Welcome to the first GORP Girl Gourmet recipe post! I’m so excited to share my favourite camping recipes with you. I’m definitely not a professional chef by any means, and my least favourite thing about camping is cleaning dishes. So my favourite meals are yummy, budget friendly, and have minimal clean-up. I thought I would start it off with one of the easiest, and yummiest, camping desserts (exluding s’mores of course, but those are a given), campfire apple crumble!
✨ Why you’ll absolutely love this recipe:
- No mess, just one cast-iron pan! You can avoid more dishes by pre-slicing your apples at home.
- Minimal prep and cook time.
- Naturally vegetarian and easy to make dairy or gluten-free with simple ingredient swaps.
You can make this recipe either on a camp stove, or over the fire. I prefer baking it over the fire with a cast-iron pan, mostly for the experience to be honest. It’s a one pot snack so the clean up is super easy (another reason I love cooking with my cast-iron skillet in the wilderness).
Ingredients
So I usually eyeball this but here’s a loose guide that serves 2 people.
- 2 granny smith apples, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
- 1/2 cup large flake oats
- A generous 1/3 cup of brown sugar
- 2 tbsp butter (or more, especially if you’re cooking over the campfire, the heat can be a bit unpredictable so you may need more!)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- Optional – whip cream, coolwhip, icecream for topping
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet and oven mitt or similar protection for handling the pan when it’s hot
- Long-handled spoon or spatula
- Campfire! (or camp stove)
- Knife and cutting board (if not pre-cutting apples at home)
- Measuring cups (if not eye-balling or pre-measuring at home)
- Bowls (for mixing, and serving)
How to make Lazy Girl Campfire Apple Crumble
- Make a campfire (if you’re cooking this dish over the fire of course, otherwise fire up the camp stove!)
- Prep your ingredients. You can do this at home like I mentioned previously for the ultimate no-mess dessert. You could even combine all of your dry ingredients and put them into a tupperwear container and slice your apples and bring them in another container. Then all you need to do is get cooking! Otherwise, slice your apples into ~1/4 inch thick pieces, not too thin that they stick or burn, and not so thick that they’ll take forever to soften. Mix the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutemeg in a bowl and set aside.
- Melt your butter. Place your cast iron skillet over the fire (or on the stove) and add the butter. If it looks like it’s vanishing quickly, as it might with open flame cooking, add a bit more. No rules! I also save some extra butter for when I add the apples in, just in case it gets sticky.
- Sauté the apples. Toss the sliced apples into the buttery skilled and swirl them around occsionally for about 5 minutes or until they start to soften. Timing can vary based on your fire or camp stove so check in on them often.
- Add the crumble. Once the apples are tender to your liking, sprinkle in your dry ingredients and stir it all together until it’s sticky and sweet. The oats should soften a little but still keep a bit of texture.
- Serve! (If I’m by myself I literally eat it straight out of the pan LOL). Optional: top with whippd cream, yogurt, ice-cream, the typical apple crumble toppings. Enjoy!
Camp Cooking Tips:
- No granny smith? No problem. You can really use any apples, I find granny smith the best for flavour though. You may need to adjust the amount of sugar for sweetness.
- Make it dairy free by swapping butter for plant-based butter. But watch out! Plant based butter melts much faster so storage while you’re camping may be messy.
- Gluten-free: just swap in GF oats and you’re good to go.
- Want to prep ahead? Slice the apples and pre-mix the crumble topping at home.
This is one of those camping recipes that feels fancy and can definitely impress a crowd but it takes almost no effort, just my style! It’s super cozy, warm, and sweet and I bet you’ll be invited on every camping trip after chefing this up for your friends.
Let me know if you try it, or tag me on IG @brynnsadventures if you take a pic of you eating it on your camping trip!
Easy Campfire Apple Crumble (Lazy Girl Approved)
Recipe by
Servings
2 servings
Prep time
10 min
Cooking time
10-15 min
Calories
approx 300 kcal
This cozy and easy campfire apple crumble is the perfect low-effort dessert after a long day outdoors. Made in a single cast iron skillet, they’re sweet, cinnamon-y, and comforting, no oven required.
Ingredients
- 2 Granny Smith apples, sliced ¼ inch thick
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (generous scoop)
- 2 tbsp butter (or more if needed)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
Directions
- Mix the crumble topping: In a bowl or resealable bag, mix together the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Slice the apples: Cut apples into ¼ inch slices, not too thin or too thick. Set aside.
- Heat your skillet: Melt butter in a cast iron skillet over a campfire or camp stove. Add more butter if it starts evaporating or sticking.
- Cook the apples: Add the sliced apples to the skillet and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add the crumble topping: Pour the oat mixture into the skillet and stir well to combine with the apples. Let it cook for another 2–3 minutes, or until everything is golden, soft, and smells amazing.
- Serve warm: Enjoy straight from the skillet or topped with whipcream, yogurt, or ice-cream if you’re feeling fancy.
Notes
You can prep the dry crumble mix in advance at home and store it in a zip-top bag for quick campsite assembly. Feel free to use any apples you like, though Granny Smith gives the best tart-sweet contrast. Make it dairy-free by using coconut oil or plant-based butter instead of butter, and gluten-free by using certified GF oats. This recipe is flexible, forgiving, and highly addicting , you’ve been warned.
Brynn's Adventures 
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