Campfire Cinnamon Rolls (in a Dutch Oven or Pie Iron)

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Here are two ways to make campfire cinnamon rolls, in a Dutch oven or pie iron, over the campfire or on the grill. This ooey gooey, delicious camping recipe makes an easy breakfast you can make ahead and cook outdoors! It's perfect for the whole family; kids can help too!

People ask what we eat when we're camping, and we pretty much eat anything we'd eat at home; in fact, here are some of our most popular camping recipes. We even make cherry cobbler over the campfire! Of course, we try to keep meals simple and easy; and these camping cinnamon rolls are no exception.

If you're like me and love a good visual, you'll find a video further below that'll walk you thru the steps for how to make this easy campfire cinnamon rolls recipe.

Why You'll Love These Camping Breakfast Desserts

  • You can mix up a batch of campfire cinnamon rolls (and the icing for them) ahead of time and take it all with you in the cooler. I'll have some easy storage tips for you below.
  • Like my homemade biscuit cinnamon rolls and Bisquick sweet muffins, these gooey cinnamon buns taste just as good as cinnamon rolls.
  • Just like drop biscuits, you can cook camp cinnamon rolls over a grill or a campfire.
  • Make Dutch oven cinnamon rolls or pie iron cinnamon rolls, or both; the choice is up to you!
  • While we've taken canned cinnamon rolls with us, I'm just not a huge fan. This is such an easy recipe; and even though this is a biscuit mix or Bisquick recipe, they taste so good, and our boys absolutely love it when we make fun camping desserts (like these toasted skillet s'mores). Your kids will love them too.

Related Recipes: Bisquick cinnamon biscuits and cinnamon Bisquick scones.

frosted camping cinnamon rolls in a foil pie plate on a wooden surface with a blue cloth

Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:

Gather a few simple ingredients to make this cinnamon roll recipe…

  • Biscuit Mix – You can use whatever brand biscuit mix you like; I prefer to use a buttermilk baking mix for this recipe, mainly because of the purpose the buttermilk serves in helping with leavening, or the rise of the biscuits.
  • Whole Milk – You can also use 2% or skim milk, if you don't have whole milk.
  • Salted Butter – This will need to be melted. Be sure to use salted, as this adds to the flavor.
  • Cane Sugar – You can also use granulated sugar.
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Vanilla Extract – I like to use Mexican vanilla.
  • Almond Extract – This just adds a little flavor kick to the powdered sugar icing that goes on top of the rolls.
  • Powdered Sugar or Confectioners Sugar

How to Make Campfire Cinnamon Rolls

I recommend mixing these up at home and then packing them in a cooler for cooking later over the campfire (or grill). If you can't use a campfire or grill, because there have been many times we were in that exact situation, you can cook them in a Dutch oven on your camp stove.

Dutch oven cinnamon rolls made with Pioneer mix

How to Mix and Roll the Dough

  1. Mix the biscuit mix and milk together until you have a nice sticky dough.
  2. In a separate smaller bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar.
  3. Spread a little flour out on a clean surface, and knead your dough just enough so it's not sticky anymore.
  4. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
  5. Brush on the melted butter; then sprinkle it with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  6. Roll the dough tightly into a log. Then cut it into 1-inch slices.
  7. Place each slice upright in a foil pie plate, in a single layer. Once the pie plate is full, just cover with plastic wrap, and then place the whole pie plate down in a plastic gallon bag, seal it, and place it in your cooler.

Now if you want frosted cinnamon rolls, you gotta mix up the icing quick.

How to Make Powdered Sugar Icing for Camp Cinnamon Rolls

You can use this easy sugar cookie icing, but you may want to cut it down because you won't need that much.

  1. In a mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
  2. Add the milk to the mixture.
  3. Slowly add the powdered sugar to the mixture, mixing it in as you go.
  4. Once everything is mixed together, the icing should be smooth and creamy, free of any lumps.

Once the icing is made, store it in a simple squeeze bottle with a lid and tip cover, and put it in the cooler. This makes it easy to both store in your cooler and then squeeze right on your cinnamon rolls after they've cooked. No mess, no fuss; it's so simple and easy!

icing for campfire cinnamon rolls in easy squeeze bottle

2 Ways to Bake Cinnamon Rolls Outdoors

You'll need one of two things… A Dutch oven and/or a pie iron. Pie irons are fun because then everyone can cook their own, and kids love being able to make their own.

