15 Great Campfire Recipes Every Troop Should Know
One of the best parts of any campout is gathering around the fire to cook and share a meal. Outdoor cooking teaches patience, planning, teamwork, and creativity. It also gives scouts the opportunity to work with their hands and enjoy the satisfaction of preparing food in the outdoors.
Below are 15 simple and reliable campfire recipes that work well for troop campouts. Each recipe includes the type of meal, preparation details, gear needed, ingredients, fire type, and basic instructions so leaders and scouts can plan meals with confidence.
1. Campfire Breakfast Burritos
Type: Breakfast
Prep & Cook Time: 20 minutes
Gear Needed:
Cast iron skillet, spatula, knife, cutting board
Food Items:
Eggs, tortillas, sausage or bacon, shredded cheese, peppers, onions, salt, pepper
Fire Type: Campfire with cooking grate or propane stove
Instructions:
Cook sausage or bacon in the skillet. Add chopped peppers and onions. Scramble eggs in the pan. Spoon mixture into tortillas, add cheese, and wrap into burritos.
2. Dutch Oven Cinnamon Rolls
Type: Breakfast
Prep & Cook Time: 30–40 minutes
Gear Needed:
Dutch oven, parchment paper, tongs
Food Items:
Store-bought cinnamon roll dough, icing
Fire Type: Campfire coals
Instructions:
Line the Dutch oven with parchment. Place cinnamon rolls inside. Bake using coals underneath and on the lid until golden brown. Drizzle icing on top before serving.
3. Campfire Pancakes
Type: Breakfast
Prep & Cook Time: 20 minutes
Gear Needed:
Cast iron skillet or griddle, spatula, mixing bowl
Food Items:
Pancake mix, eggs, milk or water, butter, syrup
Fire Type: Campfire with grate or propane stove
Instructions:
Mix pancake batter. Heat skillet with butter. Pour batter and cook until bubbles form, then flip and cook the other side.
4. Foil Packet Hash Browns
Type: Breakfast
Prep & Cook Time: 25 minutes
Gear Needed:
Aluminum foil, knife, cutting board
Food Items:
Potatoes (diced), onions, bell peppers, sausage, butter, salt, pepper
Fire Type: Campfire coals
Instructions:
Place ingredients in foil packets with butter and seasoning. Seal tightly and cook in hot coals, flipping occasionally.
5. Grilled Campfire Quesadillas
Type: Lunch
Prep & Cook Time: 15 minutes
Gear Needed:
Cast iron skillet or griddle
Food Items:
Flour tortillas, shredded cheese, cooked chicken, peppers, salsa
Fire Type: Campfire grate or stove
Instructions:
Place tortilla in skillet, add cheese and fillings, top with another tortilla. Cook until crispy and cheese melts, flipping once.
6. Campfire Hot Dogs
Type: Lunch
Prep & Cook Time: 10 minutes
Gear Needed:
Roasting sticks
Food Items:
Hot dogs, buns, ketchup, mustard
Fire Type: Open campfire flame
Instructions:
Skewer hot dogs on roasting sticks and cook over flames until browned. Serve in buns with toppings.
7. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Type: Lunch
Prep & Cook Time: 20 minutes
Gear Needed:
Skillet, pot, spatula
Food Items:
Bread, butter, cheese slices, canned tomato soup
Fire Type: Campfire grate or stove
Instructions:
Butter bread and grill sandwiches in skillet until golden. Heat soup in pot and serve together.
8. Campfire Chili
Type: Dinner
Prep & Cook Time: 45 minutes
Gear Needed:
Dutch oven or large pot, spoon
Food Items:
Ground beef, beans, tomatoes, onion, chili powder, garlic, salt
Fire Type: Campfire coals or propane stove
Instructions:
Brown meat, add remaining ingredients, and simmer until flavors combine.
9. Foil Packet Chicken and Vegetables
Type: Dinner
Prep & Cook Time: 30 minutes
Gear Needed:
Aluminum foil
Food Items:
Chicken breast, potatoes, carrots, onions, olive oil, seasoning
Fire Type: Campfire coals
Instructions:
Place ingredients in foil packets with oil and seasoning. Seal and cook in coals until chicken is fully cooked.
10. Campfire Spaghetti
Type: Dinner
Prep & Cook Time: 30 minutes
Gear Needed:
Two pots, strainer, spoon
Food Items:
Spaghetti noodles, pasta sauce, ground beef, garlic
Fire Type: Propane stove or campfire grate
Instructions:
Cook noodles in boiling water. Brown beef and heat sauce separately. Combine and serve.
11. Campfire Stew
Type: Dinner
Prep & Cook Time: 60 minutes
Gear Needed:
Dutch oven
Food Items:
Beef chunks, potatoes, carrots, onions, broth, salt, pepper
Fire Type: Campfire coals
Instructions:
Add ingredients to Dutch oven and simmer over coals until meat is tender.
12. Campfire Nachos
Type: Dinner or Snack
Prep & Cook Time: 15 minutes
Gear Needed:
Cast iron skillet
Food Items:
Tortilla chips, shredded cheese, cooked meat, beans, jalapeños
Fire Type: Campfire grate
Instructions:
Layer ingredients in skillet and heat until cheese melts.
13. Banana Boats
Type: Dessert
Prep & Cook Time: 10 minutes
Gear Needed:
Aluminum foil
Food Items:
Bananas, chocolate chips, marshmallows
Fire Type: Campfire coals
Instructions:
Slice banana lengthwise without removing peel. Fill with chocolate and marshmallows, wrap in foil, and heat in coals until melted.
14. Campfire Apple Crisp
Type: Dessert
Prep & Cook Time: 30 minutes
Gear Needed:
Dutch oven
Food Items:
Apples, oats, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon
Fire Type: Campfire coals
Instructions:
Layer sliced apples in Dutch oven, top with oat mixture, and bake until soft and golden.
15. Classic S’mores
Type: Dessert
Prep & Cook Time: 5 minutes
Gear Needed:
Roasting sticks
Food Items:
Marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate bars
Fire Type: Open campfire flame
Instructions:
Roast marshmallow over fire, place between graham crackers with chocolate, and enjoy.
Cooking Together Around the Fire
Outdoor cooking is about more than just preparing food. It teaches teamwork, patience, and creativity while bringing people together around the warmth of a campfire. For many scouts, some of the most memorable moments of a campout happen while preparing meals with their patrol and sharing stories as the sun sets.
When boys learn how to cook outdoors, they gain confidence and practical life skills that will serve them for years to come. With a little preparation, simple ingredients, and a well-built fire, almost any campsite can become a kitchen—and every meal can become part of the adventure.
Troopmaster Times 