Campfire Treats Beyond S’mores
Unexpected Desserts Worth Trying
Campfire treats are always a huge hit with kids and adults. For some, they’re practically a camping necessity.
Naturally, the first dessert everyone thinks of is a traditional s’more. I love them too, but graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows are only the beginning. From toasted marshmallows tucked inside Oreos to desserts that look like cups of dirt covered in worms, these unexpected camping treats are fun, easy to make, and almost guaranteed to disappear.
If you’re ready to try something new, add a few of these creative treats to your next camping menu.
Table of Contents
8 Creative Campfire Treats to Try
🍫 Oreo S’mores
This is an idea some good friends of ours introduced us to many years ago on a camping trip to Joshua Tree. You toast a marshmallow over the fire and instead of wedging it between a graham cracker with chocolate, you insert it between two sides of an Oreo cookie. Voila!
🍦 Campfire Cones
Campfire cones are a fun, less-messy alternative to traditional s’mores. Start with a waffle or sugar cone and fill it with miniature marshmallows, chocolate chips, and any other toppings you like. Strawberries, sliced bananas, peanut butter chips, caramel pieces, and crushed cookies all work well.
Wrap each cone securely in foil and warm it over hot coals until the chocolate melts and the marshmallows become soft and gooey.
✨ Pro Tip: Let the cone cool before unwrapping it because the filling can become extremely hot.
🍌 Chocolate Banana Boats
Take a banana and leave it inside the peel. Carefully cut a slit lengthwise without slicing all the way through. Gently open the banana and fill it with miniature marshmallows and chocolate chips. You can also add peanut butter chips, caramel, chopped nuts, or crushed cookies.
Wrap the banana in foil and place it near the hot coals until the chocolate melts and the banana becomes warm and soft. Eat it directly from the peel with a spoon for an easy dessert with almost no cleanup - especially nice when camping.
🍊 Cinnamon Rolls Baked in Orange Peels
Cut an orange in half and carefully scoop out the fruit, leaving both pieces of peel intact. Place one refrigerated cinnamon roll inside each hollowed-out orange half, then wrap each half securely in foil.
Set the wrapped orange halves over hot coals, turning them periodically so the cinnamon rolls cook evenly. The peels protect the dough while adding a subtle citrus flavor. Once the rolls are fully cooked, carefully unwrap them and drizzle the icing over the top.
🍒 Pie-Iron Fruit Pies
Pie irons make it easy to enjoy warm, handheld fruit pies over a fire. Butter two slices of bread and place one slice, buttered side down, inside the iron. Add a spoonful of apple, cherry, peach, or blueberry pie filling before covering it with the second slice, buttered side facing outward.
Close the pie iron and hold it over hot coals, turning it occasionally until the bread is golden and crisp.
✨ Pro Tip: Allow the pie to cool before eating it because the fruit filling will be extremely hot. For an extra treat, sprinkle the finished pie with cinnamon sugar.
🍎 Campfire Apple Crisp Packets
Place peeled and diced apples on a large piece of aluminum foil. Mix them with cinnamon, brown sugar, and a small amount of butter. Top the apples with a mixture of oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and additional butter to create the crisp topping.
Seal the foil into a packet and place it over hot coals until the apples become tender and the topping is warm. Eat it directly from the foil. Add whipped cream on top for an added bonus.
✨ Pro Tip: Carefully open the packet away from your face to avoid escaping steam.
🍩 Donut S’mores
Replace traditional graham crackers with a glazed donut. Slice the donut in half. Then, toast a marshmallow over the fire, and sandwich it between the donut halves with a piece of chocolate.
✨ Pro Tip: For an even richer dessert, briefly warm the cut sides of the donut on a grill grate before assembling it. The glaze becomes slightly caramelized while the inside remains soft, creating an indulgent combination of warm donut, melted chocolate, and toasted marshmallow.
🪱 Dirt & Worms
This one I read about on the internet and it doesn’t require any cooking. I immediately wanted to give it a try with the grandkids because what goes better with camping than dirt. Put a package of Oreos in a Ziploc bag and smash them up into little crumbs. Put the crumbs in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, make a box of chocolate pudding per the package instructions. Add 8 oz. of Cool Whip to the pudding and stir in half the Oreo crumbs. Spoon the mixture into clear cups. Top with crushed cookies and gummy worms.
✨ Pro Tip: Prepare Dirt & Worms before leaving home and transport the cups in a well-insulated cooler until you are ready to serve them.
Tips for Making Desserts at Camp
Campfire desserts are supposed to be gooey, a little messy, and a lot of fun but burned treats, sticky hands, and a campsite covered in crumbs aren’t very enjoyable. A little preparation goes a long way, so keep these simple tips in mind.
Prepare ingredients before leaving home. Measure ingredients, slice what you can safely prepare in advance, and divide toppings into labeled containers or resealable bags. This saves time and reduces the number of packages you need to open at camp.
Cook over hot coals rather than open flames. Coals provide steadier, more even heat and are less likely to burn the outside of your dessert before the inside becomes warm. Note that campfire cooking times vary considerably depending on the heat of the coals, the distance from the fire, and the thickness of the foil so check desserts frequently while cooking them. Move them farther from the heat if the outside begins cooking too quickly.
Use tongs. Use long-handled tongs and/or heat-resistant gloves when turning foil packets or removing them from the fire. They can be very hot.
Use heavy-duty foil. Regular foil can tear when placed over coals so use heavy-duty aluminum foil. Double-wrap desserts containing butter, melted chocolate, or fruit juices to help prevent leaks.
Allow everything to cool before eating. Melted chocolate, cooked fruit, and marshmallows can remain extremely hot even after being removed from the fire. This is especially important for kids who are rarely patient when it comes to dessert.
Bring a no-cook alternative. Make Dirt & Worms ahead of time when you want a fun camping dessert without building a fire or washing cooking equipment. It’s also a helpful backup when fires are prohibited because of weather or local restrictions.
Pack wet wipes and paper towels. Marshmallows, melted chocolate, fruit filling, and caramel can make these desserts wonderfully delicious, but incredibly sticky. Bring enough supplies to clean hands, utensils, tables, and cooking equipment, and pack every used wipe out with your trash. This is especially important when camping in areas with bears.
Keep a clean campsite. Collect dropped food, crumbs, foil, wrappers, and used cooking supplies immediately. Never burn foil, plastic, wet wipes, or food packaging in the campfire.
Be especially careful in bear country. Desserts contain some of the strongest food odors in camp. Clean the cooking area thoroughly and store ingredients, leftovers, trash, wipes, and scented supplies according to the campground or land manager’s food-storage rules. Never leave them inside or beside your tent. Be sure to clean faces and hands of kids before sending them off to bed.
✨ Pro Tip: Assemble a small “campfire dessert kit” with foil, long-handled tongs, heat-resistant gloves, wet wipes, paper towels, resealable bags, and a trash bag. Keeping everything together makes both preparation and cleanup much easier.
More Camping Tips & Tricks
Camping Checklist: Things to Do Before Leaving Home
Summer Camping Tips to Keep You Cool - How to Beat the Summer Heat
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