Pie irons represent the perfect marriage of rustic cooking and modern convenience, changing simple ingredients into extraordinary campfire delicacies.
These versatile cast iron or aluminum cooking tools create sealed pockets of deliciousness, where everyday ingredients become magical desserts with crispy exteriors and warm, gooey centers.
Whether you’re roasting marshmallows under starry skies, gathering around a backyard fire pit, or studying the great outdoors, pie iron desserts offer an accessible way to create memorable sweet treats that delight campers of all ages.
From classic fruit pies to creative chocolate concoctions, these portable cooking devices expand your outdoor culinary horizons beyond traditional camping fare.
The beauty of pie-iron desserts lies in their simplicity—with minimal ingredients and equipment, you can create restaurant-quality treats that capture the essence of outdoor cooking while satisfying even the most discerning sweet tooth.
Pie Iron Desserts: Sweet Campfire Delights
Pie irons are versatile camping tools that create delicious pocket-sized treats over an open flame. These cast iron or aluminum cooking devices seal ingredients between bread slices or pastry, creating mouthwatering desserts with crispy exteriors and warm, gooey fillings.
Perfect for camping trips, backyard fires, or outdoor gatherings, pie iron desserts combine simplicity with incredible flavor.
Let’s dig into the irresistible pie iron dessert recipes to elevate your outdoor cooking experience!
1. Pie Iron Pumpkin Pie
Seasonal favorite transformed into a portable campfire treat. Rich pumpkin filling seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves is between buttered bread slices.
Golden-brown exterior gives way to warm, spiced pumpkin goodness reminiscent of traditional pumpkin pie.
Quick Recipe Spread butter on bread slices, fill with canned pumpkin mixed with sugar and pumpkin pie spice, cook until golden.
2. Pie Iron Cookies
Soft, warm cookies with melty chocolate chips cooked over open flames. Pre-made cookie dough pressed into a pie iron creates individual-sized treats with crispy edges and gooey centers. Customizable with different cookie dough flavors and mix-ins for endless variety.
Quick Recipe Place small balls of cookie dough in buttered pie iron, press closed, cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden.
3. Pie Iron Cherry Pie
Classic cherry pie reimagined as a handheld campfire dessert. Sweet-tart cherry pie filling enclosed in flaky pie crust creates the perfect balance of fruity flavor and buttery pastry. The edges seal beautifully, keeping juicy filling contained while creating crisp golden crust.
Quick Recipe Line pie iron with refrigerated pie crust, add cherry pie filling, top with second crust, cook until golden brown.
4. Pie Iron Apple Turnover
Flaky pastry pockets filled with cinnamon-spiced apples. Tender apple pieces bathed in brown sugar and spices create caramelized filling inside golden-brown turnover crust. Optional cream cheese addition provides delightful tang complementing the sweet apples.
Quick Recipe Fill refrigerated crescent roll dough with diced apples tossed in cinnamon-sugar, cook until pastry is golden and apples tender.
5. Pie Iron Pudgy Pies
Comfort food classic featuring buttered bread encasing sweet fillings. Crispy, golden exterior gives way to warm, gooey center that can be customized with pie fillings, chocolate, marshmallows, or fruit. Simple preparation makes these perfect for camping with kids.
Quick Recipe Butter bread slices, place butter-side down in pie iron, add sweet fillings, top with second bread slice, cook until golden.
6. Pie Iron S’mores
Traditional campfire favorite transformed into a sealed pocket of gooey goodness. Chocolate and marshmallows melt between graham crackers or bread slices, creating mess-free s’more experience. Crispy exterior contains perfectly melted filling for elevated version of classic treat.
Quick Recipe Layer graham crackers with chocolate pieces and marshmallows in buttered pie iron, cook until melted and crackers toasted.
7. Pie Iron Nutella Banana Biscuits
Decadent combination of chocolate-hazelnut spread and banana slices wrapped in flaky biscuit dough. Nutella melts into warm banana pieces, creating rich, creamy filling inside golden-brown biscuit exterior. Sweet, satisfying dessert requires minimal ingredients for maximum flavor.