1. Dutch Oven Cinnamon Rolls

  1. For Dutch oven cinnamon rolls, make a sling with aluminum foil.
  2. Place your uncovered foil pie plate down into the Dutch oven using the sling. We like to put a few jar rings in the bottom of our Dutch oven, so the pie plate isn't sitting directly on the bottom of the Dutch oven.
aluminum foil sling to lower camp cinnamon rolls into Dutch oven for cooking
  1. Place the Dutch oven over the hot coals of a campfire; or place campfire approved-cooking grate above the hot coals in a grill, and place the Dutch oven on the grate. Then let the rolls cook for probably 10 minutes or a little more, 'til they're golden brown and done. If you want to cook directly over the campfire, you can use a tripod, so your Dutch oven can sit up off the large flames, and the bottoms of your cinnamon rolls won't burn. However you cook them, just check them frequently to make sure they don't burn.
biscuit mix Dutch oven cinnamon rolls cooking in cast iron Dutch oven on the grill

2. Pie Iron Cinnamon Rolls

  1. Spray the inside of a pie iron with cooking spray.
  2. Place 2 or more cinnamon rolls inside, close it up, and hold it over the grill or fire, rotating every 30-60 seconds.
grilling pie iron cinnamon rolls in a pie iron on the grill
  1. Cook the cinnamon rolls for around 10 minutes, or 'til they're golden brown and done. Just check them frequently to make sure they don't burn.
pie iron cinnamon rolls ready for icing, on wood cutting board with blue linen cloth

Now for the Icing

  1. When your campfire cinnamon rolls are done, just squeeze on the icing, and they're ready to eat! Yum!
frosted pie iron cinnamon rolls in a pie iron, hot off the grill

Camping cinnamon rolls are easy and fun to make for the whole family! I love that I can make them ahead in just a few minutes and pack them in the cooler for a fun surprise treat at breakfast.

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ's

What's the difference between cinnamon rolls and cinnamon buns?

There are a few differences between the two. Cinnamon buns usually have both brown sugar and nuts added; the brown sugar gives them a much sweeter flavor. They also don't usually have icing; they're usually sticky and served as is without any icing on top.

Can you cook these in a skillet or on a roasting stick?

Sure! As long as you have a lid for the skillet, you can cook campfire cinnamon rolls over the coals for the same amount of time. You can also keep the rolls whole or untwist the rolls and place the rolls or dough on long roasting sticks; then hold the rolls or delicious campfire cinnamon roll-ups over the campfire to cook, kinda like you would if you were roasting marshmallows or hot dogs. Just keep in mind they might not be as moist, and you may lose some of that gooey filling.

How should you store leftovers?

Definitely put any leftovers in an airtight container or sealed bag in the cooler. If you use a foil pan, you can even cover that foil pan, bag it, and put it in the cooler.

serving campfire cinnamon rolls on wood counter with blue linen cloth

More Camping Recipes:

If you love these camp cinnamon rolls, you'll love our other camping recipes you can enjoy in the great outdoors…

If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!

campfire cinnamon rolls in foil pie plate on wood counter

Campfire Cinnamon Rolls

Two ways to make campfire cinnamon rolls, in a Dutch oven or pie iron. Ooey gooey, delicious camping recipe makes an easy breakfast!
4.72 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast & Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 236kcal
Author: Mel Lockcuff

Ingredients

Rolls:

Icing:

Instructions

Rolls:

  • In a large bowl, mix the biscuit mix and milk together until you have a nice sticky dough.
  • In a separate smaller bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar, and set aside.
  • Spread a little flour or biscuit mix out on a clean surface, and knead your dough just enough so it's not sticky anymore.
  • Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. 
  • Brush the melted butter onto the dough; then sprinkle it with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Roll the dough tightly into a log. Then cut it into 1-inch slices.
  • Place each slice upright in a foil pie plate. 
  • Once the pie plate is full, cover it with plastic wrap; then place the whole pie plate down in a plastic gallon bag, seal it, and place it in your cooler.

