Colin FosterBy Colin Foster

Updated November 2026

Cooking biscuits on a campfire is easier than most people expect once you understand heat. The goal is a biscuit with a golden bottom, a soft and fluffy center, and no black char or raw dough in the middle. You can get there with a Dutch oven, a cast iron skillet, or a foil packet, and the method below works with ingredients you can carry in a cooler or a dry bag.

What You Need Before You Start

Campfire biscuits go wrong mostly because of heat, not the recipe. Gather your gear before you light the fire so you are not scrambling while the coals are at their hottest.

Shopping for one? See our guide: Lehman's Campfire Cooking Kettle Pot Review: Pros and Cons.

  • A Dutch oven, 10 or 12 inch, with a tight-fitting lid
  • Or a cast iron skillet with a lid, or a heavy-duty foil sheet
  • Long-handled lid lifter or a pair of heat-resistant gloves
  • A fire pit with a bed of hardwood coals, not active flames
  • A flat shovel or fire tongs for moving coals
  • A thermometer if you have one, or your hand for the 5-second test
  • A mixing bowl, measuring cups, and a spoon or spatula

If you are still building your camp kitchen, the guide to Cooking Over a Campfire Equipment: What You Need and How to Use It covers the broader setup.

Step 1: Build the Right Kind of Fire

Biscuits need steady, moderate heat, not flame. Start a fire with kindling and small splits, then let it burn down until you have a bed of glowing coals with only a few small flames left. This usually takes 30 to 45 minutes after lighting.

How to tell the coals are ready

  • The coals are mostly gray or white on the surface with orange glowing underneath
  • Flames are down to small flickers or none
  • Holding your hand 6 inches above the coals, you can keep it there for about 5 seconds

Avoid cooking over open flames, which scorch the bottoms and leave the tops raw. For more on managing the fire itself, see Cooking Over the Campfire: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners.

Step 2: Mix the Biscuit Dough

You can use store-bought refrigerated biscuits, a dry baking mix, or a from-scratch dough. From-scratch dough made with self-rising flour, cold butter or shortening, and milk is the most reliable for camp because it holds up well. A common ratio is 2 cups of self-rising flour, 1/3 cup cold fat, and about 3/4 cup milk, mixed just until the dough comes together.

Keep the dough cold until it goes in the pot. If you are cooking at a warm campsite, store the bowl in a cooler with ice packs for 20 minutes before baking.

Step 3: Preheat Your Cooking Vessel

Preheating is the step most beginners skip. A cold pan pulls heat out of the dough and leads to flat, dense biscuits.

  1. Place the Dutch oven or skillet on a grate or trivet over the coals, not directly in them.
  2. Add a thin layer of coals to the lid, about 10 to 12 briquette-equivalents for a 12 inch oven.
  3. Let it warm for 5 to 7 minutes.
  4. Grease the pan with a little butter, oil, or shortening, or line it with parchment.

For guidance on picking a vessel that holds heat evenly, read Which Pans for Campfire Cooking Work Best? 5 Types Compared.

Step 4: Arrange the Biscuits and Set the Lid

Place the biscuits in the pan with about 1/2 inch between them so the sides can rise. For a 12 inch Dutch oven, eight to ten standard biscuits fit well.

Put the lid on and add coals on top. The rule of thumb many camp cooks use is more coals on the lid than underneath, roughly a 2:1 ratio, because heat from above sets the top and keeps the rise even. A 12 inch oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit generally takes 3 to 5 coals underneath and 10 to 13 on top, though this varies with fire strength and wind.

Step 5: Control the Heat and Check Doneness

Baking biscuits usually takes 15 to 20 minutes over a campfire. Rotate the lid a quarter turn every 5 minutes to even out the heat. Replace coals that have burned down by adding a few fresh ones from the fire.

Sign What it means What to do
Pale tops, soft center Too little heat or not enough time Add coals to the lid and wait 3 to 5 minutes
Dark bottoms, raw tops Too much heat from below Move the pan off the hottest coals or reduce underneath coals
Golden tops, springy center Done Remove and cool 2 minutes
Doughy line in the middle Dough too thick or heat too low Give 3 to 5 more minutes with lid coals refreshed

A fully baked biscuit should reach about 200 degrees Fahrenheit in the center if you check with a probe thermometer. Without one, pull a biscuit apart; it should look fully set with no wet dough.

