I’m not saying I’m sick of the classic s’more, because I’m not. Over the summer, my s’mores count is probably on a level playing field with the number of sunny days in Colorado. I just feel like when most people plan to make a bonfire with their friends, they get s’mores ingredients and don’t even consider that there could be a multitude of other amazing options.
Well, there are. The best part is none of them are very difficult and they open the door to a happier world of campfire dessert munching possibilities.
1. Fried Dough Boys
This one makes you feel like you’re making a s’more until you bite into a crescent roll filled with yummy ingredients you chose. You instantly feel all-powerful for being the creator of this masterpiece.
Here is how you do it: You take a crescent roll (Pillsbury is fine). Then, you put it flat on a plate, top it with Nutella, sprinkles, Heath bar crumbles, etc. (whatever you want), and then roll it tight around a marshmallow stick. You roast it just like a s’more but instead of just a minute, you give this 5-10 minutes.
2. Banana Boats
If you haven’t tried these already, honestly, you haven’t been around a real campfire. The first key thing is that if you do not like bananas, this one is not for you. Oh, you do? Okay cool, here’s how you make it.
You slice a banana with the peel on down the center. Then you make little cuts all throughout the inside of the banana, NOT on the peel, going perpendicular to the long cut. You can take peanut butter (sun butter if you are allergic) and spread it all around the inside. Shove some chocolate and marshmallows inside. Those are the essentials, but if something else sounds good, add it too.
Once you’ve added everything you need, close your banana back up, take tin foil and wrap it around your banana so the entire thing is covered, and toss the banana around the edge of the fire. Then wait 5-10 minutes and use some sort of stick or utensil to get it out. Wait until it’s kind of cool, open it up, grab a spoon and dig in.
3. Cinnamon Apples
This one is a bit on the lighter side, but still SO good. First, you take your apple and carve out the core. Make a bunch of slices into the sides of the apple from where the core was, but not all the way through.
Next take either butter, coconut oil, or coconut butter and shove it all around the inside, trying to spread it in those cuts. Take cinnamon and dump it in the center, wrap it up with tin foil and just like a banana boat, put it on the edge of the fire. Definitely give this one 10 minutes—trust me, you’ll thank me later. After the time is up, voila. Cinnamon everywhere.
4. S’mores Dip
I promise it’s a completely different experience than s’mores. To make this, you first need to find a pan (preferably the shittiest one you can find because it’s going to get burnt and sticky). Cover the bottom of the pan with chocolate—I recommend the classic Hershey’s bar—then add a layer of marshmallows (it works better if you break them in half).
If you have some sort of grill stand you can rest the pan on top of the stand, above the fire. If you don’t, no worries—you can try to construct a log cabin fire and rest it on top of that. When the marshmallows start looking pretty golden, you can take the pan off of the fire, hand graham crackers all around and start dipping.
5. Fried Brownies
If you are someone who loves half-baked brownies but wishes they had a bit more crunch, the answer to your prayers is here. Just like with the s’mores dip, you will need a pan for this one.
All you have to do is make the brownie mix (I like to throw some extra stuff in such as Oreo crumbles, chocolate chips, etc.) and pour it only until it’s about a centimeter or so thick on the pan. Let the mix cook on the pan for a few minutes and after that, start working it kind of like scrambled eggs until it really starts to take form, at which point you can try to flip it with a spatula.
When you think it’s ready, you have a couple options. You can just go straight for it and eat it right off the pan. Or you can mash it up, throw it over chocolate pudding, and throw some gummy worms in to make the world’s best dirt in a cup.
6. Fried cookies
This one is pretty easy, but so worth a try. All you need is cookie dough and a pan. Roll out some cookies on the pan and let them cook over the fire. After about five minutes, flip them over.
If you want to make this one really intense, you can make a mix of fried cookies and s’mores dip. All you have to do is cover the bottom of the pan with cookie dough, add a layer of chocolate, top off with marshmallows, and then bake.
What are you still doing in your dorm room? There’s a bonfire waiting.