Icing:

  • In a mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
  • Add the milk to the mixture.
  • Slowly add the powdered sugar to the mixture, mixing it in as you go.
  • Once everything is mixed together, the icing should be smooth and creamy, free of any lumps.
  • Once the icing is made, store it in a simple squeeze bottle with a lid and tip cover, and put it in the cooler.

Dutch Oven Cinnamon Rolls:

  • For Dutch oven cinnamon rolls, make a sling with aluminum foil.
  • Place your uncovered foil pie plate down into the Dutch oven using the sling. We like to put a few jar rings in the bottom of our Dutch oven, so the pie plate isn't sitting directly on the bottom of the Dutch oven.
  • Let the rolls cook over the coals of a campfire, or on the grate above the coals in the grill, for probably 10 minutes or a little more, 'til they're golden brown and done. If you want to cook directly over the campfire, you can use a tripod, so your Dutch oven can sit up off the fire, and the bottoms of your cinnamon rolls won't burn. However you cook them, just check them frequently to make sure they don't burn.

Pie Iron Cinnamon Rolls:

  • Spray the inside of a pie iron with cooking spray. 
  • Place 2 or more cinnamon rolls inside, close it up, and hold it over the grill or fire, rotating every 30-60 seconds.
  • Cook the cinnamon rolls for around 10 minutes, or 'til they're golden brown and done. Just check them frequently to make sure they don't burn.
  • When your campfire cinnamon rolls are done, just squeeze on the icing, and they're ready to eat! Yum!

Notes

I recommend mixing these up at home and then packing them in the cooler for cooking over the campfire (or grill). If you can't use a campfire or grill, because there have been many times we were in that exact situation, you can cook them in a Dutch oven on your camp stove.

Nutrition

Serving: 12servings | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 102IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 1mg
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10 thoughts on “Campfire Cinnamon Rolls (in a Dutch Oven or Pie Iron)”

  1. Hi,

    First, before I comment on this recipe, I am picky about my baked goods. Don’t try to pass off some poppin fresh can of cinnamon rolls with me.

    I took my sons camping some weeks ago, and I used this recipe. I even made the sugar cookie icing recipe and put it in a squeeze bottle as directed. I think that I reduced the icing recipe to a 1/4, and it was more than enough. Plus, not all my sons prefer cream cheese icing on their cinnamon rolls.

    I’ll tell you what, for the fact that I didn’t have to work with yeast, these were pretty good! All my sons loved them. The icing worked well on them too!

    I’ve gone and bookmarked this page for the future!

    Reply
  2. How many days can these be made ahead? We are leaving Thursday to go camping but was planning to make these on Monday, is that to far in advance

    Reply
    • LaVonne, hmmm, I might would freeze them if I was making them that far ahead, just to be safe. Then you could just take them out of the freezer and put them right in the cooler. Happy camping!

      Reply
  3. Thank you Mel for this recipe! I searched Pinterest and the internet to find a recipe for camping cinnamon rolls. We went camping over New Years and as it’s a family tradition to have cinnamon rolls New Years morning, we made these. I thought I’d share our experiences. First of all, we forgot our Dutch oven! And we did not have a pie iron. So, we made up the cinnamon rolls (I accidentally put the cinnamon and sugar INTO the dough, so then also added cinnamon and sugar before rolling.) We put the sliced rolls into a disposable round cake pan and covered it with another one, wrapped it in foil to create a sort of oven, and placed it on the grill of the fire pit with some heat underneath. It was a total experiment! They took a bit longer than 10 minutes, but they were really good! I will tweak it just a bit in the future; will add more cinnamon and sugar, and will use brown sugar. And we added cream cheese to the frosting because we had it. The texture was definitely more biscuity than our usual yeast rolls, but of course that was to be expected. But we were so tickled to have these yummy cinnamon rolls for our New Year’s morning! Thank you so much for your recipe!

    Reply
    • Erin, this is fantastic! What a great way to bake them if you don’t have a Dutch oven or pie iron. And great tip with the brown sugar; that would be delicious. I’m so glad y’all enjoyed them. Happy New Year!

      Reply
  4. Thank you for sharing this great recipe with us. You are our “Most Loved” feature this week at Totally Terrific Tuesday. The party goes live at 9 central time tonight.

    Reply

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