These Campfire Haystack Cookies start with an easy homemade cookie mix, and are made over a fire. The perfect camping dessert recipe!

When planning for our big fall trip, I got it in my head to make my no bake chocolate haystack cookies over a campfire.

While we do have a little air fryer / mini oven in the RV, I figured that no bake cookies sounded like a better idea. Why heat up a camper unnecessarily, when you can make a no bake dessert while sitting at a campfire and enjoying the view?

The best part? You can get most of the ingredients for this delicious cookie recipe prepped before your trip!

I’m a huge fan of doing as much food prep ahead of time, and tend to make a bunch of mixes before our long trips.

Cabbage Roll Soup Mix, Egg Roll Soup Mix, Gingerbread Latte [Protein Powder Mix], Hot Chocolate Mix [Protein Powder Mix], Instant Camping Pancake Mix, Instant Cream of Chicken Soup [Protein Powder Mix], Italian Wedding Soup Mix... I might go a bit overboard, but hey - it saves me time and effort when on the road.

In the case of the batch of these chocolate haystack cookies we photographed for this post, that was time better spent outside at Quetico Provincial Park, enjoying the view from the back of our site!

Convenient Cookies!

I like to make several batches of the mix portion of this haystack cookie recipe before a trip, then they’re super convenient to whip up anytime a craving for chocolate haystacks hits.

Then, it’s just a few simple, staple ingredients - that we generally have on hand - and a few minutes of effort until we have a decadent treat to enjoy.

Being able to cook these no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies over a campfire also means that they’re a great option any time of year you may be camping.

They’ll set up faster in the cooler months - and you might want to let them cool inside your camper during the buggy months - but overall, just a really great, easy treat that’s sure to be a huge hit with the whole family!

Anyway, let’s get to that recipe!

Ingredients

This no bake cookie recipe uses a few really simple ingredients - you won’t have any trouble finding them in any grocery store. (Even in really small town ones, on the road!)

As always, I have a few ingredient notes for you:

Rolled Oats

Be sure to use Rolled Oats, rather than instant or quick oats.

If you need this recipe to be gluten free, use certified Gluten Free Rolled Oats.

Coconut

Generally speaking, I use Sweetened Flaked Coconut in this recipe.

That said, I HAVE used Unsweetened Coconut a few times, when I couldn’t find sweetened coconut in my pantry. Worked just fine!

Granulated Sugar

If you want a deeper chocolate flavour - almost brownie like - you can substitute up to half of the sugar for the same volume of packed Brown Sugar.

Milk

Originally, I used to make my Traditional Chocolate Haystack Cookie Recipe with 2% dairy milk.

We’ve long since moved away from keeping dairy milk on hand, so we’ve made these with various types of plant based milk - really, whatever we have on hand at the time.

That usually ends up being Unsweetened Almond Milk, but Oat milk, Cashew Milk, and Flax Milk have all worked fantastically in this recipe.

Everything Else

Rounding out this recipe, you will need:

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Butter
Pure Vanilla Extract
Salt

In terms of equipment and supplies - beyond the basics - you’re going to want a heat safe bowl, a sharpie marker, a large freezer baggie, and a medium freezer baggie.

If you’re making more than one batch of mix, have one set of medium/large freezer baggies for every batch of cookie mix you’re making.

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How to Make Campfire Haystack Cookies

The full recipe is in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through:

Make the Cookie Mix

Using a Sharpie, label the large freezer bag with the recipe name - Haystack Cookies - the ingredients and amounts listed under “To use the mix”, and whatever directions you need (see below).

Measure the oats and coconut into the large bag, shake well to combine.

Measure the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt into the medium baggie, shake to combine. Carefully press out any excess air, and seal.

Place the medium baggie of ingredients into the large baggie of ingredient.

Press out excess air, seal, and store in a cool dark place until use.

To Use the Cookie Mix:

Get a hot fire going.

As that’s heating up, remove the medium baggie of ingredients from the large bag, set aside. Empty the contents of the large baggie into a large, heat-proof mixing bowl or pot.

Spread a large section of parchment paper (NOT wax paper!) over your picnic table, or line baking sheets. Set aside.

Pro tip: If bugs are an issue when you’re making your cookies, do the baking sheets. You’ll be able to carry your cookies into your tent or camper to cool!

