Campfire Apples

Campfire Apples are a delicious camping treat.

Baked apples in the fall are a real treat.  Anything cooked over a campfire seems magical in some way.  I love sitting next to a campfire after dinner while our dessert is cooking.  This dessert is reminiscent of apple pie without the pastry but every bit as delicious.  Make this dessert once, and you'll come back to this comfort food treat over and over.

Start with 4 medium to large apples.  You can use Granny Smith if you like a tart apple to balance the sweet, buttery filling.  I typically use Honey Crisp.  But, you can choose the apple that best fits the flavor profiles that appeal to you.  If you are making this at the campground, I recommend making your filling at home.  I did this and packed it into a little mason jar to transport.  

Peel and core the apples.  Place each one as you are working onto a piece of tin foil.  Make sure your tin foil is large enough to wrap around your apple.  You can use those tin foil sheets that are pre-cut and pull right out of a packet or tear off your own.  

Next, slice a lemon in half and squeeze it right over the apples evenly.  This is also why you want your apples on the tin foil before doing this step.  The lemon juice will lift the flavors of the apple and your dessert filling.  It also keeps your apples from browning.  Don't be tempted to skip this step.  It does make a difference!

Peel and core the apples.  Place each apple onto a piece of tin foil for stuffing and wrapping to go onto the campfire.

Now, stuff your filling into the core of the apples.  This filling is nice and flavorful.  You want every single bite packed into your fruit.  If there is more than what will fit into the core, allow it to bulge out over the middle.  Use your finger or the end of a spoon to pack it all the way down.

Its okay if the filling bulges out of the top.

Wrap each apple in foil closing the tops.  The four apples can be placed in an aluminum pan.  I use the disposable ones that I can recycle or reuse afterward.  

We placed a couple of logs under our cooking grate in our fire ring at the campsite and cooked the apples over the fire.  The cooking time is going to vary from fire to fire depending on the heat.  I turned my pan a couple of times to be sure that they evenly cooked.  You can also move to a spot of less direct heat if you need to.  

I cooked our apples for about 30 minutes.  Use a pair of cooking tongs to gently squeeze the apple packets to test for doneness.  You want the apples to begin to soften but not totally mushy.  

The finished apples will be soft and warm.

Wrapping the apples individually in foil keeps all of the stuffing cooking around and inside of the apples.  I have tried this by just placing the apples into a dutch oven without any wrapping.  Everything oozes out and just kind of burns on the bottom of the pan.  The individually wrapped method is so much better!

Once these are done, remove your pan from the fire and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes.  You can serve them on their own.  Or, we like to add a dollop of Greek Yogurt.  My recipe is below.  If you cook this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turns out!

If you are looking for more camping meal and food ideas, be sure to check out my Lists and Menus Page.  Until next time...

We like ours with a dollop of Greek Yogurt.

Campfire Apples
Author: Grace Strahan-Piper
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: approximately 30 minutes depending on the heat of the fire
Servings: 4
Calories per serving: 319

Campfire Apples are a real treat. Bake them at the campfire after dinner and enjoy with a dollop of Greek yogurt!

Ingredients:

• 4 medium apples - you can use Granny Smith or Honey Crisp
• 1 lemon - juiced
• Ingredient 3
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened - you can substitute coconut oil if you want a vegan option
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 3 prunes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon of vanilla

Instructions:

1. Mix together the butter, sugar, prunes, cinnamon, raisins, nutmeg, salt and vanilla. You can mix this at home and take in a small container or jar. I recommend doing this to make it easier.
2. At the campground, peel and core each of your apples.
3. Tear off a small piece of foil for each apple - four in total. And place each apple on a foil piece. Your foil should be large enough to wrap your apples.
4. Pour the lemon juice over each apple being sure to get a little into the interior and exterior of the apple. I typically just slice the lemon and squeeze it over the apples.
5. Stuff each apple with the cinnamon mixture into the core. It is okay if this piles out of the top.
6. Wrap each apple with the foil, closing it around each one.
7. Place your apples into an aluminum pan.
8. Place your pan over the fire on grilling grate. You could also do this over the hot coals.
9. Keep watch over your apples making sure it doesn't get too hot in spots. You can turn the pan once or twice - about every 10 minutes. Bake for approximately 30 minutes total. I check them during the cooking with a pair of tongs. When you start to notice the apples are soft, they are ready.
10. Remove your pan from the fire carefully. Allow your apples to sit for about 5 minutes. Open the packets and serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt. These are so rich and delicious. It is like apple pie without the crust!

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