French toast is a classic breakfast favorite, but did you know that it’s also super-easy to make campfire French toast when you’re out in the backwoods for the weekend?

That’s right, and as far as an easy camping breakfast goes, this is up there with the best. The secret to a quick camping breakfast is a pie iron and a heap of hot campfire embers still burning from the night before. 

Keep reading to learn how to make stuffed French toast with peanut butter and jelly (and did we mention, this recipe is entirely vegan, too?)!

Campfire French Toast: Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipe

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Servings

4

Prep Time

5 minutes minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana

• 1 can of unsweetened coconut milk

• 8 slices of bread

• ¼ cup of peanut butter

• ¼ of jelly or fruit jam

• 4 tbsp of coconut oil

• Fresh berries, fruit, sugar, or agave syrup to top your French toast

Directions

1. To start making this pie iron breakfast, you first need to prepare your campfire. If you already have embers and coals from the night before, get them fired up and ready to go. If not, you’ll need to prepare a fire and get the wood burning before you can begin.

2. When your hot coals are ready, start warming up your pie iron in the fire pit.

3. While your pie iron is heating up in the coals, it’s time to peel your banana and mash it up as much as you possibly can using a fork.

4. Place your mashed banana into a large bowl or container and pour in 1 can of unsweetened coconut milk. Stir both ingredients together.

5. Take out 2 slices of bread and give one slice a good layer of peanut butter on one side, and the other slice a good layer of jelly or jam on one side.

6. Put the two slices together, then dip your camp toast directly into the banana and coconut mixture. Make sure it’s evenly coated before removing.

7. Take your hot pie iron out of the embers and carefully open it up (remember, it’s going to be scorching hot, so protect your hands!).

8. Pour 1 tbsp of coconut oil over the inside of the pie iron. This stops your pie iron French toast from sticking to it while it’s cooking.

9. Place your sandwich firmly into the bottom square of the pie iron, then carefully close the top square to seal it in.

10. Place your pie iron directly into the embers, turning it regularly to ensure an even spread of heat.

11. You can remove your campfire French toast after 5 mins if you enjoy a soft pie iron sandwich, or you can wait for 10 mins for a crispy outer layer.

12. When you’re happy, remove your pie iron from the fire and take out your cooked peanut butter and jelly French toast. Top your toast with sugar, agave syrup, or fresh fruit and berries before serving.

13. Repeat until you have run out of bread and vegan French toast batter.*

Recipe Note

*If you have more than 1 pie iron, then you can prepare more campfire French toast at the same time.

Campfire French toast tips and FAQ

Don’t I need eggs to make campfire French toast?

Traditionally, eggs are a major component of French toast; that’s the standard way to prepare a batter after all. Our recipe is vegan, however, and we find that this method is more convenient for campers even if you aren’t actually vegan.

Instead of trying to take delicate eggs camping, you can just use coconut milk and banana to prepare a fruity batter. There’s no chance of broken eggs if you’ve got no eggs to break!

What bread to use for French toast?

When you’re making French toast in the woods, you might be limited to the type of bread that’s available to you. You can make delicious peanut butter and jelly pie iron sandwiches with standard slices of white bread, and it’s going to be a step above your standard campfire breakfasts anyway!

If you’re still wondering what the ‘best’ bread for French toast is, however, then you can step up your campfire cooking game by bringing brioche bread or even a French baguette to your fold-out camping table. 

What goes good with French toast? 

You can serve so many great extras with your campfire French toast, and it’s really down to your personal tastes as to what you add to your pie iron sandwiches. 

If you’re keeping things vegan, then Good French toast not only goes particularly well with bananas but other fruits such as peaches, strawberries, and even melon. If you’re not trying to keep things vegan, then you can fry up some campfire bacon or sausages to have on the side for an even heartier start to your day. 

Why is it called French toast?

French toast is the stuff of legends, and there’s no clear cut reason as to why it’s actually called French toast. The most obvious answer, that it’s of French origin, might not even be correct. Instead, it’s thought that French toast was first popularised by a man named Joseph French in the 18th century. 

Other theories point out that similar recipes for French toast have existed since at least the early Roman era, and similar recipes were present all over Europe before it crossed over the Atlantic to the Americas (where it became particularly popular!).