Quick Recipe Flatten refrigerated biscuits, spread with Nutella, add banana slices, fold over, cook in pie iron until golden.
8. Pie Iron Peanut Butter & Jam
Classic sandwich transformed into warm, crispy dessert. Creamy peanut butter melts slightly while sweet jam bubbles and caramelizes. Buttered bread exterior turns golden and crunchy, sealing in nostalgic flavor combination that appeals to all ages.
Quick Recipe Spread peanut butter and jam between buttered bread slices, cook in pie iron until bread is crispy and filling hot.
9. Camp Cooker Cinnamon Buns
Store-bought cinnamon rolls transformed into campfire-friendly treats. Refrigerated dough cooks perfectly in pie iron, creating caramelized exterior while maintaining soft, gooey center. Drizzle with included icing for sweet finishing touch to this breakfast-inspired dessert.
Quick Recipe Place refrigerated cinnamon roll in buttered pie iron, cook 3-4 minutes per side, top with icing packet.
10. Pie Iron Nutella & Banana Biscuit
Pillowy biscuit exterior filled with chocolate-hazelnut spread and sweet banana slices. Nutella melts into warm, creamy filling while biscuit develops crisp, golden crust. Simple yet satisfying dessert combines favorite flavor pairing in portable campfire package.
Quick Recipe Flatten canned biscuit, spread with Nutella, add banana slices, fold over, cook until golden brown.
11. Pie Iron Cherry Cream Cheese Pie
A refined campfire dessert, this dessert pairs tart cherries with rich cream cheese. Fruit filling and sweetened cream cheese create a cheesecake-like center inside a crispy graham cracker or pastry crust. The beautiful crimson filling is visible when sliced open, making for an impressive presentation.
Quick Recipe Mix cream cheese with sugar, spread on pastry, top with cherry pie filling, seal edges, cook until golden.
12. Campfire Chocolate Monkey Bread
Pull-apart bread bites coated in chocolate and cinnamon-sugar. Refrigerated biscuit pieces tossed in cocoa-sugar mixture bake together in pie iron. Creates caramelized, chocolatey dessert with crisp exterior and soft, gooey center perfect for sharing around campfire.
Quick Recipe Cut biscuit dough into pieces, coat with cocoa-sugar mixture, place in buttered pie iron, cook until puffed and set.
13. Campfire Eclairs
Elegant French pastry simplified for outdoor cooking. Store-bought crescent dough forms shell for vanilla pudding filling and chocolate topping. Cooked in pie iron until golden, then filled with creamy center and drizzled with melted chocolate for impressive dessert.
Quick Recipe Cook crescent roll dough in pie iron until hollow shell forms, fill with instant pudding, top with chocolate.
14. Campfire Sopapilla Cheesecake
Mexican-inspired dessert featuring cinnamon-sugar crescent dough sandwiching sweet cream cheese filling. Exterior becomes crispy and caramelized while center remains creamy and rich. Honey drizzle adds traditional sopapilla finishing touch to this international campfire treat.
Quick Recipe Layer crescent sheets with sweetened cream cheese mixture, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, cook until golden, drizzle with honey.
15. Milky Way Pudgy Pie
Indulgent dessert stuffing Milky Way pieces between buttered bread slices. Chocolate, caramel, and nougat melt into gooey filling while bread exterior becomes crisp and golden-brown. Simple yet decadent treat satisfies serious sweet tooth with minimal preparation.
Quick Recipe Place chopped Milky Way bars between buttered bread slices, cook in pie iron until chocolate melts and bread crisps.
16. Strawberry Cheesecake Pudgy Pie
Dessert sandwich combining fresh strawberries with creamy cheesecake filling. Sweet berries and tangy cream cheese mixture sealed between graham crackers or bread. Cooks quickly in pie iron, creating warm version of classic cheesecake in portable form.
