Camping as a family is fun. One of our favorite parts is the food, and that includes campfire desserts. Roasting marshmallows is a time-honored tradition that even the youngest like to do.
With care and supervision, there are quite a few campfire desserts that even small children can help prepare. When kids are involved, they’re more likely to try new things.
Make your evening around the campfire memorable for everyone with these campfire dessert recipes.
Making Everyone Happy
Every year we have a family reunion camping trip. Food is always a GIANT part of that. I got on Marco Polo and asked everyone about their favorite camping desserts — specifically those that children can help with. The number of grandkids is growing, so you have to be prepared — and I thought it would make a great blog post.
The fifteen-minute conversation went from s’mores to packets you can throw in the fire to change the flame color, to using burned out Christmas lights, to growing a third eyeball from eating marshmallows cooked over chemicals, to superhuman powers (including the ability to see in 16 colors not available to the human eye) and getting sued by Marvel for using the name Cyborg instead of Shrimpman (because shrimp can see those 16 colors). *gasp* Our family reunions are not boring.
The reason this po
st includes snacks and not just desserts is because “not everyone likes desserts, and you just as often eat food around the campfire that aren’t technically desserts.” I’m a people pleaser. Isn’t that what desserts and snacks are about — making everyone happy?
With that being said, kids love being involved – even the three-year-olds. If they can’t do everything, they can at least do part. I’ve written these recipes with suggestions for how to involve kids of all ages and skills. You are the best gauge of your kids’ ability. Let go of those control issues if you have them (hey, don’t call me out) and let them make a mess and have fun making these yummy campfire desserts.
The Right Campfire
The thing you have to remember about cooking on a campfire, is having the right fire. Not everything calls for the same amount of heat: some need a flame and others need coals. Most of these recipes need coals. To learn about different campfires and their purpose, check out this post.
Here’s a quick video on how to build three different types of fires. We usually use the teepee or three-legged fire, because it gets coals the quickest. If you want a campfire that lasts awhile and you’re not in a hurry, I like the log cabin.
Safety
I’m sure this goes without saying, but I’m going to put it in here anyway. Please watch your kids around the fire. Trips to the emergency room make for a horrible camping trip.
- Wear shoes. Spark will pop out of the fire ring.
- No running. Let’s be honest; you’re not going to keep your kids from running outdoors, so here’s what we do. Make a circle of camp chairs around the fire. The kids can run around outside the chairs, but once they’re inside, they must walk.
- Remove logs, roasting sticks, toys, or any other tripping hazards from around the fire ring. Lean the roasting sticks on the outside of that camp-chair ring.
- Sticks belong in the fire. No whipping burning swords through the air. Every kid wants to hold a stick in the fire. Even the adult kids. Fine. But it stays in the fire.
- Supervision. Although they scream and want to do it alone, there are some parts of these recipes that need an adult’s help. Be strong. They’ll figure out they’re not going to win if they want dessert. Parenting is not for wimps.
Our Favorite Campfire Desserts
There’s always the easy, go-to campfire desserts our family turns to every time. We know we like them, so why try anything else, right? Most of these require either a roasting stick or some sort of tin foil. Remember to get roasting sticks that are SUPER long — at least 36 inches. You want your little ones as far from the fire as possible. The durable roasting forks are kind of pricey if funds are low, but they last forever. You can also cook a lot – marshmallows for 6 s’mores at once, or two servings of the fruit kebabs.
Roasted Marshmallows
Purists are happy with a simple roasted marshmallow. No need to get all fancy. One ingredient and that’s it. There are a variety of opinions out there, however, of what makes the perfect mallow.
ASHES: My husband loves them burnt to a crisp. Stick it in a raging fire. When it’s alight, pull it out and extinguish the flames. Personally, that’s gross. But to each their own.
RARE: Some folks hold the mallow close enough to the heat/fire to get it brown as quickly as possible without it catching fire and they’re done. They like their marshmallow still firm in the middle, so it has some substance. (They’ve probably never had a perfect mallow.)
