Campfire Drop Cookies
Margarine, sugar, egg, and flour. Bake in a cast iron skillet over coals until the edges brown.
- calories
- 270
- weight
- 2.4 oz
- cal / oz
- 113
- protein
- 4 g
- serves
- 6, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 12 min
- total time
- 17 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Snack
- Dessert
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Car camping
- Day hike
- Vegetarian
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Needs a cooler
- Basic
Ingredients
| Margarine or butter | 3 oz | softened if possible, or let camp heat warm it |
|---|---|---|
| Caster sugar | 3 oz | |
| Eggs, beaten | 1 large | |
| Self-raising flour | 6 oz | |
| Salt | a pinch | |
| Chocolate chips, dried fruit, or zest (optional) | 1/4 cup | chocolate chips and cranberries travel well |
Method
- Cream the margarine and sugar together in a camp bowl or directly in a cast iron skillet set off the heat.
- Beat in the egg until well combined.
- Fold in the flour, salt, and any mix-ins.
- Set a cast iron skillet over medium coals and let it heat for 2–3 minutes.
- Drop teaspoonfuls of dough onto the hot skillet.
- Cook for 5 minutes until the bottoms are golden, then flip and cook another 5–7 minutes until the centers feel set.
- Transfer to a plate and let cool for a few minutes; they firm up as they cool.
These are a home-cooking staple adapted for camp heat. The ratio of fat to flour makes them crispy at the edges rather than cake-like, and they bake faster over fire than you might expect. Margarine travels better than butter on short trips because it holds its shape longer in the heat. Self-raising flour saves you from carrying baking powder separately.
The skillet method works if you keep the heat moderate and move the cookies only when the bottom is golden; moving them too early tears the crust. On multi-day trips, swap the fresh egg for powdered egg and carry margarine powder instead; the cookies taste identical. If you don’t have a skillet, wrap dough spoonfuls in foil and cook the packets directly over coals for 8–10 minutes.
Packing
Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bag at home. Margarine and eggs stay in a cooler for the drive; bring any mix-ins in a small jar.
Variations
- Add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and reduce flour by 1 tablespoon for chocolate cookies.
- Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence.
- For backpacking trips, swap the fresh egg for powdered egg (1 tablespoon powder plus 3 tablespoons water) and use margarine powder. The flavor stays the same.
https://www.cookingbites.com/threads/simple-cookies.62