Camping Toastie Recipes for Jaffle and Toastie Irons
A camping toastie iron (or jaffle iron) seals two slices of buttered bread round almost any filling, and on a camping stove or campfire embers it takes about 2–4 minutes a side. The best camping fillings are ones you can prep at home and carry cold: grated cheese in a tub, tinned beans, cooked sausages, and sweet spreads for pudding.
Quick answer: preheat the iron for 1–2 minutes, butter the outsides, fill, close, trim the crusts, then cook 2–3 minutes a side on a medium gas flame or 3–4 minutes a side on glowing embers (not flames). Check after the first side and adjust.
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Recipe: Campfire cheese and beans jaffle
Ingredients
- 2 slices medium-sliced white bread, from a standard square loaf
- 3 tbsp baked beans (from a 400g tin), sauce partly drained
- 40g mature cheddar, grated at home and packed in a tub
- 10g butter, or a squeeze-bottle spread for camping
- Pinch of black pepper or a dash of Worcestershire sauce
Method
- Heat the closed, empty iron for 1–2 minutes over a medium gas flame or on glowing embers to warm the plates.
- Open the iron (use a glove; the handles near the hinge get hot) and lay in one slice butter-side down so it touches the plate.
- Spoon the beans into the centre, leaving a 2cm border, and scatter the cheese on top; season with pepper.
- Lay the second slice on top butter-side up, close the iron firmly, lock the clip, and trim off any crust poking out with a knife or by running the edge along the iron.
- Cook 2–3 minutes on a gas flame or 3–4 minutes on embers, flip the iron and cook the other side for the same time.
- Open carefully to check: it should be deep golden. Leave the toastie to stand for 2 minutes before biting; beans hold heat far longer than bread.
Why toastie irons are great for camping
A sealed iron turns one pan's worth of washing-up into none: the bread is the container, so wet fillings like beans or leftover chilli stay inside, and the long handles keep your hands away from the heat. Cast-iron jaffle irons hold heat best and give the crispest crust; aluminium ones heat faster and are lighter in a rucksack. If you're choosing one, see the best camping toastie makers, and for seasoning, cleaning and safety, how to use a camping toastie maker.
Timings on stove and fire
| Heat source | Time per side | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Camping gas stove, medium flame | 2–3 min | Move the iron around so the centre doesn't scorch |
| Campfire glowing embers | 3–4 min | Rest it directly on embers, never in open flame |
| Barbecue grill rack, hot coals | 3–4 min | Good for cooking several irons at once |
| Cast-iron iron (heavier) | Add 1 min first side | Holds heat, so the second side is faster |
Full timing comparisons with electric and other methods are in how long to cook a toastie.
Prep at home, cook at camp
- Grate cheese at home: grated cheese melts far faster than slices, which matters over uneven heat. Pack it in a tub in the cool box.
- Use a squeeze bottle or tub of spread: softer than butter in the cold and easier to spread on a plate.
- Pre-cook meats: sausages, bacon and chicken should be fully cooked at home or at camp before they go in the iron; the toastie cook time isn't long enough to cook raw meat through.
- Square sliced bread: it fits most irons. Tiger bread and very large bloomer slices won't close.
- Bring a small knife and kitchen roll: for trimming crusts and wiping the iron while it's still warm.
12 camping toastie fillings
Breakfast
- Sausage, egg and ketchup: one cooked sausage split lengthways plus a cracked egg in a well in the middle; cook 4 minutes a side on embers. See also our breakfast toastie.
- Bacon and cheese: two cooked rashers and 30g cheddar.
- Beans and hash brown: crumble a cooked hash brown into the beans.
Lunch and dinner
- Leftover chilli and cheese: 3 tbsp thick chilli plus cheddar. See chilli cheese toastie.
- Corned beef and onion: a 1cm slice of corned beef, sliced onion and a squirt of brown sauce.
- Tinned spaghetti and cheese: the children's favourite; drain some sauce.
- Tuna, sweetcorn and cheese: a 120g tin of drained tuna will make two toasties.
- Pizza jaffle: tomato purée, mozzarella, pepperoni and dried oregano.
- Cheese and beans: the recipe above; the definitive camping toastie. More in cheese and beans toastie.
Pudding
- S'mores: marshmallows and chocolate; 1–2 minutes a side only. See s'mores toastie.
- Apple pie: 3 tbsp tinned apple pie filling and a pinch of cinnamon; dust with sugar. Recipe: apple pie toastie.
- Banana and chocolate spread: half a banana, 1 tbsp spread, using brioche if you have it.
For even more combinations, see our toastie filling ideas list.
Mistakes to avoid
- Cooking in flames: flames blacken the outside in seconds and leave the inside cold. Wait for glowing embers.
- Forgetting to butter: bread sticks to unseasoned or worn irons. Butter, or a quick oil wipe of the plates, prevents it.
- Overfilling: the iron won't seal and fillings drip into the fire.
- Grabbing the hinge: the metal near the hinge gets very hot. Hold the handle ends or wear a glove.
- Biting straight in: sealed fillings, especially beans and jam, stay scalding for a few minutes.
FAQs
Can I use a camping toastie iron on an induction hob?
Only if it is magnetic cast iron or steel with a flat enough base, and most aren't designed for it. Aluminium irons won't work on induction. Check the manufacturer's guidance.
How do I stop the toastie sticking to the iron?
Season cast iron before first use, butter the bread outsides generously, and preheat the iron before adding bread. Worn aluminium irons benefit from a light oil wipe each time.
Can I make toasties on a disposable barbecue?
Yes, once the coals have turned grey. Rest the iron on the grill rack and allow 3–4 minutes a side. Keep the disposable barbecue on a stable, heatproof surface.
What bread is best for camping toasties?
Standard square sandwich bread, medium sliced, fits most irons and seals well. Thick-cut bread can stop the iron closing. See best bread for toasties for more.