Road trip snack recipes

Making your own baked goods for a road trip allows you to eat healthier and saves time and money not having to stop for treats along the way. We offer several road trip snack recipes that are delicious and travel well. Do you have a craving for cookies, scones, brownies and breads? Some of our favorite homemade recipes are ready for you to try.

Ginger molasses cookies

I think ginger molasses cookies must have come across the Atlantic on the Mayflower. They travel that well. Why? Molasses is a natural ingredient that doesn’t have to be refrigerated. Better yet, it is considered to be even healthier than honey, because it contains more antioxidants. Who knew a sweet cookie could be both durable and good for you?

This recipe was passed down from my grandmother. What I have changed over time is to reduce the amount of sugar, which seems to kick up the spice flavor. The secret ingredient is ground cloves. This is my only cookie that I make with shortening instead of butter, which really helps with the longevity. You can eat these on both ends of your journey without them getting stale.

• 1 ½ cups shortening
• 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup dark molasses
• 4 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, and spices. Set aside. Cream together shortening and sugar until combined. Stir in eggs until mixed well. Stir in molasses. Mix in dry ingredients. Roll dough into balls the size of large walnuts (don’t flatten). Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes only until light brown. Makes about 3 dozen.

Maple oat scones

Really good scones are like the marriage of a cookie and a muffin. These maple oat scones are better than an oatmeal cookie. Pure maple syrup gives them a natural sweetness that is subtle. Be sure to use old fashioned, not quick, oats.

• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 ¼ cups uncooked oats
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup cold heavy cream
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 large egg (cold)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and pecans in large bowl. Scatter butter in small pieces over top, then cut in with pastry cutter. In small bowl whisk together cream, maple syrup, and egg. Pour cream mixture into flour mixture. Stir with fork into a wet dough. Drop dough onto floured cutting board, press to ½ inch thickness. Cut with round biscuit cutter. Place on sheet (2 batches). Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown.

Frango mint brownies

What is a Frango mint, you ask? This was the signature premium chocolate of the old Marshall Fields department store in Chicago, minted on the 13th floor of their State Street flagship location for 70 years. Now in the hands of another Chicago firm, Frango mints are sold by Macy’s. I find their taste and quality to be unique, and I have devised a way to incorporate them into rich chocolate brownies.

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 4 oz Baker’s unsweetened chocolate
• 12 Frango mints (dark or milk choc)
• 1 tbsp expresso ground coffee
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup chopped toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 350F. Melt butter, chocolate, mints, coffee slowly in pan, cool. Beat eggs and beat in sugar. Mix in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, and nuts until combined. Bake for about 25 minutes; test with toothpick.

Peanut butter graham cookies

I found this recipe many years ago in a magazine. Graham crackers give classic peanut butter cookies a grainy texture that I like. And I can pretend I have added a source of grain to go with the protein of the peanut butter, making them seem almost healthy.

• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 cup finely crushed graham crackers
• ½ tsp each baking soda and salt
• ½ cup unsalted soft butter
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg (unbeaten)
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup peanut butter
• Optional: 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, and salt in bowl. In another bowl cream butter and sugar. Stir in egg, honey, water, and vanilla. Stir in peanut butter. Mix in dry ingredients until combined. Add optional semi-sweet chocolate chips. Roll dough into balls the size of large walnuts. Place on cookie sheet and flatten halfway with fork in two directions. Bake for 10-12 minutes only until light brown.

Cranberry walnut scones

Scones travel well. They tend not to be crumbly, and they are more filling than cookies. These are best with fresh cranberries, but you can substitute frozen ones or even dried cranberries, apricots or raisins (plump dried fruit by soaking in Triple Sec). Experiment!

• 3 cups flour
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp each baking soda and salt
• ¾ cup cold unsalted butter
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• ½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 2 tsp grated fresh orange peel (zest)
• 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Scatter butter in small pieces over top, then cut in with pastry cutter. Stir in cranberries, walnuts, and orange peel. Add buttermilk and stir with fork into a wet dough. Drop dough onto floured cutting board, press to ½ inch thickness. Cut with round biscuit cutter. Place on sheet (2 batches). Bake for about 14 minutes until golden brown.

Lemon pecan bread

Road trip snack recipes should include a loaf bread. While I make banana bread, pumpkin bread, cranberry bread, and others, my favorite is this lemon pecan bread. While I mix cookie and scone dough by hand, I use an electric mixer here to achieve the right texture. It is moist enough to last for days on the road.

• ¾ cup unsalted soft butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 ¼ cups flour
• ¼ tsp each baking soda and salt
• ¾ cup buttermilk or sour milk
• ¾ cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 1 tbsp grated fresh lemon peel (zest)

Preheat oven to 350F. In large bowl beat butter until smooth. Add sugar, beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt and add to beaten mixture alternately with buttermilk; beat well after each. Stir in pecans and lemon peel. Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour; test with toothpick.

Are you thirsty?

What drinks (besides bottled water) travel well? All of our baked goods go well with coffee. I take expresso beans, grind them, and make a strong black coffee. A thermos of that or 1837 TWG tea is the perfect hot complement. For a cool drink, try the fresh-squeezed orange juice from Whole Foods, skipping take the time and effort to make your own.

Classic hot chocolate

If you wish to fill that thermos with pure decadence, try my recipe for classic hot chocolate – infinitely better than what you can buy on the road.

• 1 ½ cups milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine milk, cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until steaming. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Pour into thermos. Serves two, but you might want to make more.

If you live in or near California, this Lake Arrowhead road trip is the perfect drive to try out some of these treats.

Do you make your own snack foods for the road? Feel free to comment at the bottom of this post.