Quick Recipe Mix cream cheese with sugar and vanilla, spread on bread with sliced strawberries, cook until golden and filling warm.
17. Campfire Pies (Various Flavors)
Versatile dessert pockets featuring pie fillings enclosed in buttery crust. Apple, cherry, blueberry, or peach fillings sealed inside pastry dough or bread slices. Quick cooking time creates golden exterior while warming sweet filling to perfect temperature.
Quick Recipe Line pie iron with pastry or buttered bread, add canned pie filling of choice, top with second layer, cook until golden.
18. Cherry Mountain Pie
Rustic dessert sandwich filled with sweet-tart cherry filling. Buttered bread exterior becomes perfectly toasted while cherry filling warms to jam-like consistency. Optional additions include chocolate chips or cream cheese for decadent twist on simple favorite.
Quick Recipe Spread butter on bread slices, add cherry pie filling between slices, cook in pie iron until golden and filling hot.
19. Caramel Apple Pudgy Pie
Fall-inspired dessert combining fresh apples with rich caramel. Thinly sliced apples and caramel pieces sandwiched between buttered bread create sweet, sticky filling. Cinnamon-sugar coating caramelizes during cooking for extra flavor and texture in this seasonal treat.
Quick Recipe Layer sliced apples and caramel pieces between buttered bread slices dusted with cinnamon-sugar, cook until golden and filling melted.
20. Pie Iron Chocolate Monkey Bread
Pull-apart chocolate dessert perfect for sharing. Biscuit dough pieces coated in cocoa, sugar, and cinnamon create individual bites that bake together. Exterior pieces develop slight crunch while interior remains soft and gooey for textural contrast.
Quick Recipe Quarter biscuits, toss in cocoa-sugar mixture, pile in greased pie iron, cook until dough is cooked through.
21. Blueberry & Cream Cheese Dessert
Fruity pie pocket filled with tangy cream cheese and sweet blueberries. Fresh or frozen berries release juices that blend with cream cheese for perfect balance. Pastry crust seals ingredients inside, turning golden-brown while fillings warm to perfect consistency.
Quick Recipe Spread sweetened cream cheese on pastry dough, top with blueberries, fold over, seal edges, cook until golden.
22. Campfire Pie (Apple or Cherry)
Classic pie made campfire-friendly with pie iron technique. Sweet fruit filling enclosed in flaky pastry crust cooks evenly over open flame. Creates individual-sized dessert with perfect crust-to-filling ratio and beautiful golden color from direct heat.
Quick Recipe Line pie iron with refrigerated pie crust, add apple or cherry pie filling, top with second crust, crimp edges, cook until golden.
23. Campfire Cherry Hand Pies
Portable fruit pies with crimped edges sealing in sweet cherry filling. Refrigerated pie crust creates flaky exterior that browns beautifully over campfire. Perfect individual desserts that won’t spill or crumble, making outdoor dining neater and more enjoyable.
Quick Recipe Cut pie crust into circles, add cherry filling to center, fold over, seal edges, cook in pie iron until golden.
24. Pie Iron Banana S’mores
Elevated version of classic campfire treat with added fruit. Graham crackers filled with chocolate, marshmallow, and banana slices create gooey, melty center. Cooking in pie iron contains mess while ensuring all ingredients reach perfect melted consistency.
Quick Recipe Layer graham crackers with chocolate, marshmallow, and banana slices in pie iron, cook until melted and crackers warm.
25. Pie Iron Cinnamon Roll Pie
Store-bought cinnamon rolls transformed for campfire cooking. Refrigerated dough flattened and filled with extra cinnamon-sugar mixture creates caramelized swirl dessert. Drizzle with included icing after cooking for sweet finishing touch to this breakfast-inspired treat.
Quick Recipe Flatten cinnamon roll dough, add extra cinnamon-sugar if desired, cook in pie iron until golden, top with icing.
