7 Delicious Holiday Desserts You Can Make on the Road

Making delicious holiday desserts can be fun — even in your tiny RV kitchen with limited tools. As full-time RVers and nearly lifelong campers, we’ve used a two-burner propane stove and a campfire Dutch oven for our baking needs for over 25 years. As foodies, we absolutely love to challenge ourselves with new recipes and adapt new ways to make them. Remember: It’s not the size of your kitchen, or number of appliances, but the size of your imagination that truly matters. (For the record, our only electric kitchen appliance is an immersion blender.) 

With that in mind, we hope that these seven delicious recipes for holiday desserts — with both bake and no-bake options — inspire you to lean into your creativity and discover your own inner pâtissier! While some may sound fancy, they’re all very simple to make. And no matter where you’re going this holiday season, bring one of these holiday desserts in the door, and you’ll get a warm welcome.

 

Baking Recipes for the Oven and the Campfire

Dark Chocolate Cake with Rum Glaze & Raspberry Sauce

Adapted from the Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook, this six-minute vegan chocolate cake is the perfect campfire cake. It’s a good base for just about anything you want to put on it. We’ve used a German chocolate frosting, a butter cream frosting, as well as just powdered sugar. This rum glaze with raspberry sauce topping came from our former dean of students, with whom we worked in the early 2000s.

 

Cake Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup cold coffee
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

 

Cake Instructions

• Mix all dry ingredients together. (You can pre-mix these ingredients at home and bring them in a food storage container.) 
• Mix in all wet ingredients, adding the cider vinegar last. Stirring in the vinegar will lighten the color of the cake batter and cause it to rise and bubble. 
• Pour into a greased fry-bake pan, or Dutch oven, immediately.
• Cover and cook over a campfire for approximately 20 minutes, rotating occasionally. Be sure to put coals on the top of the lid to cook from the top down as well.  See this video for details.

 

Note: While you can just pour the glaze and sauce below over the cake once it has cooled, you could also make two cakes and layer the icing/topping in between and on top.

 

 

Glaze Ingredients

• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup sugar

 

In a sauce pan, stir all ingredients together and bring to a boil for two minutes. Let rest, but keep warm, until the cake is ready. Pour over top.

 

Raspberry Sauce Ingredients

• 1 large package frozen raspberries
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste

 

Combine frozen raspberries, water, and sugar into a sauce pan. Stir while the mixture is coming to a boil. Cook until thickened. 

Turkish Baklava

Most people associate baklava with slaving in the kitchen and rolling out filo dough all day. But it’s surprisingly simple. (It’s also a real crowd pleaser.) While you might be more familiar with the Greek version with walnuts, the Turks have their variation that uses pistachios. This recipe comes from Shari’s Turkish neighbor in Santa Barbara, California back in the 1990s. Since then, it’s become one of our standard holiday desserts. 

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 sticks of butter
• 1 package of frozen filo dough (these often come two per pack, you just need one of the packages)
• 12 ounces of pistachio meats (or walnuts if you want to go Greek)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups of water
• 3/4 tablespoon lemon juice

 

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grind pistachios into a crunchy-powdery form. This is easiest to do in a food processor, but also possible with an immersion blender, or chef’s knife.  
• Melt butter.  
• Thaw and unroll the filo dough. Place one- third of the filo dough in the bottom of a rectangular cake pan. Spread half of the ground pistachios over this first filo layer. Add one-third more of the filo dough, then spread the other half of the ground pistachios over the second filo layer. Top with the remaining third of the filo dough.  
• Using a small, sharp knife, cut into 1-inch-by-3-inch pieces. The filo dough is fragile, so go slowly and make sure to cut all the way through to the bottom. Pour melted butter over the top, making sure to get it into all of the cracks.   Place back in the oven for about 30 minutes (until the top layer is lightly browned).
• While baking, make a simple syrup by combining water, sugar, and lemon juice in a pot on the stove. Bring to a boil and let simmer for at least one minute (or until all sugar solids dissolve).   
• Remove baklava from the oven and let cool for about three minutes. Pour the simple syrup over the baklava, making sure to get it into all of the cracks.  Let sit for three to four hours before serving. Enjoy!

 

No Bake Recipes

Chocolate Silk Pie

Your friends and family seriously won’t believe this one is vegan. (It’s also great for folks with a dairy allergy or sensitivity!) Adapted from Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York, we added the raspberry sauce for some bright fruity fun. Alternatively, you can replace the cold coffee with creme de menthe for a chocolate mint flavor and top with regular or vegan whipped cream.  

 

Pie Ingredients

• 2 cups Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips (these are the vegan type)
• 1/3 cup cold dark roast coffee (or creme de menthe liquer)
• 1 package silken tofu (if you are not a regular tofu buyer, this is a very different texture than most tofu so be sure it says “silken” on the package)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 Oreo cookie crust or chocolate nut crust

 

Pie Instructions

• Melt chocolate chips over a double boiler, then stir in vanilla, coffee, and maple syrup.  
• Combine tofu and chocolate mixture in a blender – we use a plastic pitcher and an immersion blender.  Process until very smooth and creamy.  
• Pour mixture into cookie crust and refrigerate overnight.  
• Topping of your choice.

 

Raspberry Sauce Ingredients

• 1 large package frozen raspberries
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste

 

Combine frozen raspberries, water, and sugar into a sauce pan. Stir while the mixture is coming to a boil. Cook until thickened. Chill in the refrigerator before serving.  

