Hot beverages really hit the spot when you’re out winter camping, with a welcome bit of warmth to counter the cold-weather blues!
Nothing beats a hot drink on a cold winter day while RV camping in a backcountry or nature reserve void of rowdy tourists.
If you think that summer is the only suitable season for camping, you’re missing the unique experience of being with nature in the winter when everything seems more serene and a lot quieter.
While it’s true that the cold weather poses some challenges here in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, with proper preparation and gear, plus a piping hot beverage in hand, winter RV camping provides an opportunity for exploration and excitement for campers of all kinds.
Let’s go ahead and talk about those hot drinks: here’s our list of top hot beverages to warm you up during your RV camping trip in the winter.
Best Ever Hot Chocolate
Sure, you can break out a can or packet of hot chocolate mix and call it a day. But with just a little more love and effort, you can level up your hot cocoa game easily.
First up: instead of using just water, why not dilute your hot chocolate powder in fresh milk? The creaminess from the milk can make this simple drink a lot more extravagant and delectable.
Even better: instead of hot chocolate powder, use blocks of high-quality chocolate for your drink. Chocolate is the key!
Next: for a little extra flavor, add a cinnamon stick to the saucepan when warming the milk.
Finally, have a variety of toppings you can use for your hot cocoa drink: whipped cream, marshmallows, some raw honey, or even more chocolate shavings.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Here’s a simple hack to level up your regular hot chocolate drink. Make your “instant” hot chocolate mix at home by combining these ingredients:
two cups of powdered sugar
a cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
two cups of powdered milk
and half a teaspoon of salt.
If you don’t want any sediment in your drink, sift all the ingredients using a flour sifter.
To make this hot drink while camping, steep a peppermint tea bag in a mug of hot water for 3-5 minutes. Next, remove the tea bag and add your prepared hot cocoa mix.
Easy peasy peppermint-flavored hot chocolate!
(Source: Advnture.com)
Caramel Hot Choco
Another variant of the standard to cocoa drink, but this time with that salty-sweet caramel flavor. For this other rendition of hot chocolate drink, you need these ingredients:
one-third cup of sugar
six cups of milk
six-round caramels
one-third cup of water
and one-third cup of sugar
(this amount can serve six people).
Combine cocoa powder, sugar, and water in a saucepan and cook them over medium heat until all the ingredients dissolve.
Next, add caramel candies and stir the mixture until they are melted.
Then, stir in milk and remove from heat.
Hot Chocolate for the Grown-ups
For a more adult twist on your regular hot chocolate fare, you can add just a little bit of any one of these special ingredients (for that extra kick):
- Peppermint Schnapps
- Butterscotch Schnapps
- Grand Marnier
- a shot of whiskey
- Honey & Rum
Remember: just don’t add all these together at once! As with any drink with alcohol, drink responsibly!
(Source; Go Camping Australia)
Lemon Ginger Tea
If you’re trying to avoid or cut back on your caffeine consumption, lemon ginger tea is a great hot drink that might just hit the spot.
For this recipe, you only need to steep one lemon zinger tea bag in a cup of boiling water, then add half a teaspoon of powdered ginger.
If you want your lemon ginger tea sweet, add raw honey, maple sugar, or even just a good ol’ table sugar.
Hot White Russian
This cocktail combines the best of both worlds: vodka and creamy coffee.
For this recipe, you need to make a pot of coffee and serve it in a mug. Next, add a warm cream or milk, half a shot of vodka, and a shot of coffee liqueur (Kahlua). And voila– you got yourself a nice spiked coffee cocktail!
Mocha Latte
If you’re a caffeine junkie, this is an easy hot drink recipe you can make for a more elevated cup of coffee. But instead of using freshly-ground coffee beans and French press, make this “mix” at home by combining:
one cup of cocoa powder
one cup sugar
two cups of instant dry milk powder
and half a cup of instant coffee
You’ll have your own fancy caffeine-laden drink by adding 2-4 tablespoons of this mocha latte mix to a mug with hot water.
Warm Hazelnut Toddy
This simple hot drink recipe only needs three tablespoons of Frangelico diluted into a half cup of hot water topped with whipped cream (or a can of cream).
Next, stir the ingredients together and take a sip.
Spiced Chai Latte
This hot beverage is perfect for someone who likes sweet, spiced, and everything nice. For your convenience, make your spiced chai latte mix at home by combining these ingredients:
one-fourth cup of powdered sugar
two cups of instant dry milk powder
a cup of white sugar
a teaspoon of nutmeg
two teaspoons of cinnamon
one and a half teaspoons of ginger
a teaspoon of ground cloves
and half a teaspoon of ground cardamom.
If you don’t want any sediment in your spiced Chai latte, put all the ingredients into a food processor.
Next, pack some black tea bags for your RV camping trip.
To prepare this hot drink, add two tablespoons of Chai mix to a cup of boiling water. Then, steep one black tea bag for 3-5 minutes before taking a slow sip from your mug.
(Source: Back Road Ramblers)
A Final Word on The Best Hot Beverages (That You Can Prepare When Winter Camping)
Winter camping is fun, especially when everybody’s bellies are warm from drinking some of the best hot beverages you can prepare around the campfire or in the comfort of your RV.
Of course, besides variations of hot chocolate, coffee, tea, and cider, there are a lot of other warm liquids for enjoying while camping: soups, and alcohol in the form of cocktails or other spiked concoctions.
Do you have any other favorite hot beverage recipes for winter camping? We want to know your thoughts, so please feel free to share your comments below.
