Campfire Peach Pecan Baked Oatmeal Foil Packets
Stir rolled oats, milk, sliced peaches, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans together, then seal the mix in double-layer foil packets. Set them on a grate over medium coals for 15 to 18 minutes, flipping once. Let them rest 3 minutes, open carefully, and eat straight from the foil in about 30 minutes total.
These packets turn plain oats into a warm, soft, peachy breakfast with almost no cleanup. You stir the mix in one bowl, pour it into foil, and let the coals do the rest. The foil is your bowl.
The oats soak up the milk as they steam, so they come out creamy, not dry. Pecans add crunch and a little butter makes it rich. Use heavy-duty foil and double it, because this packet holds liquid.
Campfire Peach Pecan Baked Oatmeal Foil Packets
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals
- Pack weight
- 3 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler optional
- No stove
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- Heavy-duty foil
- Campfire grate
- Long tongs
- Heat-proof gloves
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Spoons
- Cutting board and knife
Steps
-
Build the coal bed
Burn your fire down to medium coals with no big flames. Set a grate over the coals, about 4 to 6 inches above them. You should be able to hold your hand over the grate for 5 to 6 seconds.
-
Mix the oatmeal
In a large bowl, stir the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, milk and vanilla until the sugar dissolves. Fold in half the peaches and half the pecans.
-
Prep the foil
Tear off 8 sheets of heavy-duty foil, about 18 inches each. Stack them in pairs and lightly grease the top of each pair. Turn up the edges to make a shallow bowl.
-
Fill the packets
Divide the oat mixture among the four foil bowls, about 1 cup each. Top each with a pat of butter.
-
Seal tight
Bring the long sides together and fold over twice. Then fold and crimp each end twice. Leave a little air space inside for steam. Check for leaks by tilting each packet gently.
-
Cook the packets
Lay the packets flat on the grate. Cook 15 to 18 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point with tongs. Move them to a cooler spot if the foil starts to scorch.
-
Rest and open
Pull the packets off the heat and let them sit 3 minutes. Open one corner and let steam escape away from your face, then peel back the top. The oats should be soft and thick, not runny.
-
Top and serve
Scatter the rest of the peaches and pecans over each packet. Drizzle with maple syrup or honey and eat right from the foil with a spoon.
Trail Notes
At home, mix the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and pecans in a zip bag. At camp, pour in the milk and vanilla, add the peaches, and fill the foil. It saves you measuring in the dirt.
Keep milk in the cooler at 40°F or below until you use it. Wash fresh peaches before slicing. Don't use milk that has sat out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F.
Use shelf-stable milk, or mix 3/4 cup powdered milk into the dry mix and add 3 cups of water at camp. Swap the fresh peaches for canned or dried fruit.
Let the foil cool, then pack it out with your trash. Never bury foil or leave it in the fire ring. Spread cooled ash and douse your coals fully before you leave.
Campers ask
Can you cook oatmeal in a foil packet over a campfire?
Yes. Mix rolled oats with milk, seal them in double-layer heavy-duty foil, and steam over medium coals for 15 to 18 minutes. The oats absorb the liquid inside the packet.
How do you keep foil packets from leaking?
Use two layers of heavy-duty foil and fold the seam over twice. Crimp the ends tight and keep the packets flat on the grate. Check for leaks before they go on the heat.
Can I use instant oats instead of rolled oats?
You can, but they get mushy fast. If you use them, cut the cook time to about 10 minutes and cut the milk to 2 1/2 cups.
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