Camping during the winter is a lot of fun. However, cold temperatures can quickly turn into a great challenge.
Since we don’t want you or your friends and family to freeze your tails off, we have collected 5 delicious recipes that are guaranteed to keep you warm and cozy on a cold night at the bonfire. You can prepare these recipes without too much effort directly at the bonfire. All you need is some preparation and a camp stove. The recipes are simple and diverse. You are free to choose your personal favorite hot beverage.
Hot Apple Punch
Is there anything better for warming up than a delicious apple punch? It’s very easy to stock up on apples, even while camping, because there are so easy to store. You should never skimp on the spices, such as cinnamon and cloves. Only with the right spices, your apple punch becomes a wintery flavor experience.
What you need (6 people):
- 1.5l apple juice
- 1 apple
- 8 cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp sugar
As you can see, you need a few spices. There is not always a grocery store nearby, so this recipe needs some preparation in advance.
Preparation:
The preparation is actually really simple. You have to wash and deseed the apple and cut it into small chunks. Next, heat up the apple juice with the cloves and cinnamon sticks over the camp stove.
Then you only have to mix the cinnamon and sugar and slowly add it to the mixture. The recipe should be enough for 6 people. Tip: Prepare a little extra of the sugar and cinnamon mixture to sprinkle over the punch in the end.
Hot Chocolate With a Zing
Who doesn’t love hot cocoa? But simply adding cocoa powder to milk would be boring. Real campers need real hot chocolate. It’s tough out in the wilderness and you’ll need some happy hormones to get through it.
What you need (6 people):
- 130g dark chocolate
- 80g milk chocolate
- 600ml whole milk
- 80g sugar
- 50gcocoa powder
Preparation:
First, chop the chocolate into small pieces. Now let’s get the milk cooking. Mix in the cinnamon and sugar, add the chocolate, and let it melt.
Super easy, isn’t it?
If hot chocolate is a little boring for your taste, why not jazz it up a little? Some alcohol like whiskey or Baileys is ideal to get through the cold temperatures.
If you don’t want to drink any alcohol, you can also add some fiery spices to your hot chocolate. The right spices can bring the heat just as well as alcohol. Some popular ones are turmeric or chili.
Even milder spices like vanilla, cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg will turn your hot chocolate into a tasty experience. Just pack a little selection of spices on your next trip and add whatever you’re craving.
Tip: To get your hot chocolate to the next level, add a mini marshmallow in the end and coat it with syrup. Now your drink is definitely fit for Instagram and Pinterest – and will be sure to attract jealous glances from your camping neighbors.
Spicy Chai
You feel like having a spicy black tea at the bonfire? A chai tea with note of cinnamon will bring oriental flair right to the bonfire. The syrup can be prepared in advance. You can easily store it in a jar. If you want to prepare the syrup on-site, no problem, all you need is a camp stove. What you need for the syrup:
Ingredients (6 people):
- 200g sugar
- 3 bags black tea
- 700ml water
- cinnamon sticks
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- pepper
And now to preparing:
Simply throw all the ingredients into the pot and let them simmer for 20 minutes. After 10 minutes you should remove the teabags and let the rest simmer for another 10 minutes.
Now you only need a sieve to filter out the pieces and you can fill the mixture into a clean glass. The syrup will stay fresh for 6 months.
To prepare the drink, you only have to mix 2 to 3 teaspoons of the syrup into a glass of hot milk. Just heat up 200 milliliters of milk on the camp stove.
Jagertee
Black tea is versatile and aromatic. Jagertee is another tasty variant besides chai tea. The combination of juice, tea, and alcohol turns this drink into an absolute taste experience. Again, you only need a few spices that are staples for all kinds of hot drinks. What you need:
Ingredients (6 people):
- 250ml red wine
- 250ml black tea
- 250ml orange juice
- star anise
- 4 cloves
- 2 allspice seeds
- 80g sugar
Now to the cooking:
Add all ingredients into your camp stove, heat it up while stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Then you only have to sift out the tea. Enjoy your hot drink!
Hot mint tea with lime
Lemon and lime are a tasty combination. Mint usually has a cooling function, but its high menthol content makes the tea an ideal hot drink, even in the winter. Who wants to catch a cold on a camping trip? This is what you need for this virus killer:
Ingredients (6 people):
- 1 pot of mint (double functions as decoration)
- 3 limes
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 6 tbsp rum
- 4 tsp mint tea
Preparation:
Pluck all the mint leaves. Heat up 900ml of water on the camp stove. Then pour the hot water over the tea and the mint leaves. Let is sit for 5 minutes. In the meantime, you can squeeze out the limes and mix the juice with the brown sugar. Add the mixture to the cups and add the tea. You can either filter the tea beforehand or place a sieve on top of the cups while pouring it in.
Bottom line: Camping in the winter is nearly impossible without hot beverages. You have to make yourself warm and comfortable. Our recipes are everything but boring and offer a welcome change from hot orange juice. No matter if tea, chocolate, or a bit of alcohol, all recipes will put your company at the bonfire into a good mood. We are certain: With these hot drinks, your cozy bonfire get-together will be an unforgettable camping experience.