camp meals

Warm Apple Crisp

Dried fruit warmed with crushed graham crackers and spice. A dessert that tastes like you planned it.

calories
480
weight
4.3 oz
cal / oz
112
protein
4 g
serves
1, scales
prep
5 min
cook
10 min
total time
15 min
water
250 ml boiled
cost
$

Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.

  • Dessert
  • Canister stove
  • Alcohol / Esbit
  • Backpacking
  • Car camping
  • Vegetarian
  • Nut free
  • One pot
  • Pre-mix at home
  • Shelf stable
  • Dump and stir

Ingredients

Dried apples 2 oz
Dried cranberries 1 oz
Graham crackers 4 crushed into bite-sized pieces
Pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp
Sugar 1 tbsp
Powdered butter 1 tbsp

Method

  1. Before the trip, combine apples and cranberries in one resealable bag.
  2. In a second bag, mix pumpkin pie spice and sugar together.
  3. Crush graham crackers into pieces, place in a third bag, and mix in the powdered butter.
  4. At camp, pour 250 ml of water into the fruit bag during dinner. This softens the apples as you eat.
  5. When ready for dessert, pour off most of the water into your pot, keeping about 2 tablespoons.
  6. Add the softened fruit to the pot and bring to a simmer.
  7. Once warm, stir in the spice and sugar mixture.
  8. Simmer for one more minute, then add the graham cracker mixture.
  9. Stir until the fruit is coated and the crackers warm through.
  10. Eat from the pot.

Soak the fruit during dinner and you’re only five minutes from warm dessert. The apples soften without falling apart. The cranberries are tart enough to keep the whole thing from cloying.

Graham crackers replace the fat and crunch of a crisp topping but fit flat in a bag. Powdered butter distributes evenly instead of pooling at the bottom. Three bags and one pot make this work on the trail.

Packing

Three bags at home: fruit, spices, and cracker mix. Keep them separate until camp so the powdered butter doesn't grease the fruit.

Variations

  • Substitute raisins for the cranberries if you want less tartness.
  • A pinch of instant coffee in the spice mix adds depth.
  • A splash of liqueur transforms this into something special, if you're carrying spirits.

https://www.trailgroove.com/blogs/entry/435-apple-crisp-backpacking-dessert-recipe