Campfire Cinnamon Rolls on a Stick

Genius camping food hacks have been popping up left and right recently. From creative twists on classics (hi, savory smores!) to easy ways to bring indoor cooking outside (like pancake batter in a squeeze bottle), there are enough elevated campfire recipes to enjoy all summer long. One favorite has been campfire cinnamon rolls on a stick. It’s the perfect camping breakfast or dessert, especially with all that icing on top.

All you have to do is wrap refrigerated cinnamon roll dough around a metal skewer, cover it with cinnamon-sugar and slowly rotate it over a fire for about five minutes. Then, drizzle on the included icing. That’s it! They take almost no effort, but they’re such a memorable and unexpected treat.

Ingredients for Campfire Cinnamon Rolls on a Stick

• Cinnamon sugar: You’ll mix together sugar and cinnamon to coat the outside of the baked cinnamon rolls. This brings back some of the quintessential cinnamon roll flavor that’s lost from roasting them over the fire.
• Refrigerated cinnamon rolls: Go with your favorite store-bought cinnamon rolls here. Just make sure they’re refrigerated (easier to transport to a campsite than frozen ones) and that they come with icing.
• Butter: Once the cinnamon rolls are finished baking, brush them with melted butter to help the cinnamon sugar adhere better. You can melt it in a camping pot near the fire.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the toppings

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Remove the included icing from the package of cinnamon rolls, and transfer it to a resealable storage bag or pastry bag for drizzling.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t cut the bag open yet; it’ll ooze out. But keep scissors nearby for when the rolls are ready to be iced.

Step 2: Wrap the rolls around the skewers

Separate rolls the cinnamon rolls and cut each in half. Roll each half into a 6-inch rope. Wrap each rope tightly around a long metal skewer, beginning 1/2 inch from the pointed end. Pinch each end to secure the dough to the skewers.

Step 3: Roast the cinnamon rolls

Cook the rolls over a hot campfire until they’re golden brown, about five minutes, turning occasionally.

Step 4: Add the toppings

Brush the cinnamon rolls with melted butter, then sprinkle them with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Cut a small hole in one corner of the icing bag, and drizzle the icing over the twists.

Recipe Variations

• Make espresso icing: Mix a little instant espresso or coffee powder into the included icing to give it espresso flavor.
• Cover in caramel: Feel free to forgo the included icing for something even more indulgent: salted caramel sauce. These rolls are definitely a dessert now!
• Add more baking spices: Play around with the cinnamon-sugar coating by adding other spices like ginger, allspice, pumpkin pie spice, Chinese five-spice or cardamom.

How to Store Campfire Cinnamon Rolls

Campfire cinnamon rolls are best eaten as soon as they’re made, but if you have leftovers you want to save, let the cinnamon rolls cool to room temperature, then place them in a zip-top bag in the camping cooler for up to 24 hours. If you plan on storing the cinnamon rolls, I recommend leaving off the icing until after you reheat them.

How do you reheat campfire cinnamon rolls?

Reheat campfire cinnamon rolls slowly over the fire. Low and slow allows the cinnamon roll to reheat thoroughly.

Campfire Cinnamon Rolls Tips

How do you cook the cinnamon rolls over the campfire?

The best way to cook cinnamon rolls over the campfire is to wrap the dough on a skewer, trying not to overlap too much, then rotate the skewer slowly over the campfire. Don’t place the skewer directly over the flames; the outside of the cinnamon rolls will burn, and the inside will be undercooked. Instead, find an area with indirect heat to cook the dough thoroughly.

Can you use homemade cinnamon roll dough for campfire cinnamon rolls?

Yes, you can use homemade cinnamon roll dough for campfire cinnamon roll-ups. I recommend making your cinnamon roll dough at home, cutting it into portions and then storing the portions in an airtight container or bag. Separate them with sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking. That way, they’re ready to unroll and wrap around the skewers once you’re at the campsite. Keep them in the cooler until you’re ready to use them. This method also lets you make gluten-free cinnamon rolls over the campfire if needed.

How else can you bake campfire cinnamon rolls?

If you don’t want to use skewers, you can bake campfire cinnamon rolls in a Dutch oven or pie iron. The Dutch oven most closely mimics an oven, so you can bake a whole pan of cinnamon rolls as you normally would. Place the cinnamon rolls in a greased foil pie plate, then place the pie plate on a large piece of parchment paper in a Dutch oven, with the parchment sitting on top of Mason jar lids. This prevents the bottom of the pie plate from touching the Dutch oven (a quick way to scorch the bottom of your rolls!). Place the Dutch oven on hot coals, pop on the lid, place more hot coals on top of the lid, and bake the rolls until they’re golden brown, 10 to 25 minutes.

To bake campfire cinnamon rolls in a pie iron, generously spray it with cooking spray, then place two to three cinnamon rolls in the pie iron. Close the lid and bake the cinnamon rolls until they’re golden brown, about 10 minutes, turning the pie iron over the coals every minute or so.