Campfire Pie Iron Recipes (& Tips!)

I have long cooked meals over the campfire in dutch ovens but only recently discovered how fun it is to cook with pie irons. If you are not familiar with pie irons, they are a two sided cast iron (and sometime aluminum) cooker on sticks with handles. You place food inside, clamp it shut, and cook it over the campfire. You can make just about anything in it and is a great way to create meals while camping with very little clean up! Some people call them hobo pies while other say pudgy pies or mountain pies. Whatever you call them, they are a delicious and fun way to make meals while camping. Here are my favorite campfire pie iron recipes and tips so you are ready for your next camping trip!

This post is sponsored by HomeRight but all ideas and opinions are 100% my own. This post also contains affiliate links.

​Where to buy Pie Irons

You can find then at just about any camping and sporting goods store. Amazon has a lot of options as well. There is a big range of prices, so shop around to find the best deal. I found mine at Walmart. They were $10 each and I got one for each family member. They are such a fun way to up your campfire cooking game!

Season Your Pie Iron

Even if the packaging states that it is pre-seasoned, you should still season your cast iron pie iron before use. As I was reading the reviews on various irons, the number one reason someone gave it a bad review was that their food stuck to the inside of the pie iron. Seasoning it yourself will ensure that your food will pop right out, just like mine in this post. To season your pie iron, coat it with a thin coat vegetable oil or any oil that can handle high heat. Place it in the oven at 450 degrees for 1 hour. I place mine upside down so in case there is any excess oil, it can drip out instead of forming a thick area on the inside. 

Preparing Your Open Fire For Cooking

Prepare your wood however you like. I like the teepee method. Then light your fire. I use my Electro-Torch from HomeRight to start fires in my backyard fire pit. I like that it is a chemical free way to get my fire lit FAST! It really doesn't take long at all to have a roaring open flame. 

You will want to wait until the fire dies down a bit. The cast iron will cook more evenly if you cook over coals instead of flames.

TIP: Hold your pie iron so it is as horizontal (flat) as possible. If it is at an angle or leaning down, the corner or edge closest to the coals will cook faster than everything else. You can also use a rock and prop the long handle in the right position so you don't have to hold it the whole time. 

Campfire Pie Iron Recipes

I know I am going to sound over enthusiastic when I say this, but the possibilities are endless! You can make everything from burritos to cinnamon rolls. The only limit is your creativity.

The most common way to create meals in the pie iron, that I have seen, is to use pieces of bread and then your own filling. Slices of bread are a very easy thing to use, especially when camping. However, unless I am making a sandwich, I really like to use dough. If I am making a dessert, I use puff pastry. If I am making pizza, I use pizza dough, and If I am making a breakfast, I use biscuit dough.

TIP: If you are using a dough that rises as it cooks, it may start to ooze out the sides if you add too much. I try to keep the dough pretty thin and keep it well within the square (not right up to the edges). If it does ooze out, no problem! Use a knife to scrape it off and keep cooking. Use a bit less dough the next time. Cook until the bread (or dough) is golden brown. 

Cleaning a Pie Iron

In between each use, wipe out with a paper towel and then spray with cooking spray again before adding more food. When you are done using it for the day, simply wash with clean water and a plastic or nylon scrubber. Just like with other cast iron pans, avoid using soap. You can also use salt as an abrasive to get tough dried food off. If you have an aluminum pie iron, clean with soapy water. Make sure it is all the way dry before storing it away so that the cast iron won't rust.

Campfire Pie Iron Pizza Pockets

Pizza pockets are one of my kid's favorite campfire pie iron recipes. You can buy pizza dough in a roll and just pop it open when you are ready. Use a knife to cut it into little squares. Make sure to grease it before you add the dough (or slice of bread). Even though it is seasoned, you still need to grease it before each use. I like to spray olive oil cooking spray in the pie iron.

The add your pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and toppings. Another layer of thin dough and you are ready to cook it over the fire. Making a personal pizza is the perfect way to get the entire family involved in the cooking process. 

Pie Iron Cherry Pie

Puff pastry for the win! It doesn't get any easier than this. Grease the pie iron and then add a layer of dough, canned pie filling, and then another layer of dough. You can also use pie crust or croissant dough. I did add cinnamon sugar to the outside of the dough the first time I made these and found that it just turns sticky because of the moisture in the oil when I greased the pan. So now I add it AFTER they are cooked.

Pie iron cherry pies are my favorite thing we have made so far. You could even mix up a thin frosting ahead of time to drizzle over them. This is an easy way to create a yummy dessert. Change the type of dessert by using other sweet fillings like nutella, chocolate chips, or marshmallows. 

Pie Iron Breakfast Sandwiches

I use canned biscuit dough for this recipe, but bread would work as well. I also used scrambled eggs but you could use a raw egg. Just make sure it is fully cooked before eating. Add some cheese and a precooked sausage patty and you are minutes away from a hot breakfast! 

Other Recipe Ideas For Your Pie Iron!

Paninis and hot sandwiches *  Stuffed French Toast * Cookies * Chicken Pot Pies * Sloppy Joes * Quesadillas * Apple Pies * Brownies * Hash Browns * S'Mores

Pro Tip: Prep Ahead of Time 

This tip is for meals while camping in general and not just for pie irons. It helps us eat well while in the mountains while making it so we are spending our whole time prepping, cooking, and cleaning up. Anything you can do ahead of time will make it so it is easier to cook while camping. If you are having pulled pork sandwiches, make the pulled pork ahead of time and place in a gallon sized baggie in your cooler so you can simply add that as a filling. Cook ground beef up at home. Chop up veggies, peel potatoes and carrots, and mix up dressing. Think of ways you can prep food ahead of time so you can save time and clean up while camping. Then you can spend more time on your adventure in the great outdoors! 

Have you ever used pie irons before? What is your favorite campfire pie iron recipes to make in them? I'd love to get even more ideas!