PERFECT: I bet you can’t tell how I like my marshmallow. The perfect roasted marshmallow is golden brown on the outside and gooey and hot on the inside. To obtain this heavenly deliciousness you have to be patient. You need coals for this. No flame. If the “Lord of the Flames” keeps adding wood to the fire, pull some of the coals to the side, or find a place you can hold your roasting stick close to the coals but not the fire. Keep the marshmallow between 3 and 8 inches from the heat — depending on how hot they are. Go slow! Turn it around and around. It will turn golden brown and double or triple in size. That’s when you know it’s ready!!
FOR KIDS: Let kids do as much as they can. A two-year-old can put the marshmallow on the stick. Help them hold it in the right spot. Depending on the age of the kids, you may or may not get the perfect roasted marshmallow. Remember, it’s about the experience. Put your little ones between your knees and let them old the stick, but don’t be surprised when it hits the ashes or bursts into flames. Be ready for older kids to start waving their edible torch around. Ummm, no — be ready to blow the fire out.
S'mores
Everybody knows the s’more. If you don’t, it’s two graham cracker squares with a PERFECT roasted marshmallow and Hershey chocolate bar layered between. The reason you need a perfectly roasted marshmallow is so that it will squish down and melt the chocolate. Avoid a major melt down (and I’m not talking about
chocolate) when on the first bite, the graham cracker breaks and all the ingredients fall into the dirt. TIP 1: Be sure your chocolate is at room temperature and not straight out of the cooler, plus get that marshmallow lava hot so it melts and sticks everything together. TIP 2: If you’re new to s’moring, don’t remove the marshmallow from the roasting stick with your hands — after placing the chocolate on the graham, use the bottom and top grahams to trap the marshmallow and then pull the roasting stick away. TIP 3: Have washcloths or wipes available for sticky hands.
CHANGE THE CHOCOLATE: Don’t be afraid to be creative with this recipe. Buy a variety of thin chocolate bars to mix up the flavors: Reese’s Thins, Hershey’s Cookies ‘N’ Cream, Mr. Goodbar, Rolos, or any of the fun size variety pack.
ADD FILLINGS: Fruit is a great filling: raspberries, sliced strawberries, blueberries, etc. Other fun add-ins are chopped nuts, Heath or Butterfinger bits, and shredded coconut.
CHANGE THE COOKIE: You do not have to use graham crackers. I suggest sticking to thinner cookies. Somoa Girls Scout cookies or Keebler Coconut Dreams are fabulous! Fudge Stripes, shortbread cookies, Oreo thins, or any cookie you love will work.
FOR KIDS: Have the ingredients ready. Kids can help break graham crackers in half, unwrap candy, put ingredients in containers for quick access, etc. Have them assemble their cookie and chocolate on a paper plate (or adult’s knee) ahead of time with any add-ins. That way when the marshmallow is roasted, you’re not scrambling to get everything ready and risk your marshmallow falling in the dirt. (Guess how I know this.)
Campfire Cinnamon Rolls on a Stick
Child #3’s husband introduced us to many delectable campfire desserts. His family uses 1/2 inch wooden dowels (they’re easy to turn and for little hands to hold onto), so that’s what we purchased, but you can use the bamboo sticks, too.
You will need:
- Roasting stick, but not from a tree unless you whittle the bark off.
- Refrigerator biscuits
- Butter – melted or softened for easy spreading
- Cinnamon sugar (this can be in a shaker bottle or in a bowl with a spoon)
- Butter knife or basting brush
Instructions: Roll a biscuit between your prewashed hands, making a long, thin snake. (You can immediately tell which kids have not washed their hands.) Fold one end of the biscuit over the dowel and begin wrapping around dowel, pinching the dough together at the beginning. Spiral the dough around the dowel, stretching as you go. Keep the dough close together so no dowel shows. Pinch the end of the dough firmly together. If you don’t, it comes apart and unravels into the fire.
Hold the biscuit over coals and turn slowly. If you can hold your hand over the heat for 3 seconds, that equals approximately 350 degrees Fahrenheit, which is what you want. Cook until golden brown and not doughy, approximately 5 minutes-ish if the dough is thin. If your fire or coals are too hot, the dough will burn before the center gets cooked through.
