# Snack & Dessert

Part of the Cooking Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/cooking/guide/index.md)

*5. Camp Cooking*

> **5e.** In the outdoors, using your menu plans and recipes for this requirement, prepare one snack and one dessert. Serve both of these to your patrol or a group of youth.

Snacks and desserts are more than treats — they keep energy levels up between meals and give your patrol something to look forward to. Preparing them outdoors adds a fun, creative element to your camp cooking experience.

### Camp Snack Ideas

A good camp snack is easy to prepare, packs energy, and does not require refrigeration. Think about what your patrol will need between meals:

**No-cook snacks:**
- Trail mix (nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, seeds)
- Granola bars (homemade or store-bought)
- Fresh fruit (apples, oranges, bananas — sturdy fruits that travel well)
- Peanut butter on crackers or celery

**Cooked snacks:**
- Campfire popcorn in a foil pan or special popper
- Quesadillas on a camp stove
- Nachos heated in a Dutch oven or on a camp stove skillet
- Roasted pumpkin seeds

> **Tip**
>
> Timing matters for snacks. Serve your snack when energy starts to dip — mid-morning between breakfast and lunch, or mid-afternoon between lunch and dinner. A well-timed snack keeps everyone happy and productive.

### Camp Dessert Ideas

Dessert at camp is a tradition. Here are options that work well outdoors:

**Dutch oven desserts:**
- Fruit cobbler (peaches, cherries, or mixed berries with a cake mix topping)
- Brownies or cake baked in a Dutch oven
- Campfire cinnamon rolls

**Fire or coal desserts:**
- Banana boats — split a banana lengthwise (leave the peel on), stuff with chocolate chips and marshmallows, wrap in foil, and place on coals for 5–10 minutes
- S'mores — the classic campfire dessert
- Grilled pineapple slices with a sprinkle of cinnamon

**Camp stove desserts:**
- Pancake "crepes" with Nutella and fruit
- Campfire cones — sugar cones filled with marshmallows, chocolate, and fruit, wrapped in foil and heated

![Scouts preparing banana boats at a camp kitchen — splitting bananas, adding chocolate chips and marshmallows, with foil wrapping supplies on the table](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/cooking/guide/camp-dessert-prep?v=2a171f37)

### Serving Your Patrol

Serve the snack and dessert with the same care you give your main meals. Presentation counts — even at camp. Hand out snacks in a clean cup or bag. Serve dessert on a plate with a clean utensil.

> **Safety First!**
>
> Hot desserts like cobbler and banana boats come off the fire extremely hot. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Warn your patrol that the filling inside a banana boat or foil dessert can be much hotter than the outside feels.

> **Did You Know?**
>
> The classic campfire s'more dates back to at least 1927, when the recipe appeared in the Girl Scout handbook under the name "Some Mores." The name stuck — because everyone always wants some more.

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- Previous: [Cook Outdoors](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/cooking/guide/req5d/index.md)
- Next: [Camp Meal Evaluation](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/cooking/guide/req5f/index.md)