Every good ski day revolves around great snacks. Deep snow and great company is obviously a plus, but catch me on skis without delicious treats and I will absolutely be a hangry mess. No one wants that. 

Some snacks (like espresso brownies) are the answer all day everyday. But certain ski days deserve special snacks—like bottomless resort laps, dawn patrol with the gals, or a long walk in the mountains. Is there anything better than savoring tasty homemade treats with your favorite people on top of a snowy mountain?

Whatever type of snow sliding you’re getting up to, here are a few of my favorite snacks for every type of ski day, with easy recipes from my newest cookbook, Ski Snacks. 

Lapping the Resort on a Storm Day: Chocolate Chairlift Cookies

The perfect bite-sized treats to stash in your pockets and share with friends, these chairlift cookies keep you going when the skiing’s so good there’s no time to stop for lunch. If you want to turn things up a notch, add some instant coffee—you’ll be skiing bell to bell no problem. Plus, they’re super easy to make with minimal ingredients and kitchen tools. Whip the dough together with a fork in one bowl, bake them in large batches and stuff them in your jacket pockets!

RECIPE

Makes 28-32 two-inch cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 single-serving packet of instant espresso powder (optional but recommended)

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:

1. Mix cocoa powder and sugar in a medium bowl, then stir in olive oil.

2. Whisk in eggs, vanilla and espresso powder if using

3. Add dry ingredients (except powdered sugar) and stir until well mixed.

4. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.

5. Preheat oven to 350°F and pour powdered sugar into a deep plate.

6. Roll dough into 1 Tbsp. balls and toss in powdered sugar until fully coated.

7. Space cookies at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

8. Bake for 10 minutes. They will seem soft and uncooked, but cookies will harden up when they cool, so don't be tempted to over bake!

Long Ski Tour: Turkey, Apple Brie & Honey Baguette

Summit baguette? Yes please! Sure, it might take up half our backpack, but I can honestly say I’ve never regretted bringing a sandwich on a ski tour. Sure, quick snacks make sense on a ski tour, but aren’t we really here to enjoy ourselves? A summit picnic is a crucial part of most long ski tours—you’ve worked this hard, you might as well plop down and soak up the glory of a big summit—and this sandwich is sturdy, delicious and easy to throw together during an early morning hustle. Cut it in half and share! 

RECIPE

Ingredients:

12-inch baguette

2 tsp. butter

¼ lb roasted turkey breast, sliced

2 oz. brie cheese, sliced

1/4 apple, sliced

Handful of arugula

Drizzle of honey

Directions:

1. Slice open baguette lengthwise, leaving one long edge intact.

2. Spread butter onto bottom slice of baguette.

3. Layer turkey, brie, and apple slices on top.

4. Top with arugula and drizzle with honey.

5. Close the sandwich, package, and stash in your pack. 

Dawn Patrol with the Girls: Mini Quiche Lorraine

Brunch with the girls takes on a whole new meaning with these miniature quiches. 

I love a good pre-work skin in the chilly morning glow. But I’ll be honest—it’s not always easy to pull ourselves out of bed before the sun comes up. Sure, catching up with the gals always keep me motivated, but for days you need a little extra, these mini quiches turn a morning grind into a boujee breakfast. 

RECIPE

Makes 12 mini quiches

Ingredients:

1 sheet of puff pastry, frozen

5 eggs

½ cup milk (non-dairy works too, as long as it’s unsweetened)

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

4 thick slices of bacon, cooked and chopped

⅓ cup gruyère cheese

Directions:

1. Take puff pastry out of the fridge and let thaw on the counter for about 15-20 minutes, until malleable but not sticky. 

2. Preheat your oven to 400°F and grease a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray. 

3. Roll out the puff pastry until it’s about half as thin as it was frozen. Then cut into 12 even squares. 

4. Line each muffin hole with a piece of puff pastry. 

5. Add eggs to a large bowl and whisk well. 

6. Stir in milk and salt. Then add bacon and gruyère. 

7. Divide the egg mixture evenly between the 12 cups. Sprinkle with black pepper and bake for 12-15 minutes, until a knife comes out clean in the center 

Tailgate Bevies: Skid Spritz

Our close friend and confidant took her job as Chief Beverage Officer for Ski Snacks seriously while we put together our latest cookbook. All of the tailgate libations came straight from her. According to Ariel, “This is literally the easiest “cocktail” you can make, since it basically just requires, oh, drinking, and then adding a little more booze, and then drinking again. Bonus points if you ask your local watering hole to add this to the menu and they do (shout-out to the Mangy Moose in Jackson)!”

RECIPE

1 Skid Spritz

Ingredients:

1 ice cold Miller High Life (in a glass bottle!)

1 shot Aperol

1 lemon or orange slice and/or peel 

Directions:

1. Sip just enough of the Highlife to make room for the Aperol shot. 

2. Pour Aperol into bottle.

3. Add citrus of choice. 

4. Bask in the glow of your own glory. 

Written by: Lily Krass Ritter