Warm quick-breads like cornbread are a wonderful staple of campsite cooking. And when you take something as awesome as cornbread and cook it in pie irons – it just gets better. Nothing could be a more perfect complement to Cast Iron Dutch Oven Chili than pie iron cornbread.
This cornbread is quick and easy to make, quick-cooking, and delicious! The batter can be made ahead of time so it minimizes clean up at the campsite. Plus, if you use the premixed muffin mix – it’s only 3 ingredients. Or if you want to really make it special – you can throw any number of additions into the batter. The extras can be added at the time of cooking so each person can create their own personal cornbread just how they like it. There’s really no reason NOT to make this on your next camping trip.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Serves: 2-4 people
Ingredients:
- 1 package Jiffy cornbread muffin mix
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk
- butter (for greasing the pie irons)
Optional Add-Ins:
- bacon bits
- green chiles
- shredded cheese
- blueberries
- diced red/yellow/orange/green pepper
Extra Equipment Needed at the Campsite:
- Round or square pie irons
- Charcoal (about 10-15 pieces)
- Wooden cutting board (or some other heat proof surface to place pie irons on)
- Hot pads or BBQ gloves (pie irons are VERY hot when they come out of the fire)
Before You Leave Home
The only thing you need to do at home with this recipe is prepare the batter.
Mix the dry muffin mixture, the egg, and the milk together stirring just until everything is moist. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Now, simply take a ziptop plastic bag (quart size fits one box of muffin mix perfectly) and place the batter in it. Keep this refrigerated until you’re ready to add it to your cooler.
Making Your Pie Iron Cornbread
The first step in pie iron cooking is to prepare your cooking area. Place your charcoal briquettes as close together as possible (or use a charcoal starter) and light them. Let them burn until they are white-hot.
After they are lit and beginning to warm up, place your pie irons in the cooking area to warm up. Cast iron works best when it’s pre-heated.
Once the cooking area is ready and your pie irons are hot, carefully pull them off the heat, open them, and generously butter both inside surfaces.
Cut off a small corner of your ziptop plastic bag with the cornbread batter and squeeze about a quarter of the mix into each pie iron (you’ll repeat this cooking step one more time if you only have 2 pie irons to work with). If you’re adding extras to your batter – this is the time to do it. Just throw the extras (bacon bits, cheese, etc) on top of the batter.
Close your pie irons, clip them shut, and place them on the fire for 4 minutes. Because the batter is very runny, it’s a good idea to try and keep the pie irons as level as possible until the batter sets up.
Next, flip to the other side and cook for 4 more minutes. At this point, check for doneness by carefully removing the pie irons from the fire and peeking at the cornbread. The cornbread will be golden brown and completely set up in the middle when it’s done.
If the cornbread needs a bit more time, re-clip your pie irons and return to the cooking area. Check again after a minute or two. Be careful not to cook your cornbread too long or you’ll have very dry cornbread.
Enjoy this cornbread while still warm if possible. Your pie iron cornbread can be served with chili on top or as a side with butter and honey or jam.
- Explore more of our easy pie iron recipes.
Pie Iron Cornbread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package Jiffy Cornbread Muffin Mix
- 1/3 Cup milk
- butter – (for greasing the pie irons)
Optional Add-Ins
- bacon bits
- green chiles
- shredded cheese
- blueberries
- diced yellow/red/orange/green peppers
Extra Equipment Needed at the Campsite
- round or square pie irons
- 10-15 charcoal briquettes
- wooden cutting board
- hot pads or BBQ gloves
Instructions
Before You Leave Home
- Mix dry muffin mixture, egg, and milk together – stirring just until moist. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Place batter into a ziptop plastic bag and keep refrigerated until ready to cook.
Making Your Pie Iron Cornbread
- Prepare your cooking area by lighting charcoal briquettes.
- Warm up pie irons by placing on top of briquettes.
- Once pie irons are warm and briquettes are white hot, butter insides of pie irons and squeeze one quarter of mixture into each pie iron. Optional – add any extras on top of the batter at this point.
- Close pie irons, clamp shut, and place in fire for 4 minutes. Flip to other side and cook for 4 more minutes. Check for doneness (cornbread will be golden brown) and if necessary cook 1-2 minutes more.
- Serve with chili or butter/honey/jam.
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