Backcountry Cinnamon Rolls: A NOLS Recipe

This summer, we’re teaming up with NOLS to bring expert instruction to New York City. At our 2019 campout, they brought not only their expertise but stoves and ingredients to cook up a storm! Last month, we published a delicious recipe for backcountry pizza. Today, we offer the NOLS Cinnamon Rolls recipe’s they shared at the campout.

How to Make Cinnamon Rolls in the Backcountry:

Ingredients:

For the base:

  • 1 tbs yeast

  • 1 ½ cups lukewarm water

  • 2 tbs sugar

  • 2 tsp salt

  • 2 tbs margarine or oil

  • 3 to 3 ½ cups flour

For the filing:

  • 4 tbs margarine

  • ½ to 1 cup brown sugar

  • 1 tbs cinnamon



Recipe for backcountry cinnamon rolls:

  1. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water with sugar and salt. Cover and let sit for about 5 minutes in a warm spot until it froths. 

  2. Add half the flour and beat vigorously 2 to 3 minutes to develop gluten; the wet batter will smooth out and start to get a little stringy. Add margarine and remaining flour to get a thick dough. 

  3. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle ½ inch thick. 

  4. Mix Margarine, brown sugar, and cinnamon until creamy. 

  5. Spread on the dough. 

  6. Roll up jelly-roll style, pinching dough closed so the sugar doesn’t fall out. 

  7. Using dental floss, or regular knife, cut roll into 1 inch slices and place in a pan. 

  8. Cover and bake, using a twiggy fire for 25-35 minutes until done. 

  9. You can pinch the undersides of rolls together before putting them into the pan to prevent hot sugar from leaking out and scorching, but with good baking techniques that leakage can form a delicious glaze. 

Header photo by Josh Laskin