Cold-Soak Cheesecake
Instant pudding and powdered milk make a no-cook dessert that needs only cold water and ten minutes.
- calories
- 300
- weight
- 2.1 oz
- cal / oz
- 143
- protein
- 6 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 0 min
- total time
- 2 min
- water
- 200 ml cold
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dessert
- Cold soak
- No cook
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- Eat in the bag
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant vanilla pudding mix | 1 packet | the 1.4 oz individual size |
|---|---|---|
| Powdered milk | 3 tbsp | |
| Graham cracker crumbs | 0.5 cup | |
| Brown sugar | 2 tbsp | |
| Salt | a pinch |
Method
- At home, mix pudding powder, powdered milk, brown sugar, and salt in a freezer bag. Store crumbs separately.
- At camp, pour the dry mix into a cup or bowl.
- Add 200 ml of cold water and stir hard for one minute. It will be thick and lumpy.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes. The pudding hydrates and the whole thing thickens.
- Stir again to break up lumps.
- Stir in the graham crumbs just before eating, or layer them on top.
- Eat cold.
Pudding powder hydrates with cold water to create a creamy base without heat or refrigeration. Powdered milk adds protein and body. The result tastes like cheesecake because commercial pudding is engineered that way, even without actual cream cheese.
The trick is precise water—200 ml makes it creamy, not soupy. Don’t stir in crumbs until just before eating or they’ll go soggy. Keep the prepared dessert in your coolest spot while it sets.
Packing
Mix dry pudding, milk powder, sugar, and salt in one bag. Store crumbs in a separate small bag so they don't absorb moisture before camp.
Variations
- Use instant cheesecake pudding if you can find it.
- Add instant coffee powder to the dry mix for mocha flavor.
- Crush vanilla wafers instead of graham crackers.
https://trailcooking.com/2023/10/21/commercial-meal-review-backpackers-pantry-desserts