Our 5 Fall-Favorite Recipes For Cozy Campfire Meals

While summer is a popular time to go camping, there is something amazing about enjoying the outdoors in the fall. The days are still pleasantly warm, but the nights are cool, perfect for bundling up by the fire and drinking something hot. It's also a great time to practice your cooking skills on the campfire with delicious fall meals. After all, while you can have a fire in the summer, it isn't always pleasant when the ambient temperature is already so hot, but in the fall cooking and spending time by the flames doesn't seem as daunting or frustrating. 

If you're not looking to go seasonal, there are plenty of camping recipes beyond the simple s'mores and hot dogs. However, sometimes it's nice to take advantage of foods that grow and are popular during the season. Fruits and vegetables like apples, pumpkins, broccoli, brussels sprouts, a variety of squashes, and carrots are all classic fall ingredients and make for delicious camping ingredients. Many of these fruits and vegetables, as well as some delicious autumn meals, make an appearance in the list of our favorite cozy campfire meals for the season below.

Though they appear fairly similar, brats and hot dogs aren't the same. They're more the cooler cousin. They have plenty of flavor and can be made in several different ways. Like hot dogs, you can cook them on a grill, or place them on a stick to heat up over the fire. 

However, for a more flavorful and filling meal, you can also make brats in a cast iron skillet. Mix them with peppers and onions, or pour in some beer and add sauerkraut – a classic meal for Oktoberfest in the fall. If you're using uncooked brats, this may be the better option, as it lets the brat cook more evenly and fully. If you want to grill them over the campfire and are nervous they won't be cooked all the way, you can precook them at home for an easier time. Or, if you are looking for a faster way to cook your bratwurst on the campfire, make sure you don't forget to pack the pot or pan lid on your camping trip. While the brats will still cook without one, it makes the whole process easier, and you don't have to worry about bugs and leaves falling into the pan. 

If you happen to forget your pan and lid, don't worry. You can also mix the brats and some vegetables into a foil packet and place it in the fire. The meat will retain all of its flavor and moisture, cook evenly, and help to season the other items in the foil packet. 

Precooking your meal can make the process much faster so you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying the great outdoors. For this recipe, you can precook almost all of the ingredients. Even if you decide to do most of the work while out in the wilderness, getting your mise en place all done at home can make it easy to throw everything together without leaving you a big mess to clean up.

Squash is a classic fall and winter ingredient, and there are so many to choose from, including acorn, spaghetti, butternut, delicata, and of course pumpkin. The easiest way to use a squash and reduce your need for bowls and plates is to stuff them. Stuffed pumpkin is easy to make on a campfire, especially if you precook and prep most of your ingredients. You can stuff pumpkins with pretty much anything. If you are using food like meat or rice, consider making them before you head out on your camping adventure to speed up your cooking time and reduce the risk of it being undercooked.

Then, when you go camping, all you have to do is chop up some ingredients, pour them into the pumpkin, and cook it. Aim for personal sizes, that way you don't have to cut them open to share. While you can throw a pumpkin directly into the coals, if you wrap it in foil first, you don't have to deal with a charred mess on the outside when it's done. Then, let it cool so it's not hot to the touch, and dig right in with a spoon or fork!

Mulled wine is a delicious drink, kind of like the winter and fall alternative to summer sangria. For those chilly nights when you're looking for something warm but offering more flavor and punch than hot chocolate, this spiced drink is the perfect alternative, though, of course, it's only for those of a legal drinking age. 

All you need is a red wine of your choice, cinnamon sticks, sugar, ginger, cloves, and fresh orange juice. Combine everything into a pot and cook for at least 30 minutes on a low fire or still-warm embers. It's an easy drink, and delicious. The spices add a punch of flavor and the warmth takes the chill off of those cooler evenings. Like other dishes, if you don't want to bother bringing all of these whole spices, you can cook it on low at home for 30 minutes to an hour, and pack it up to take with you. All of the flavors will remain in the wine, and you just have to heat it back up. 

If you forgot to pack a pot, don't worry, you can make a small pot out of aluminum foil for the perfect serving of mulled wine. While you can't heat up a lot at once, you can create individual servings, especially if you've premixed it at home. Also, if you want to make the drink even simpler, there are mulled wine packets available in stores with all the flavors you need mixed together. For a non-alcoholic version of this drink, swap the wine for apple cider or a mix of cranberry and pomegranate juice. 

Skewers are one of the most fun ways to cook campfire meals. You can use them for hotdogs, bread, kebabs, and s'mores of course. If you're looking for an easy dessert that doesn't involve chocolate and marshmallows, apple pie on a stick is a perfect fall alternative. 

There are a few ways to make this delicious snack, depending on how far in advance you plan it out. The easiest, and most last-minute method is to take an apple, put it on a skewer, and roast it. Once the skin is loose enough you can peel it off, do so, and then coat it in traditional apple pie spices like cinnamon and ginger, or a classic cinnamon and sugar mix. Then roast the apples again until they have a delicious glaze. If you want a bit of a coating, you can also cover or dip the apple with granola. Though it's not quite a pie, it is an amazing and warm roasted snack perfect for a fall camping trip. 

Potatoes are a classic campfire meal, but why not change it up? Instead of using a standard potato, try a sweet potato on your next camping trip. You can go classic, with sugar, marshmallows, and pecans, or you can go for a spicy and sweet combination by making something like a jalapeno popper sweet potato. 

You can even eat them alongside another dish. Try slicing them down the middle and topping them with chili or incorporating them into a taco bowl. Like other dishes on this list, you can pre-make everything in advance, so all you have to worry about is warming up your dish and the potato for a quick but incredibly filling meal. 

Like regular potatoes, you can wrap them in foil and bake them in the coals of the fire. Then, cut them open and stuff in the items of your choice. Potatoes, even sweet ones, are incredibly versatile and make for a perfect food for any camping adventure. They're low-maintenance and easy to prep. They're also nutrient-dense and even contain more nutrients and fewer calories than white potatoes. It's the perfect addition for a campfire trip when you may otherwise not eat a lot of healthy foods.