26. Pie Iron Blueberry Pie
Sweet-tart blueberry filling enclosed in flaky pastry crust cooked over open flame. Fresh or frozen berries mixed with sugar create juicy center that bubbles and thickens while cooking. Golden-brown exterior contrasts beautifully with vibrant purple filling when sliced open.
Quick Recipe Line pie iron with pastry dough, add blueberry pie filling, top with second crust, cook until golden and filling bubbly.
27. Pie Iron Blackberry Pie
Rustic dessert featuring sweet-tart blackberries in portable format. Fresh or frozen berries mixed with sugar create juicy filling inside flaky pastry crust. Deep purple filling thickens while cooking, creating perfect consistency that contrasts with crisp, golden exterior.
Quick Recipe Line pie iron with pie crust, add blackberry filling (canned or homemade), top with second crust, cook until golden.
28. Pie Iron Raspberry Pie
A light berry dessert made campfire-friendly with the pie iron method. Bright, tangy raspberry filling is sealed inside a buttery pastry crust. The edges crimp perfectly to contain juicy berries, while the exterior becomes golden-brown and slightly caramelized from direct heat.
Quick Recipe Fill pie crust with sweetened fresh or frozen raspberries, top with second crust, cook until golden and filling bubbling.
29. Pie Iron Strawberry Pie
Fresh summer berry dessert adapted for campfire cooking. Sweet strawberry filling, either fresh berries with sugar or prepared pie filling, enclosed in flaky crust. Beautiful red filling visible when served, bringing taste of homemade pie to outdoor settings.
Quick Recipe Line pie iron with pastry, add strawberry filling, top with second crust, crimp edges, cook until golden brown.
30. Peach Pie in a Pie Iron
A Southern-inspired dessert featuring sweet, juicy peaches in a portable format, this recipe uses fresh or canned peach slices mixed with cinnamon sugar to create caramelized filling inside a golden pastry crust. This warm, fragrant treat evokes summertime flavor regardless of the season.
Quick Recipe Fill pie crust with sweetened peach slices tossed with cinnamon, top with second crust, cook until golden and filling soft.
31. Pie Iron Cream Cheese Fruit Pies
A cosmopolitan dessert combining tangy cream cheese with sweet fruit fillings. The base layer of sweetened cream cheese topped with fruit creates a cheesecake-like flavor in a handheld format. Works beautifully with any fruit filling for a customizable campfire dessert option.
Quick Recipe Spread sweetened cream cheese on pastry, top with fruit filling of choice, fold over, seal, cook until golden.
32. Campfire Chocolate Chip Cookies
Classic cookies baked over open flame instead of in oven. Pre-made dough cooks evenly in pie iron, creating perfect individual cookies with crisp edges and soft centers. Chocolate chips melt beautifully, creating pockets of gooey goodness throughout warm cookie.
Quick Recipe Press chocolate chip cookie dough into lightly greased pie iron, cook until edges set and center still slightly soft.
33. Campfire Sugar Cookies
Simple, sweet cookies with caramelized edges made directly over campfire. Plain or sprinkle-topped dough cooks quickly in pie iron, creating individual-sized treats. Exterior becomes slightly crunchy while interior remains soft for perfect cookie texture without requiring oven.
Quick Recipe Press sugar cookie dough into pie iron, sprinkle with sugar if desired, cook 2-3 minutes per side until golden.
34. Nutella & Marshmallow Pie
Decadent combination of chocolate-hazelnut spread and fluffy marshmallows. Nutella and marshmallows melt together between bread slices or pastry, creating rich, gooey filling. Sweet, satisfying dessert requires minimal ingredients while delivering maximum flavor impact.
Quick Recipe Spread Nutella on bread or pastry, top with marshmallows, add second bread slice, cook until golden and filling melted.
