Camping Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler is a cherished, traditional treat the world over. This recipe is simple and delicious. Whether you are in the great outdoors or your backyard, get ready for a campfire treat that everyone will love!

Dutch Over Peach Cobbler is a camping staple that can even convince non-campers to brave the great outdoors: “What? you’re making dutch oven peach cobbler? Okay, I’ll come.” Who doesn’t love a campfire treat that is made in a rustic way but comes out like a delicious dessert you could serve to a queen? This easy recipe uses half and half and cold, grated butter to form a rich and delicious, creamy batter that your peaches simmer in, inside the dutch oven.

You can make this recipe while you are camping or at home. It makes a large dessert, so be sure to have your family or friends there to enjoy the “fruits” of your labor. You can top the treat with ice cream, whipped cream, cool whip or nothing at all. You will love the rich and crispy cake contrasted with the sweet, soft peaches. Brace yourself for delicious gone wild!

Can I make this recipe at home instead of camping?

Yes. You don’t have to be camping to enjoy the yumminess of dutch oven cooking. You can use hot coals wherever you have a fire friendly space in your yard. That can be atop a charcoal grill, or in a fire pit or even a patio if proper precautions are taken. Alternately, you can cook this dutch oven treat in an actual oven. Simply prepare the ingredients per the instructions, and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 60 minutes or until the edges of the crust are golden brown.

How can I make peach cobbler easier to prepare while camping?

You can combine and prepare several of the ingredients before leaving your home. I recommend combining the dry ingredients for the topping in a resealable plastic bag, and the dry ingredients for the peaches in another. You can also grate the cold butter in advance and store it in an airtight container in your cooler, which makes that part of preparation easier—it is important that the butter be in small clumps inside the batter when it is made. The peaches, vanilla, sugar and lemon zest can also be prepared in advance, and stored in an airtight container that won’t leak. Keep the cornstarch separate until you are combing the ingredients before cooking.

Dutch Oven cooking with charcoal briquettes:

Dutch Oven cooking is a classic cooking method to use while camping. If you’ve never done it before,  it can seem intimidating. In reality, dutch oven cooking with charcoal briquettes is really quite simple if you follow a few easy steps.

CHARCOAL PREPARATION: First, you’ll want to prepare your charcoals. You can do this easily using a charcoal starter. Simply place some crumbled newspaper in the bottom and fill the starter with charcoal briquettes. Then light the newspaper and allow the charcoals to burn for 15 minutes. If you don’t have a charcoal starter, you can stack your charcoal into a pyramid-like structure instead and light in a similar fashion using newspaper, or lighter fluid.

USING CHARCOAL FOR COOKING: Once the charcoal is prepared,  you’ll use tongs to transfer each briquette to a fire safe location to set up your cooking method.

CHARCOAL STOVE: If you want to replicate an indoor stovetop, you’ll want to apply heat to only the bottom of your cast iron dutch oven. This will allow you to saute meat or vegetables, boil water, or any other cooking method you’d use on a regular stovetop. Depending on the temperature outside, you may want to keep a lid handy to help the cast iron retain heat. With the lid on, steam will be trapped inside so keep that in mind so you don’t inadvertently steam meats or vegetables.

CHARCOAL OVEN: By placing charcoal on both the bottom of your cast iron dutch oven as well as the lid, you create an outdoor oven. Just as it’s important to keep the door shut on your indoor oven, it’s equally important to keep the lid on your outdoor dutch oven.  Lifting the lid frequently will drop the temperature inside the dutch oven significantly and prevent your food from baking properly.

CHARCOAL BROILER: Broiling is a top down heating method where intense heat is applied from above. To broil in a cast iron dutch oven, you’ll want to apply charcoal briquettes on the lid only.

How many charcoal briquettes to use in dutch oven cooking:

How many charcoal briquettes you need in dutch oven cooking will depend on the size of your dutch oven and the desired temperature you want to cook at. A good all purpose cast iron dutch oven is 12 inches in diameter, but they are also sold in other sizes as well.

CHARCOAL PLACEMENT: The placement of your charcoal briquettes will depend on what cooking style you are trying to use, the size of your cast iron dutch oven, and the temperature you are trying to achieve.  Use the handy cooking guide below to adjust any dutch oven recipe to your dutch oven size and recipe.

Can I use fresh peaches or frozen peaches instead of canned?

Yes. If you plan on using fresh peaches, you can peel and slice them in advance if you like or make it a camping activity. It will call for about 24 fresh peaches. If you would rather use frozen peaches, it will take about 6 (16-ounce) bags.

PRO TIP: When using canned peaches, be sure to purchase peaches in juices rather than peaches in syrup. This will allow you to control the sugar content of whatever you are cooking.