Campfire Cinnamon Rolls are toasted over a campfire or grill on a stick. They deliver the flavor and texture of real yeast cinnamon rolls without the fuss—perfect for camping breakfasts.
Campfire meals should be simple to pack, easy to prepare, and delicious to eat. These campfire cinnamon rolls check all three boxes and make a memorable breakfast around the fire.
Campfire Cinnamon Rolls
These rolls are pre-made so you can enjoy a hot, cinnamon-sweet breakfast with minimal prep. Toasted on a stick, they take about 15–20 minutes over a fire or on a grill.
The benefit is getting genuine yeast-roll texture without making dough from scratch. Use commercially prepared cinnamon rolls and a roasting stick for best results.
Packing Tips: Keep the box of rolls inside a gallon zip-top bag when storing them in a cooler to prevent the box from getting wet. For more compact packing, remove the icing packet and rolls into a sealed bag—place parchment between rolls and keep them near the top of the cooler to avoid crushing.
Use rolls that are thawed but still cold. If you thawed them at home, refrigerate overnight or let them sit at room temperature for about an hour before heading out.
How to Cook Cinnamon Rolls on a Stick
Skewer a thawed cinnamon roll onto a roasting stick, leaving an inch or two of bare stick at the end so the roll won’t slide off. Skewer through the end piece if possible to help keep the roll intact while cooking.
Hold or rest the stick over a campfire or on a grill preheated to about 350°F. Cook approximately 5 minutes on the bottom, 5 minutes on the top, then 5–10 minutes for the sides, turning as needed to avoid burning.
The rolls will rise during the second five-minute stage. That’s when the dough finishes cooking through and the sugary filling may begin to drip—watch carefully and keep the roll a safe distance from direct flames or coals.
Extra tip: remove the roll, rotate it 180 degrees, and re-skewer to brown the side that faced the handle. This helps ensure even browning—use caution, as the roll and stick will be hot.
Knead the icing packet to soften it, snip off the corner, and squeeze the frosting onto the warm roll. Serve right on the stick or transfer to a plate and enjoy.
More Ways to Cook Campfire Cinnamon Rolls
All at Once in a Pie Tin or Foil:
- Arrange rolls in a lightly greased pie tin, or wrap heavy-duty foil around the cardboard tray the rolls come in (remove the icing packet first), leaving the top exposed. A foil “sling” can make lifting easier.
- Place the pan on a grill or over a campfire with a rack, maintaining roughly 350°F heat.
- Cook 20–30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the tops are golden brown.
- Remove and top with frosting while warm.
In an Orange Peel, Dutch Oven, or Pie Iron:
- Cooking rolls inside an orange half helps protect them from direct coals and adds a hint of citrus.
- A Dutch oven or pie iron also works well. In a Dutch oven, use canning rings or a raised rack to prevent a hot spot underneath; a pie iron cooks individual rolls into a slightly flattened, crispy treat.
More Camping Recipes
- Southwestern chicken packets — tin-foil dinners that cook over a fire, on a grill, or in an oven.
- Woof ’Ems (campfire eclairs) — a simple three-ingredient camping dessert.
- Hot ham and pineapple campfire sandwiches — foil-cooked sandwiches that are flavorful and easy to clean up.
- Pizza breadsticks — stuffed bread skewered and grilled, served with marinara for dipping.
Campfire Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 6 rhodes anytime cinnamon rolls, thawed but still cold (one package)
- 1 cream cheese icing packet (included with rolls)
Instructions
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Skewer a thawed cinnamon roll onto a roasting stick, leaving an inch or two of bare stick at the end to prevent slipping. Skewer through the end piece to keep the roll from unraveling.
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Roast the roll over a campfire or on a grill set to about 350°F: 5 minutes on the bottom, 5 minutes on the top, then 5–10 minutes for the sides, rotating as needed to avoid burning.
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Tip: rolls will rise during the second five minutes. That’s when you can check that the center is cooking through, but also when filling can drip and burn—monitor the heat and distance from flames.
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Extra tip: briefly remove and rotate the roll 180 degrees so the edge that faced the handle browns evenly. Be careful—the roll will be hot.
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Knead the icing packet to loosen it, snip the corner, and squeeze frosting onto the warm roll. Serve on the stick or on a plate. Enjoy!
Notes
- Arrange rolls in a greased pie tin or wrap heavy-duty foil around the tray the rolls came in (remove icing first), leaving the top open.
- Place the pan on a grill or over a campfire with a rack, keeping heat around 350°F.
- Cook 20–30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown on top.
- Remove and top with icing while warm.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third‑party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
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