Campfire Cinnamon Rolls – Four Different Methods that Work

Hot cinnamon rolls are the best camping breakfast or are the perfect sweet dessert treat. Here are four different ways to make cinnamon rolls over the campfire.

I’ve tested out a lot of different ways to make cinnamon rolls while camping. Some methods work well while others create rolls that are unevenly cooked – burnt on the outside and raw on the inside.

In this post, I’ll share you with the four best ways to make cinnamon rolls while camping. I’ve used each of these methods multiple times and will share some tricks for success for each one.

Although I would love to make homemade rolls before a trip (#lifegoals), I usually just pack a can of packaged cinnamon rolls. Thankfully, my kids still love me for it!

You can definitely use homemade raw rolls in any of these methods, or just grab a can of premade cinnamon rolls and pack it in the cooler.

Roasted Cinnamon Rolls

Kids love this way to cook cinnamon rolls! This method does take some patience (which most kids lack) to cook the cinnamon roll all the way through without burning it.

Here are my tricks for how to cook a cinnamon roll on a stick or roasting fork.

1. Unroll the cinnamon roll and fold the end of it over the top of the stick.
2. Roll the cinnamon roll on the stick, overlapping the fold and pushing the dough so they stick together.
3. It’s important to roll evenly, without overlapping the dough very much (otherwise the inside will be raw).
4. At the end of the dough, press that end onto the dough already on the stick. This will prevent it from coming off and flapping with every turn.
5. Roast the cinnamon roll over the fire or hot coals (but not in the fire – kids, I’m talking to you!). Rotate the stick every 30 seconds to prevent burning (again this is quite difficult for young kids).
6. The cinnamon rolls will take about 5 minutes to cook, but this time will vary depending on your campfire.
7. Squeeze the icing right on top and let your kids eat the cinnamon rolls right off the stick!

I would not recommend sticking an entire roll straight on a stick or roasting fork (as I’ve seen in some images on Pinterest).

It takes so much longer for the cinnamon roll to cook through, and it’s really hard not to burn the outside as it roasts for such a long time.

Cinnamon Rolls in an Orange Peel

Cooking cinnamon rolls in an orange peel is one of the easiest and fool proof methods in this post. All you need is aluminum foil, navel oranges, and a hot campfire!

Even better, the cinnamon rolls end up having a slight orange flavor, which is absolutely delicious.

1. Cut the top off of a navel orange and scoop out the orange segments. Don’t worry if you rip the orange or pierce a hole – it will still do its job.
2. Place two cinnamon rolls, stacked on top of each other, inside the orange.
3. Place the top of the orange back on and wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
4. Set the oranges on top of charcoal or in the campfire coals and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes.

Love the idea of cooking in orange peels? I have the easiest homemade chocolate cakes that are cooked in orange peels.

Pie Iron Cinnamon Rolls

Cast iron pie irons are the perfect tool for cooking cinnamon rolls over the campfire. The cast iron heats up and acts as a mini oven which helps to bake the cinnamon roll all the way through.

I love making cinnamon roll apple pies in our pie irons, but you can also simply bake two cinnamon rolls in one pie iron as well.

1. Spray the inside of the pie iron with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
2. Place two raw cinnamon rolls, side by side, into the pie iron.
3. Close the lid and place over the campfire on a cooking grate or in the campfire coals (I would not recommend just holding it above the fire. Pie irons are fairly heavy to hold for long amounts of time.)
4. Flip the pie iron over after about 5-7 minutes. Cinnamon rolls usually take anywhere from 10-20 minutes to cook, depending on the heat of your campfire.
5. Drizzle on the icing and enjoy!

Cinnamon Rolls in a Dutch Oven

This method cooks all the cinnamon rolls at once and requires the least prep and the least attention during cooking.

You’ll need a cast iron dutch oven. If you don’t have one yet, I would highly recommend adding one to your camping toolkit. It allows you to cook almost anything over the campfire!

My favorite camping breakfast to make in my dutch oven/skillet is this broccoli cheddar campfire frittata. My kids love it too!

1. Add parchment paper to the inside of your dutch oven for easy clean up. (Or spray the inside with cooking spray.)
2. Place the cinnamon rolls on the bottom of the dutch oven.
3. Cover and cook over the campfire or over 8 pieces of charcoal. If possible, add 16 pieces of charcoal on top (or campfire coals) to help bake the cinnamon rolls. This will help the bottom of the cinnamon rolls to not burn from cooking for too long.
4. Dutch oven cinnamon rolls will take about 20 minutes to cook, but check after 15 minutes to gauge if they are done.
5. Top with the icing and dig in!

Unfortunately, I have not had success with cooking cinnamon rolls in an aluminum tray with a foil cover. The aluminum just doesn’t retain enough heat to cook the cinnamon rolls all the way through.

Instead, they end up raw on the top and overcooked on the bottom. If cinnamon rolls in an aluminum tray has worked for you, please let me know your tricks!

How do you prefer to cook cinnamon rolls while camping? Let me know any tricks you have for the perfect campfire cinnamon roll!