 

 

Egg Nog Pie 

This recipe comes from the Smithville Inn in Ohio and has been a holiday tradition in the Hutchison family for more years than Hutch can remember. We added just a bit of bourbon for extra fun and flavor.

 

Pie Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon gelatin
• 1 teaspoon cold water
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon corn starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon bourbon
• 1 cup whipping cream (whipped), measure before whipping
• Nutmeg and cinnamon/sugar to taste for top
• Your choice of 9-inch pie crust (Standard crust, graham cracker, chocolate, pecan — all are great!)

 

Instructions

• Soak gelatin in cold water.
• Scald milk in the top of a double boiler.
• Combine sugar, corn starch, salt and mix well.
• Add to scalded milk and cook until thick and smooth.
• Continue cooking for 15 minutes longer.
• Stir a small amount of mixture into beaten egg yolks, then return to the double boiler and cook a few minutes longer.
• Add butter and gelatin and stir.
• Cool.
• Add vanilla and bourbon.
• Fold in whipped cream.
• Pour into the 9-inch pie crust of your choice.
• Sprinkle generously with nutmeg and cinnamon.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be frozen as well.

 

 

Chocolate Fondue

A big fondue dinner was a Hutchison family tradition for New Year’s Day. Prior to hitting the road full-time, we carried on this tradition and hosted an annual Holiday Fondue Fest for 40 of our closest friends and colleagues. There were four courses, with this recipe being the grande finale! It’s delicious, fun, and can be made in a fondue pot, over a gas stove, or even over a campfire (watch it closely though!).

 

Ingredients

• 1 bag of dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Pinch of salt
• Splash of triple sec

 

Optional Flavors

Instead of triple sec, use a splash of vodka.  Then, spice it up with some flavor options.  You can even have a few different options for a taste test!

• Add a 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and ancho chile pepper for a Mexican hot chocolate spin.
• Add peppermint extract for peppermint chocolate fondue. Start with 1/4 teaspoon and increase according to taste.

 

Dippers

Strawberries, bananas, apples, Nilla Wafers, angel food cake, brownie bites, pretzels, biscotti, Nutter Butters, graham crackers, you name it!

 

Dark Chocolate Tiramisu 

Most people think of tiramisu as one of the fanciest holiday desserts, but it’s one of the easiest things to make. (The folks in Italy know what’s up.) This original New York Times recipe has been altered to suit Shari’s chocolate tooth — and it’s the best tiramisu we’ve ever had!

 

Ingredients

For the Cream

• 4 large egg yolks, beaten
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces mascarpone (room temperature)

 

For the Assembly

• 1 3/4 cup strong coffee or espresso
• 2 tablespoon rum
• 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 24 ladyfingers (approximately 7-ounce package)
• Dark chocolate shavings

Chocolate Lovers Alert! Use some of the leftover chocolate fondue from above (as the middle layer). This is Shari’s addition, and it’s divine.

 

Instructions

• Beat the yolks with the sugar until the mixture is thickened and light lemon colored, then add the mascarpone and beat until thoroughly blended.
• Whip the cream with a mixer or hand blender, and fold the cheese/egg mixture into it.
• Combine the espresso and rum together in a small bowl.
• Carefully dip the ladyfingers into the espresso/rum mixture and arrange half of them on a serving dish (approximately 9-inch-by-13-inch-by-2-inch). It’s just a quick dip and roll, not a full saturation.
• Pour in half of the cheese/cream mixture and smooth over the top.
• Pour in a thin layer of warmish chocolate fondue and smooth over the top.
• Repeat with the other half of the ladyfingers and cheese/cream mixture, then finish with an even dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder (using a small sieve) and dark chocolate shavings.
• Refrigerate overnight.

 

 

Layered Cheesecake Pie

Shari grew up eating this deliciously sweet dessert at every family holiday gathering. It’s like a fruit pie, cream pie, and a cheesecake combined into one layered pan. This recipe fills a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish.

 

Ingredients

Crust & Topping

• 1 box graham cracker crumbs
• 2 sticks butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar

 

Mix together to form the crust. Half of this mixture will be pressed into the bottom of the pan; half will be gently patted on top as the final layer. See assembly instructions below.

 

Cheese Filling

• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 envelopes of Dream Whip
• 2 envelopes Knox gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water

 

Instructions for Cheese Filling

• Dissolve gelatin in water. 
• Cream sugar, vanilla, and cream cheese together.  
• Fold in dissolved gelatin.
• Prepare two envelopes of Dream Whip according to package directions, then fold into cheese mixture.

 

Fruit Filling

2 cans of Comstock pie filling (blueberry, raspberry, cherry — choose your flavor). You can also make your own, but this is the OG from the Seventies.

 

Assembly Instructions

From the bottom up: Press half of the graham cracker mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan. Spread half of the cheese mixture evenly over the top. Then pour in all of the fruit filling and spread evenly then the other half of the cheese mixture. Top with the remaining half of the graham cracker crust, and gently pat down until smooth and covered.  Refrigerate several hours (or overnight) before serving.

 

Holiday Desserts Sweeten the Season

Spending the holidays in your RV never has to mean going without amazing desserts. These sure-to-please holiday desserts will help your family create new traditions. (And be warned: Once you bring one of these holiday desserts, you will will be expected to from here on.) If this is your first year, don’t be surprised if you impress your friends at the holiday potluck. If someone says, “You made this in that tiny kitchen!?!” then you can let them know: Oh yeah you did!