10 Best Camping Cookbooks for Cooking Outdoors

We love camping as a way to get out and travel more. I also love to cook while I’m camping. Even if you don’t enjoy cooking as much at home, there’s something about cooking over an open flame, or even just outdoors that makes cooking better.

I found these 10 camping cookbooks that help inspire our outdoor adventures in cuisine.

When you are cooking outdoors, do you default to cooking hamburgers and hot dogs? Have you ever thought of venturing outside the traditional?

Especially if you’re camping for an extended period of time, as I imagine most families will do this summer, hamburgers and hot dogs will get old fast.

And, let’s talk desserts. Of course, you can have the traditional s’mores. But what about banana boat s’mores? Or a Dutch oven peach cobbler. You could even get fancy and bake a cake in a Dutch oven over the fire. It all depends on what you have time for.

Some of these books contain the basics and what you need to get started. If you’re starting, go for number 1 or 5 on this list.

Others on this list kick it up a notch and go for the gourmet. If you’re ready to go gourmet, my favorite is found at number 6 and 7. Want to delve into foraging for your food? Check out 9 & 10 too.

The following is my list of the best camping cookbooks. Start at the table of contents here to jump to the one you’re interested in.

All of these camp cookbooks are available at Amazon. You can shop the entire list here.

Most are also available on Bookshop.org. You can shop the complete Bookshop list here or at the buttons below.

1. Easy Campfire Cooking

From sticks to skillets, you’ll find family-friendly recipes that you can use with roasting sticks, foil packs, pie irons, cast iron skillets, and dutch ovens. This is a great starter camping cookbook for anyone who is not as familiar with outdoor cooking.

This is a great cookbook for beginners.

Buy Easy Campfire Cooking on Amazon

2. Scouts Campfire Cookbook for Kids

This one has a lot of fun recipes, even if your kids aren’t scouts. Explore things like Troll Stew, Snake on a Stick, and Dirty Marshmallows that are sure to get your kids to laugh and help cook. A win-win!

This is geared for beginners and younger kids, but would be great for those just starting out or involving the whole family.

Buy The Scouts Cookbook on Amazon.

3. Family Camp Cookbook

Another one for the easy camp, this cookbook takes you back to the very start of cooking outdoors by teaching you how to build a fire, guides for mastering the grill, and even some set-it-and-forget-it (within reason) Dutch oven cooking over the fire. If you’ve got picky teens, there should be enough in this cookbook to satisfy.

Buy The Family Camp Cookbook on Amazon

4. Cast Iron Camping Cookbook

If you’re new to cast iron cooking, this is a great beginner’s guide. Filled with 75 easy, fast, and tasty recipes, this cookbook will make you fall in love with your cast-iron skillets.

I will be honest, I didn’t used to love cast iron pans, but after cooking with them over an open flame, I use them all the time in my home kitchen too.

If you’re looking to get more out of your cast iron, start here.

Buy Cast Iron Camping Cookbook on Amazon.

5. Dutch Oven & Cast Iron Cooking

This one is one of my favorite camping cookbooks. First of all, I love my Lodge cookware and this has something for skillets and dutch ovens that work great over campfires. Better still, this gives me cooking directions for my home oven as well. Plus, it has a lot of pictures to give me a good idea of what something should look like.

I would recommend this for anyone from beginners to experienced outdoor chefs.

You may also like this Gift Guide for Campers.

Buy Dutch Oven and Cast Iron Cookbook on Amazon

6. The Camp & Cabin Cookbook

Just because you’re camping, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy something a little more high-end. The Camp & Cabin Cookbook shows you how to take your outdoor cooking up a notch with recipes such as Dutch Oven Chicken Cacciatore, Paella, or Salt-Crusted Pork Tenderloin. Just imagine how good all of this tastes over an open flame.

This is for the more experienced cook, or anyone who wants to expand their skills.

Buy The Camp and Cabin Cookbook on Amazon

7. The New Camp Cookbook

This is another in the gourmet section and rated the best cookbook of the year. I love that this one is geared not just to camping but road-tripping as well. It is full of advice on planning your meals and packing a cooker. There’s even a recipe for deep-dish pizza in this cookbook.

I’d recommend this cookbook for intermediate to skilled cooks. However, it’s got a lot of great how to, so you can level up quickly.

Buy the New Camp Cookbook on Amazon

8. Camp Cocktails

Camping is more than just eating. The Camp Cocktails cookbook has a lot of easy and fun drinks that are simple. No one wants to pack a lot of ingredients just to make a tasty drink.

This book has some of the best reviews I’ve seen too, giving it nearly a full 5 stars on Amazon.

Buy Camp Cocktails on Amazon.

9. Basic Illustrated Edible Wild Plants and Useful Herbs

Another in the basic illustrated series is the Edible Wild Plant and Useful Herbs. Know what’s safe to eat. Enhance your outdoor experience by foraging for edible wild plants and herbs.

Buy Edible Wild Plants and Useful Herbs on Amazon

10. Complete guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits and Nuts

Another useful guide to finding plants, fruits, mushrooms, and nuts that are safe to eat. It also includes how to prepare and eat them.

But the Complete Guide to Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts on Amazon

Other things you may want to buy to go with your Camping Cookbooks

• Pie Irons – this is a set of 4 Sandwich makers. Go with cast iron. We bought it cheaper and regretted it.
• Cast Iron Skillet – This 3-piece bundle gives you an 8″, 10″, and 12″ cast iron frying pan set.
• Cast Iron Dutch Oven – If you want to do the kind of cooking in a campfire, yes, I said in, then get this dutch oven with a flat lid and legs.
• 3-in-1 Cast Iron Skillet – This is one of my favorite all in one pieces that we own.
• Tripod for outdoor campfire cooking. Or this tripod with a grate.
• Heat Resistant Grill Gloves
• Multispice Container – good for having all your spices in one easy to transport container.

You may also like the Camping Gift guide for camping families found here.

Do you have a favorite recipe or cookbook you use when camping? Share it here in the comments!