Flat of strawberries

Camp Grilled Donuts with Fresh Berry Sauce

ByNate Hoffman

A campfire dessert so good, they’ll line up three times.

The Backstory

This recipe was born back when I was Cub Master for Pack 256, trying to get more parents involved in our campouts. My strategy? Bribe them with food. I’d go all out building extravagant, restaurant-quality menus to cook in the woods—yes, even when none of the scouts cared how artisanal their dinner was.

But here’s the thing: good food got the parents to show up. And more importantly, it got them to drive their kids to the campouts.

I had one rule: no dinner plate for parents until they signed up for two events that year. I’d hold their plates back just long enough to get a signature. They were starving, they were in the woods, and they’d agree to anything. And it worked—we went from 3% parent participation to over 70%.

The food felt like a real treat. Parents walked away from dinner feeling like they got something special, not just kid-friendly slop. And over time, I built out a playbook of go-to recipes that were scalable, easy, and made people feel like they were at a backcountry bistro.

That’s when this idea hit me: grill up glazed donuts and dunk them in a cold, homemade berry sauce. It’s warm. It’s sweet. It’s stupid easy. And it absolutely crushes.

Ingredients

For a crowd (about 60 servings):

  • 5 dozen glazed donuts (Krispy Kreme works great, store-bought is totally fine)
  • 1 flat of fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries—your pick)
    • FYI: A flat of strawberries is ~192 oz or 12 baskets.
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Balsamic glaze, to taste

Equipment

If you’re cooking for a big crew while camping, I highly recommend the Camp Chef EX60LW Explorer 2-Burner Stove and flat top griddle with carry bag. It handles bulk cooking like a champ.

Instructions

1. Make the Berry Sauce

  • Toss your berries, a pinch of sea salt, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze into a blender.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Season to taste—some berries are sweet enough, others need a little more glaze.
  • Chill the sauce. Cold sauce + hot donut = magic.

2. Grill the Donuts

  • Preheat your griddle or grate over medium heat.
  • Grill donuts 10–15 seconds per side, until caramelized but not burnt.
  • Use tongs. Seriously—these things get lava-hot and will burn the hell out of your fingers.
  • Dip in cold berry sauce.
  • Plop on a mess kit or plate, and serve.

Pro Tip:

They’ll line up three times—once to try it, once because they “didn’t get one,” and a third time just because it’s that good. Plan accordingly.

Leftover berry sauce? Don’t toss it. It’s perfect on pancakes, oatmeal, or even stirred into yogurt the next morning. Total camp breakfast upgrade.


Want more camping food hacks for large groups? I’ve got dozens—literally. Let me know if you want the full “feeding 150 people in the woods without losing your mind” guide.