Spread butter on biscuit with a butter knife or basting brush. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar
OPTIONS: This is one of those campfire desserts that has many substitutions, like refrigerator cinnamon rolls and top with the icing that it comes with. Jelly or honey would taste great. You can also mix your cinnamon into brown sugar and sprinkle or roll the biscuits in that. I want to try a crescent roll and fill the inside with raspberries and canned whipped cream. I’ll let you know how that goes. ENJOY!
FOR KIDS: All ages can roll the biscuits. The younger kids aren’t going to be able to wind it on the dowel, but a compromise might be having them hold it while you roll. Have them help spread butter and sprinkle the cinnamon. TIP: put your cinnamon sugar in a shaker bottle (I upcycle spice bottles.) Ask older kids for ideas about what versions they’d like to make. They enjoy having a say in what happens.
Great Campfire Desserts We've Tried
The following campfire desserts are ones we’ve tried but not as a family — like at youth camps, outings with friends, etc. Some of these we’re using at our family reunion this year. (Sweetie, if you’re reading this, I’ll make someone else bring the bananas so everything in the camper doesn’t smell and taste like banana. I got your back.)
Banana Boat
Banana boats are a s’more and banana split hybrid. For a classic banana boat, you’ll need:
- Heavy duty tin foil
- Bananas
- mini marshmallows
- chocolate chips
- crumbled graham crackers
The basic concept is to combine sweet with melting with crunch. Let your imagination go wild. Consider mixing and matching the following ingredients.
SWEET:
chocolate chips
butterscotch chips
white chocolate chips
dark chocolate chips
dried cherries
dried mangoes, diced
MELTING:
mini marshmallows
peanut butter
caramel sauce
strawberry sauce
Nutella
marshmallow cream
CRUNCH:
graham crackers
candy coated chocolates
sprinkles
Heath bar bits
shredded coconut
chopped hazelnut (or other nut)
INSTRUCTIONS: Divide aluminum foil into 12x12ish inch squares. Slice down the center inside curve of banana with skin still on and pull slightly apart. You can even remove that one section of skin. Place on foil. Fill the banana divide with desired ingredients. Bring edges of foil together and roll/fold until it is a tight package. Place packet in the coals of the fire to melt your toppings. If you don’t have coals yet, you can place the foil packet on top of a grill over the flames. Remove with tongs after several minutes — when banana is soft but not incinerated. Let cool a little. Unroll the foil to reveal your dessert and enjoy!
FOR KIDS: Except for the fire element, kids can pretty much do this one on their own. A plastic butter knife will even cut the banana if they have the dexterity to manage that. You might have to help some, depending on the age — like 3 to 6 years old. Be super careful with the hot foil.
Campfire Cone
This is very much like a banana boat. Cones are even easier for little kids to do because there’s no cutting involved. You don’t even need a spoon to eat it.
INSTRUCTIONS: Fill waffle cone with your favorite combination of ingredients: sweet, melty, crunchy. Fold inside tinfoil, place in coals or on grill. Remove after 3 to 5 minutes. See above FOR KIDS.
Roasted Fruit Kebab . . . Kabob?
Making fruit kebabs is not unusual, but my daughter was with friends who did this treat over a campfire. I also found it on REALTREE and they include marshmallows, but they don’t use the glaze.
- 36 inch long bamboo roasting sticks
- Your choice of cubed fruit (make sizes similar)
- honey thinned with lemon juice
- brown sugar (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS: stick fruit on your roasting stick in any order you desire. Baste with honey mixture and roast over the fire/coals. When it’s lightly browned/carmelized, use a fork to slide fruit into a bowl. I like to sprinkle brown sugar over the top. I chose pineapple, pears, strawberries, and apple. They turned out fabulous. I made a pineapple spear without the lemon/honey or brown sugar, but it wasn’t as good. So I recommend that!
FOR KIDS: Older kids can help peel and cube the fruit. Everyone can make their own kebab with their desired fruit. Let little ones practice their hand-eye coordination threading the fruit on the stick. They may need some help if they’re not strong enough. Careful with the sharp end. They can baste and then get help holding it over the fire. Kids are more likely to try new foods if they help make it.
