7 Tailgate Recipes for Cold Weather

Tailgating parties are one of the best parts of the football season. After all, there’s nothing like the team spirit, the drinks, the fun, and more than anything else – the food! 

But when the weather turns cold, should you turn up your nose at the tailgate parties? 

No, at all! In fact, food tastes even better when you serve up some cold-weather recipes from your tailgate. 

And let’s not forget, you burn more calories out in the cold weather, so you can ditch the diet and enjoy some guilt-free gorging for the day with some of the best cold weather tailgate recipes ever!

So let’s begin with some of the most delicious tailgate recipes perfect for the winters!

Pull-Apart Dogs in Blanket

Pigs in a blanket have long been a party favorite served at social gatherings but how much better is it to super-size this favorite treat and add a layer of warm, melted cheese? YUM!

This recipe for a ring of 7-inch hotdogs features pigs smothered in melted American cheese and wrapped up in a blanket of flaky crescent roll dough with poppy and sesame seeds. Serve them in a pull-apart ring with a space in the middle to place a bowl of spicy mustard for dipping.

Nothing says ball-game fare like a delicious hotdog, and with these warm, crusty rolls, 7-inch dogs, melty cheese, and spicy mustard, your insides will be as toasty warm as the dogs!

Easy Herbed Chicken Drumsticks

Everything tastes better when it’s fresh off the grill, especially on a cold day in the outdoors. Since chicken drumsticks make the perfect finger foods for tailgating parties, this recipe features marinated chicken drumsticks that are ready to cook when you arrive. Just throw them on your portable grill and serve them up hot and delicious right from your tailgate.

All you need for this simple one-ingredient marinade is a jar of pesto. 

Pat chicken drumsticks dry with a paper towel and then place them in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, or several bags, with half a cup of pesto and shake until they are well-coated. Place the bags in the refrigerator overnight to marinate. 

Once done, throw the bags in your cooler before heading for your event location and put them on a heated grill when you’re ready to eat. You can also add a sprinkle of salt and grill until your ingredients are fully cooked. Brush the delectable drumsticks with fresh pesto before serving.

Grilled Poblano Pepper and Spinach Quesadillas

These warm, melty cheese quesadillas with spicy peppers are the perfect pick-me-up for the back of your car or truck on a chilly game day. Perfect for vegetarians, even meat-eaters won’t be able to resist. We kid you not!

That said, we would recommend assembling the quesadillas at home and then toasting them on the grill during your tailgating party. The grilled tortilla wedges hold delicious Monterey jack cheese, spicy poblano peppers, spinach, and cilantro. After grilling, serve them from your tailgate with sour cream and homemade pico de gallo made with a blend of diced tomato, onion, cilantro, and lime juice.

Frito Pie in the Bag

One of the most warming foods for a tailgating party in cold weather is also one that’s exceptionally fun to eat! 

Serve this Frito pie recipe right inside individual-sized Frito corn chips or Dorito bags. Just bring your crock pot full of your favorite beef or turkey chili. When it’s time to eat, open each Frito or Dorito bag, add a scoop of hot chili, some shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped onion. 

You can also consider topping this with sliced jalapeno peppers to make these “walking tacos” extra warming for a cold day.

Creamy Crockpot Crack Chicken Sandwiches

What is better on a chilly day than a hot sandwich? Maybe a hot chicken sandwich that’s so ridiculously delicious that it’s addictive! 

This crack chicken recipe is easily prepared ahead of time in a slow-cooker and stays hot throughout any tailgating party. Just place boneless chicken pieces in your crockpot with a block of cream cheese and a packet of ranch dressing mix.

 After cooking on low heat for 6-hours, shred the chicken and add shredded cheddar cheese, cooked crumbled bacon, and chopped green onions.

When you are ready to serve, just place a scoop of crack chicken onto the bun of your choice. For extra heat on a cold day, top with a few sliced jalapenos!

Easy Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork

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If you think pulled pork is too difficult to make on a game day, think again! 

No recipe could be simpler than this mouth-watering pulled pork. It only takes a few minutes to throw the ingredients into a slow-cooker and it comes out perfect every time.

This tailgating pulled pork recipe begins with a pork roast, a can of Campbell’s French Onion Soup, ketchup, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Since this pulled pork recipe cooks on low for 8 to 9-hours, you can easily cook it overnight for an early game, or all day for a late game.

Once the pork roast is tender enough to fall off the bone, shred the meat with two forks.

When you are ready to serve the pulled pork at your tailgating party, just scoop it onto a bun and serve with a side of slaw.

Peach Cobbler Dump Cake

Nothing could be easier than a simple, 5-ingredient recipe resulting in a rich dessert that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. Spending the day in the kitchen is the last thing you want to do on a big game day, but this cobbler-cake will fool them all.

Just blend sweet, delicious canned peaches with cinnamon and spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish before topping with a yellow cake mix, butter, and sliced almonds. The result is a warm, gooey dessert that’s a perfect way to top off your perfect tailgate picnic.

Annabelle is a NY-based food writer, blogger and photographer. She loves cooking, sewing, creating recipes and making healthy food that tastes delicious.