Step 6: Serve and Clean Up

Let the biscuits sit in the pan for 2 minutes so they firm up, then transfer them to a plate lined with a clean towel. Brush with melted butter if you like. Let the pan cool before cleaning, and wipe cast iron while still warm with a little oil to prevent rust.

Alternative Methods

Cast iron skillet

A 10 inch skillet with a lid works well. Set it on a grate over medium coals, cover, and bake with coals on the lid, following the same ratio. Check at 12 minutes.

Foil packet

For a single-serving option, form a biscuit around a stick or wrap a few pieces in a double layer of heavy foil. Place on a grill grate over coals, turning every 3 to 4 minutes for about 12 to 15 minutes. Foil works best for small batches and is less forgiving than a lidded pan. The article Cooking on a Campfire in Foil: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners explains the technique in more detail.

Common Mistakes

  • Cooking over flames. Wait until the coals are gray and glowing. Flames char the bottoms.
  • Skipping preheating. A cold pan produces flat, heavy biscuits.
  • Packing the pan too tight. Biscuits need room to rise, or they fuse together and stay doughy in the middle.
  • Using too much coal underneath. Bottom heat outpaces top heat and burns the base before the top sets.
  • Opening the lid too often. Each peek drops the temperature. Check only at the 12 to 15 minute mark.
  • Using warm dough. Keep fat cold so the biscuits rise and stay flaky.

Tips for Better Campfire Biscuits

  • Use self-rising flour to skip measuring baking powder and salt.
  • Bring a small jar of pre-measured dry mix to speed up prep at camp.
  • Cook a test biscuit first to learn how your fire behaves.
  • Keep a bag of fresh coals or a few dry splits nearby for quick top-ups.
  • Wind shifts quickly change heat, so reposition the pan if smoke is blowing into it.

A lidded cast iron Dutch oven gives the most consistent results for biscuits, because the lid holds heat on top the way an oven does. Look for a 10 or 12 inch size with a flanged lid so you can stack coals on it without them sliding off.

A lid lifter with a long handle keeps your hands away from the heat when rotating coals. Heavy-duty gloves rated for high heat are useful when you move coals on and off the lid.

A small fire tool kit with a shovel and tongs makes it easier to place coals precisely. A hanging grate or a sturdy trivet keeps the pan level over the bed of coals.

FAQ

Can I use canned biscuits for campfire cooking?

Yes. Refrigerated canned biscuits are a convenient option. Place them in a greased pan with room between each one and follow the same heat control steps. They often bake a little faster, so start checking at 10 minutes.

How many coals do I need for a Dutch oven?

For a 12 inch oven at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit, plan on roughly 3 to 5 coals underneath and 10 to 13 on the lid. Smaller ovens need fewer coals. Adjust based on how the biscuits look at the first check.

Why are my campfire biscuits raw in the middle?

The usual causes are too little heat on top, a dough layer that is too thick, or opening the lid too often. Add coals to the lid, give them a few more minutes, and confirm the center is fully set before removing.

Why do the bottoms burn before the tops are done?

Too much heat is coming from underneath. Move the pan to a cooler part of the fire bed or reduce the coals beneath it, and add a few more to the lid.

Can I cook biscuits without a Dutch oven?

Yes. A lidded cast iron skillet works well using the same method. A heavy foil packet is another option, though it needs more turning and watching.

Do I need to grease the pan?

Yes. A thin layer of butter, oil, or shortening prevents sticking. Parchment paper also works and makes cleanup easier.

Can I make biscuits ahead of time for a camping trip?

You can mix dry ingredients at home and carry them in a sealed bag. Cut in the cold fat and mix in the milk at camp for the best rise. Pre-baked biscuits can be reheated wrapped in foil over low coals.

Conclusion

Cooking biscuits on a campfire comes down to steady coals, a preheated pan, and balanced heat from above and below. Start with a good bed of glowing coals, keep the dough cold, and check doneness at the 12 to 15 minute mark. Once you have made a batch or two, you will know your fire well enough to bake confidently on any trip.

Ready to choose one?

Colin Foster

About Colin Foster

Colin Foster is part of our editorial team and reviews and edits our camping know-how guides, checking product details against manufacturer specifications and owner feedback.