Fruit Bombs
This tasty dessert can be pretty messy, but it’s a fun take on roasting marshmallows. Child #3 uses strawberries, but you can use grapes or cherries. Wet fruit won’t work because the marshmallow cream won’t stick.
- strawberries
- marshmallow cream
- chocolate syrup
- optional coatings include shredded coconut or chopped nuts
INSTRUCTIONS: Cut the stem off your strawberry. Dry strawberries (or other fruit) really well. Put one strawberry on roasting stick. Dip in marshmallow cream. You might need to spread it. Roast over coals until desired gooey/brownness. You can roll in coatings of your choice before or after roasting. Remove from the stick and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Here’s a great little video I found by Outdoor Boys, demonstrating the technique. (He has 10 great recipes (including those cinnamon roll biscuits on a stick, so go to YouTube to check him out!! Cute family.)
FOR KIDS: Most kids can do this on their own. If they’re 3 to 6 they might have trouble getting the strawberry on the stick. You could hold the jar and help control the marshmallow swirling.
Campfire Snacks
Not every after-dinner campfire treat has to be sweet. Child #4 does not care for sweets. She made the suggestion I include campfire snacks. Her favorite is . . .
roasted Little Smokies
This tradition has been going on at my husband’s family reunions for as long as I can remember. While some are roasting marshmallows, others are roasting little smokies — smoked cocktail weenies. Simply stick several on your stick and roast. Crackers and cheese pair really well with them.
FOR KIDS: This really isn’t any different than roasting hot dogs. Most kids can handle this. Just make sure they don’t burn themselves taking the weenie off the stick.
Campfire Popcorn
We LOVE popcorn. Just because we’re camping, doesn’t mean we should be without it. I have a campfire popcorn popper that we started out with over twenty years ago. But my favorite popcorn popper of all time is the Wabash Valley Farm’s Whirley Pop. I have used it for years to make amazing popcorn on the stovetop. I’m thrilled to find out that they have a campfire version. Guess what my next purchase is. Wiki.ezvid voted it number one of campfire popcorn poppers. Here’s a link to get it on Amazon. (I do not get any compensation for your purchase.) If you’d like to check out other options, here’s Wiki.ezvid’s top 5.
INSTRUCTIONS: We like a lot of oil, so we use about 3 tablespoons. Add 1/3 cup popcorn kernels (can vary depending upon the size of your popper). You do not need to preheat the oil or pan. Place over flames or coals. Shake forward and back while popcorn pops. This should take 2 to 4 minutes. Done when the popping slows to a couple seconds between pops. If you wait too long, it’s going to burn. (Then my husband will love it.) Pour into large bowl. Don’t serve out of hot pans. (Just CMA.)
We like to flavor our popcorn with various seasonings. In fact, I carry ranch seasoning in my purse for when we go to the movies. The mini jars are perfect for camping because they don’t take up much space. There’s sweet or savory to please every camper.
When I was young, my mother made popcorn nearly every Sunday. If we were lucky, she’d make caramel popcorn. There are so many great popcorn recipes. I love going to Allrecipes, and they have 25 Flavored Popcorn Recipes you should check out.
FOR KIDS: Let them pour in the oil and popcorn. If the handle is long enough, they can help you hold it, but I would totally control this portion. Let them put their own seasoning on or make some of the other add-ons, depending on the recipe you’ve chosen.
On Your Mark, Get Set . . . Camp
I look forward to another great camping season and getting out into nature with my kids and grandkids. Be safe and remember to make some great memories along with great food. I hope you enjoy trying some of our favorite campfire desserts.
Your Turn
Do you enjoy camp cooking? What’s your favorite recipe? Are there some great campfire desserts we haven’t mentioned here? I hope you’ll share a memory with me. If you have any tips on improving my recipes, I’d love to hear them.
Little Smokies for the win!!
The best part of creating this post was making the treats. Mmmmm always love little smokies.
Never heard of fruit bombs! But that’s gonna be one I wanna try! The cinnamon rolls on a stick are probably my favorite. I can’t wait for summer!