Enjoy gooey cinnamon buns cooked over an open flame without even using a pan! All you need for these Campfire Cinnamon Rolls are store-bought cinnamon rolls and a few oranges with the insides scooped out. Perfect for an easy breakfast in the great outdoors or a barbecue dessert that is ready in one hour! You won’t need plates either, because you can eat these with a fork directly out of the orange!
When you are looking for good old fashioned campfire food recipes, it can be hard to find ones where you don’t need a ton of equipment. In this campfire orange rolls recipe, we are using an orange peel to keep the rolls from getting stuck to the aluminum foil, making breakfast the easiest meal of the day. While you could whip up the cream cheese buttercream frosting that we use on our Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, it’s easiest to use the one that comes inside the packaging.
Another easy recipe we recommend making before you leave for the camping trip are Fruity Pebbles Bars. Kids love these and they only take a little space when traveling. Since you are going to be around an open fire, grilling recipes are great campfire food. Try making grilled shrimp skewers, grilled pizza, or grilled baked potatoes!
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Why You’ll Love Campfire Cinnamon Rolls
- the best part – No dishes to clean!
- The oranges keep the cinnamon rolls ULTRA MOIST for the softest, doughiest cinnamon rolls you’ve ever tasted.
- Only 2 ingredients are needed.
- Family friendly.
🔥 Ingredients:
- Grand’s Cinnamon Rolls (5 ct) – these are large and fill out a standard orange well. Other cinnamon rolls are typically smaller and may not really puff up to fill out the entire orange, though you can use smaller oranges or just not worry about it.
- fresh oranges – we will scoop out the flesh – the rind/peel of the orange does infuse flavor into the orange rolls and then doubles as the bowl.
- aluminum foil
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Equipment Needed:
This recipe is designed to cook without a kitchen and over a wood-burning campfire. It requires minimal ingredients or equipment. You will need a hot campfire and aluminum foil to protect the oranges. We cooked the cinnamon rolls on a grate over indirect heat. If you do not have a grate, you may need to adjust the cooking time.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can use any flavor of Pillsbury rolls. Sometimes they have limited editions such as Peaches and Cream, Pumpkin Spice, and Strawberries and Cream.
- Instead of cooking them in the oranges, you can make the rolls in a cast iron pot or skillet if preferred. Place the cinnamon rolls in the pan over medium heat. Flip after about 5 minutes and cook until the dough is done. Then use a knife to spread the icing.
- Dutch oven cinnamon rolls – you can also cook these, within the oranges, in a shallow dutch oven, eliminating the need for aluminum foil.
- Delicious campfire cinnamon roll-ups – rather than cinnamon rolls, use a can of crescent rolls. Spread a little softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon over each crescent roll, roll it up, and tuck into the hollow oranges. Cook the same as this recipe.
- Top with a homemade cream cheese icing instead of the packaged icing.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Prepare campfire or heat grill. Wait until large flames have died down and then place campfire-approved cooking grate over the fire pit.
Step 1: With your campfire nice and hot, slice the top off of each orange and discard. Use a grapefruit spoon to dig out all of the pulp inside to form bowls.
Step 2: Open the can of cinnamon rolls and set the frosting aside. Carefully tuck one cinnamon roll into each hollowed-out orange bowl. Keep the cinnamon roll round and flat; don’t stuff it or fold it over on itself. It should be positioned down in the orange so that, as it cooks, it can puff up into cinnamon roll perfection.
PRO TIP: Be sure that your campfire is hot and popping! These cinnamon rolls will need close to an hour to cook through. You can cook them over hot coals, but the coals shouldn’t be close to burning out. Start your campfire at least an hour before you plan to cook dessert!
Step 3: Wrap each campfire cinnamon roll loosely in aluminum foil. Tent the foil of the tops of each cinnamon roll so that, as the cinnamon roll puffs up, it doesn’t stick to the foil.
Step 4: Place the rolls directly on the grate over indirect heat. Cook for about 40 minutes. If they aren’t quite ready yet, continue cooking until the orange looks matte and the roll doesn’t indent when pressing it. The rolls may or may not get golden brown on top so test doneness by the texture.
Step 6: Use a knife to divide the reserved frosting and spread over the tops of the toasty cinnamon rolls. Serve with a fork or spoon and eat them straight out of their orange bowl!
Campfire Cinnamon Roll Tips
- If you aren’t using Grands, choose smaller oranges so the smaller rolls don’t fall down inside the orange.
- Save the scooped orange flesh to eat along with the rolls or to add to fruit salad.
- To make orange stuffed cinnamon rolls in the oven, prep them just as you would for the campfire, but follow the package instructions for baking.
- Want to reheat leftovers the next morning? You can place them back on the grill for a little bit or stick them on a marshmallow roasting stick and rotate them over the fire until warm.
Fun Fact
Cinnamon rolls originated in Sweden years ago and have their own special day to celebrate!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! That is why you want to loosely wrap the tops of the cinnamon rolls. This is another reason we place them in the oranges so they don’t stick and make a mess.
Keep the leftovers in the cooler in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil.
When your camping trip is over and you’re ready to get back in your own home kitchen, satisfy your cinnamon roll recipe craving with cookies and cream cinnamon rolls, blueberry cinnamon rolls, or snack size mini cinnamon rolls. Yum!
More Campfire Friendly Favorites
If you tried this Campfire Cinnamon Rolls Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Campfire Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 5 large oranges
- 1 17.5 ounce Grands! Cinnamon rolls with icing
Instructions
- Cut off the tops of the oranges and scrape out all of the fruit to make orange “bowls.”
- Gently tuck one cinnamon roll into each orange, reserving the can of frosting for later.
- Wrap each orange in aluminum foil, tenting the top slightly to allow the cinnamon roll to puff up without sticking to the aluminum foil.
- Place the prepared oranges over indirect heat on the campfire. Cook for 45-60 minutes (check at the 40 minute mark)) until the cinnamon rolls are fluffy and cooked through. The cinnamon rolls will puff up and out of the orange and will appear matte vs. “wet” once cooked. A gentle press on the cinnamon roll will also indicate if they are done. If the cinnamon roll still feels gooey, continue cooking. When the cinnamon rolls are baked through, they will not indent when pressed – they will feel more firm.
- Remove oranges from the heat, discard aluminum foil, and frost with reserved can of frosting.
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Notes
- If you aren’t using Grands cinnamon rolls, choose smaller oranges so the smaller rolls don’t fall down inside the orange.
- Save the scooped orange flesh to eat along with the rolls or to add to fruit salad.
- To make orange stuffed cinnamon rolls in the oven, prep them just as you would for the campfire, but follow the package instructions for baking.
- Want to reheat leftovers the next morning? You can place them back on the grill for a little bit or stick them on a marshmallow roasting stick and rotate them over the fire until warm.
Nutrition
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