DIY Marshmallow Roasting Forks

I have been waiting for autumn to officially arrive as it would be the best time to post this clever DIY idea on how to make DIY marshmallow roasting forks. 

My neighbor shared these roasting forks with me over the summer to be used when campfire cooking.  They may not be Pinterest pretty, but are just what you need if you plan to host family and friends for an outdoor gathering. They’ll ensure a fun and relaxing evening around a backyard or camping fire pit, while roasting marshmallows or hot dogs. No DIY skills or tools needed!

DIY Marshmallow Roasting Forks

I quickly learned at Girl Scout camp that when you place a marshmallow on a skewer or stick and hold it over the open flame, bad things can happen. That’s right; they tend to slide down on the skewer when they get hot and fall off into the fire. :-(  When my Girl Scout leader only allotted so many marshmallows per scout, losing one into the fire meant less gooey s’mores for indulging.

We soon figured out how to make a roasting stick with a fork that would hold a marshmallow so it would not slip off. We made them using long dowels and forks.

Back in June we held my older daughter’s pre-wedding festivities at our house.  One of the things we planned was to spend one evening around the fire pit we made last year on the lake side of the house.

I had forgotten all about the roasting sticks I made in Girl Scouts until my neighbor, Diane (yes, same name as me) came over and brought with her, a few marshmallow roasting forks that she made years ago and still uses for an annual neighborhood bonfire that is held on one of the small islands out on the lake every October.

She and her husband are the best neighbors and quite crafty and helpful to us in so many ways. Right now her home is one big production line of crafty holiday goodness that she makes for her church’s annual bazaar, raising thousands of dollars every year.

Seeing the roasting forks took me down memory lane and made me smile.  As I stated above, they may not be Pinterest pretty, but they work very well and are so easy to make. No DIY skills or tools needed.

Having an outdoor fire in the summer is not the ideal time to have a fire when the temps and humidity are both close to 100 degrees, but we did it and enjoyed every minute. There were lots of cold liquid beverages going around to compliment the S’mores we made.

Now that it is fall, I am looking forward to a few crisp and cool evenings where I will need a sweater or hoodie to stay warm around the fire pit while roasting marshmallows…

…and pressing them in between a layer of chocolate and graham cracker goodness.

How to Make DIY Marshmallow Roasting Forks

These are the marshmallow roasting sticks that my neighbor gave me. She told me that she has been using them for years. In the photo above you can see the duct tape holds up for a very long time.  To protect it, you place foil over the end before using it to roast marshmallows or hot dogs.

supplies needed:

• long wooden dowel, broom or paint roller pole
• metal fork
• duct tape
• aluminum foil

Step 1: Hold a metal fork along one top side of a pole. Attach it by winding duct tape around the pole and fork. Add enough duct tape to cover the handle of the fork.  Run your hand over the tape to smooth and make sure that the fork is secure.

Step 2: Wrap a 12″ long piece of foil around the duct tape, making sure to cover the wood on the top of the pole. Smooth the foil, then wrap your hands around it to smush it to the pole.

How to Use a Marshmallow Roasting Fork:

Spear a marshmallow or hot dog on the tines of the fork and roast. After many uses, if the foil starts to get burned or dirty, simply remove the foil and add a fresh piece. To clean the marshmallow roasting forks, just hold the fork over the open flame to burn off residual marshmallow goo. You can also rub a scouring pad over them.

It’s an easy DIY that comes in very handy if you enjoy spending time around an open fire any time of the year.