Measure the butter and milk into a medium saucepan, place over the fire and allow the butter to melt.

Once the butter is melted, add the medium baggie of ingredients, stir well to combine.

Bring the chocolate mixture up to a boil, allow to boil for 2-4 minutes. (2 for softer cookies, 3 or 4 for slightly firmer cookies that set up faster!).

Once the time is up, remove the pot from the fire.

Stir in the vanilla, carefully - it’ll steam and bubble up.

Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl with oats and coconut, stir to coat everything evenly.

Using two spoons (or a cookie scoop), drop mounds of the cookie mixture onto the prepared work surface or prepared baking sheet, forming little haystacks.

Allow cookies to fully cool – cookies will harden and set up as they reach room temperature.

Once hardened, store your haystack cookies in an airtight container - we’ll usually keep them in a large freezer baggie.

These will keep a week or more at room temperature - they don’t need to be refrigerated.

... assuming they go uneaten that long, anyway!

More Camping Recipes

Looking for great ideas to cook on a campfire, or in an RV? Here's a few simple recipes to start with!

Apple Fritter Bread Pudding
Apple Fritter French Toast
Banana Protein Pancakes
Cabbage Roll Soup Mix [Just Add Meat and Water!]
Campfire Chili
Camping Breakfast Skillet
Camping Tacos, 2 Ways
Dutch Oven Pulled Chicken
Egg Roll Soup Mix [Just Add Meat and Water!]
Gingerbread Latte [Protein Powder Mix]
Hobo Eggs
Homemade Mushroom Jerky
Hot Chocolate Mix [Protein Powder Mix]
Instant Camping Pancake Mix
Instant Cream of Chicken Soup [Protein Powder Mix]
Italian Wedding Soup Mix
Jalapeno Cheddar Bannock
No Bake Cornflake Cookies
Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
Pepperoni Jerky
Pumpkin Chai Latte [Protein Powder Mix]
The Ultimate S'Mores Board
Traditional Bannock
Vegan Tofu Jerky

A plate of campfire chocolate haystack cookies on a picnic table, in front of a bag of homemade cookie mix.

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5 from 1 vote

Campfire Haystack Cookies

These Campfire Haystack Cookies start with an easy homemade cookie mix, and are made over a fire. The perfect camping dessert recipe!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Drying time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Cookies (Approx)

Calories: 117kcal

Equipment

Sharpie Marker
1 Large Freezer Baggie
1 Medium Freezer Baggie

Ingredients

Cookie Mix:

3 Cups Rolled Oats
1 Cup Coconut
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
½ Cup Cocoa Powder
¼ teaspoon Salt

To Use the Mix:

½ Cup Butter
½ Cup Milk
2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Cookie Mix:

Using a Sharpie, label the large freezer bag with the recipe name - Haystack Cookies - the ingredients and amounts listed under “To use the mix”, and whatever directions you need (see below).
Measure the oats and coconut into the large bag, shake well to combine.
Measure the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt into the medium baggie, shake to combine. Carefully press out any excess air, and seal.
Place the medium baggie of ingredients into the large baggie of ingredient. Press out excess air, seal, and store in a cool dark place until use.

To Use the Mix:

Get a hot fire going.
As that’s heating up, remove the medium baggie of ingredients from the large bag, set aside.
Empty the contents of the large baggie into a large, heat-proof mixing bowl or pot.
Spread a large section of parchment paper over your picnic table, or line a couple large cookie sheets, set aside.
Measure the butter and milk into a small or medium pot, place over the fire and allow the butter to melt.
Once the butter is melted, add the medium baggie of ingredients, stir well to combine.
Bring the chocolate mixture up to a boil, allow to boil for 2-4 minutes. (2 for softer cookies, 3 or 4 for slightly firmer cookies that set up faster!).
Once the time is up, remove the pot from the fire.
Stir in the vanilla, carefully - it’ll steam and bubble up.
Pour the hot chocolate mixture into the bowl with oats and coconut, stir to coat everything evenly.
Using two spoons, drop mounds of the cookie mixture onto the prepared work surface or pans.
Allow cookies to fully cool – cookies will harden and set up as they cool.

Notes

Store in an airtight container – these will keep a long time, assuming they go uneaten that long!

Nutrition

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