanted cake out on the trail? Well it's good news for you then because this recipe is for all those cake and brownie lovers who simply can’t live without these extra sweet desserts in their lives, Orange cake/brownies can be a really great sweet but yet citrusy delight.
Ingredients needed to make:
An Orange
Cake/Brownie Mix (Store Bought or make your own)
Any extras to add on top (Berries, Honey, etc.)
Equipment required:
Optional Aluminium foil
Flame/Fire (to Cook)
Spoon to eat with
To make this recipe you will need to hollow out an orange and fill it with your cake/brownie mixture (make sure to use the inside of the orange for breakfast or another meal), then you can wrap it in aluminium foil for the best result but this is optional depending on how concerned about weight you are. Make sure to measure out the amount of cake mixture you will need before you leave because one packet of cake/brownie mixture from the supermarket can make up to 10-12 oranges which unless you are hiking in a large group is probably too much for just you. Once it is ready for baking you can place it over your stove or fire and wait until it looks cooked to your liking which is usually around 30 minutes, then let it sit for a few minutes and grab your spoon to dig into the yummy orange cake or brownie.
So those were five fantastic hiking desserts that you can try next time you are out on the trail, make sure to maintain a balanced hiking menu next time you hike because what you put into your body is what allows you to get the most out of it. Some of these hiking desserts are heavier than others so they may not be suited to longer hikes but others are great light and easy solutions to the question of what to have for dessert. If you aren't someone who likes dessert every night of a hike then maybe consider bringing a few of these along and have them on the nights you feel like you might want them the most instead of scheduling one for each day.
Looking for more recipe ideas? Well check out our recipes page here.
Written by Josh Welch
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