Campfire banana boats are one of the easiest and most fun camping desserts you can make. They’re basically bananas stuffed with chocolate and marshmallows, wrapped in foil, and cooked over a fire until everything gets warm and gooey.
Kids love making them, parents love how simple they are, and everyone loves eating them. Plus, there’s almost no cleanup involved!
Ingredients
The ingredient list for banana boats is refreshingly simple. Here’s everything you need to make four delicious servings.
What You Need for 4 Banana Boats
- 4 ripe bananas (look for yellow ones with brown spots, but not mushy)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars
- 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
- 4 graham crackers, crushed (optional)
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Tools
You don’t need much to make great banana boats.
- Sharp knife
- Long-handled tongs
- BBQ gloves (really helpful for safety)
How to Make Campfire Banana Boats
Making banana boats is surprisingly straightforward, but getting the technique right makes all the difference.
Getting Ready
Start by cutting each banana lengthwise down the middle. The trick is to cut through the banana but not through the bottom part of the peel. You want to create a pocket that opens up like a taco shell.
Once you have your pocket, gently pull the banana open and stuff it with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Don’t go crazy with the filling or it might leak out when cooking.
After stuffing, wrap each banana completely in a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Make sure it’s sealed well so nothing spills out.
Cooking Your Banana Boats
The beauty of this recipe is that you can cook banana boats almost anywhere with heat.
You have several ways to cook these depending on what you have available:
Over a Campfire: Place the wrapped bananas directly on hot coals for 8 to 10 minutes. If your fire still has flames, put them on a grill grate above the fire instead.
On a Grill: Cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
In the Oven: Bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes.
Air Fryer: Cook at 375°F for 5 to 7 minutes.
How to Know When They’re Done
Knowing the right moment to take your banana boats off the heat is key to getting them just right. Your banana boats are ready when the banana feels soft if you gently squeeze it with tongs. The chocolate should be melted and the marshmallows should look gooey. Be careful not to overcook them because bananas can go from perfect to mushy pretty quickly.
When you take them off the heat, let them cool for a minute or two before opening the foil. There will be hot steam inside, so open carefully.
Fun Variations to Try
Once you get the hang of basic banana boats, you can get creative with different flavors:
Classic S’mores: Add crushed graham crackers along with the chocolate and marshmallows for that authentic s’mores taste.
Nutella Lover: Skip the chocolate chips and use Nutella instead, then add some chopped hazelnuts for extra crunch.
Tropical Treat: Use white chocolate chips with shredded coconut and small pieces of fresh pineapple.
Peanut Butter Paradise: Stuff with mini peanut butter cups and chocolate chips for a rich, nutty flavor.
Berry Delicious: Add fresh strawberries or blueberries along with white chocolate chips.
Tips for Perfect Banana Boats
Getting banana boats right is pretty easy, but these tips will help you avoid common problems:
Don’t overstuff them. If you pack too much filling in, it will leak out through the foil when everything melts.
Choose the right bananas. You want them ripe enough to be sweet but still firm enough that they won’t turn to mush when heated.
Check them early. Start checking after 5 minutes of cooking time. Bananas can go from perfect to overcooked faster than you might think.
Seal the foil well. Make sure your foil packet is completely closed so the melted chocolate and marshmallows don’t leak out.
Let them cool before opening. The steam inside the foil can be really hot, so give them a minute to cool down before unwrapping.
Serving Your Banana Boats
The best way to eat banana boats is with a spoon since everything inside will be hot and gooey. Some people like to eat them right out of the peel, while others prefer to scoop everything into a bowl.
If you want to make them extra special, try serving them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. The contrast between the warm banana and cold ice cream is amazing.
Graham crackers work great for dipping into the melted chocolate and marshmallow mixture, especially if you didn’t add crushed crackers during cooking.
Recipe Card
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes
Serves: 4 people
Difficulty: Super easy
Quick Instructions
- Cut banana lengthwise without cutting through bottom peel
- Open like a pocket and stuff with chocolate chips and marshmallows
- Wrap tightly in foil
- Cook on campfire coals, grill, or oven until banana is soft
- Let cool, then carefully open and enjoy with a spoon
Storing Your Campfire Banana Boats
Planning ahead or dealing with leftovers? Here’s what you need to know about storing banana boats. Banana boats are best eaten right away while they’re still warm. If you have leftovers, you can keep them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but they won’t be nearly as good as when they’re fresh and hot.
You can prep the banana boats ahead of time by stuffing and wrapping them, then keeping them in a cooler until you’re ready to cook. This makes them perfect for camping trips where you want to minimize prep work around the campfire.