35. Marshmallow and Chocolate Pie Iron Treats
A s’mores-inspired dessert sealed inside a crispy exterior. Chocolate pieces and marshmallows melt between graham crackers or bread slices when cooked in a pie iron. This creates a less messy version of the campfire classic with perfectly melted filling every time.
Quick Recipe Place chocolate and marshmallows between graham crackers or buttered bread, cook in pie iron until melted and exterior crisp.
36. Pie Iron Banana Cream Pie
Creamy dessert featuring fresh bananas and vanilla pudding. Sliced bananas covered with instant pudding mix between layers of pastry or graham crackers. Cooks quickly in pie iron, creating warm version of classic cream pie in convenient handheld format.
Quick Recipe Line pie iron with crust, layer banana slices and prepared vanilla pudding, top with second crust, cook until golden.
37. Campfire Oreo Pie
Cookie-based dessert featuring America’s favorite sandwich cookie. Crushed Oreos mixed with cream cheese create rich filling inside pastry crust. Simple yet indulgent treat capitalizes on nostalgic cookie flavor in new, campfire-friendly format.
Quick Recipe Mix crushed Oreos with softened cream cheese, spread between pie crusts or bread slices, cook until golden brown.
38. Campfire Cream Cheese Pie
A simple yet satisfying dessert with a creamy, cheesecake-like filling, this sweetened cream cheese mixture is sealed inside a pastry crust or between graham crackers.
The versatile base recipe can be easily customized with various extracts, spices, or fruit toppings.
Quick Recipe Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla, spread between crusts or crackers, cook in pie iron until golden and filling warm.
39. Cherry Cheesecake Pie Iron
A cultivated dessert combining tangy cream cheese with sweet-tart cherries, this dessert features a layer of sweetened cream cheese topped with cherry pie filling between crusts.
It creates individual servings of this popular dessert with perfectly balanced flavors in a convenient campfire format.
Quick Recipe Spread sweetened cream cheese on crust, top with cherry filling, add second crust, cook until golden and filling hot.
40. Campfire Brownie Pie
Fudgy chocolate dessert cooked over an open flame. Prepared brownie mix or refrigerated dough cooks perfectly in a pie iron, creating individual-sized treats.
Edges become slightly crisp while the center remains soft and gooey for an ideal brownie texture.
Quick Recipe Pour brownie batter into greased pie iron (not too full), and cook 4-5 minutes per side until edges are set but the center remains soft.
41. Pie Iron Chocolate Eclairs
French-inspired pastry simplified for outdoor cooking. Crescent roll dough forms the shell for the chocolate pudding filling and the chocolate topping.
This grand dessert requires minimal ingredients while delivering impressive results that advance the campfire dining experience.
Quick Recipe Cook crescent dough in pie iron until hollow, fill with chocolate pudding, top with melted chocolate or frosting.
42. Campfire S’mores with Peanut Butter
Elevated version of classic treat with added nutty flavor. Chocolate, marshmallows, and peanut butter create a rich, gooey filling between graham crackers.
Cooking in a pie iron contains mess while ensuring all ingredients reach a perfect, melted consistency.
Quick Recipe Spread peanut butter on graham crackers, add chocolate and marshmallows, cook in pie iron until melted and crackers warm.
43. Pie Iron Caramelized Fruit Pie
A fruit-forward dessert featuring caramelized seasonal offerings, fresh fruit tossed with sugar and cinnamon creates natural caramel sauce while cooking.
Simple preparation allows fruit flavor to shine while creating an impressive dessert with minimal ingredients.
Quick Recipe: Toss fruit with sugar and cinnamon, place between pie crusts, cook until fruit softens and juices caramelize.
44. Pie Iron Pear and Cinnamon Pie
A refined fruit dessert highlighting underutilized pear flavor, this dessert uses sliced pears tossed with cinnamon-sugar to create an aromatic filling inside a flaky pastry crust.
It is an extravagant alternative to apple pie with similar comforting qualities in a convenient campfire format.
Quick Recipe Fill pie crust with sliced pears tossed in cinnamon-sugar, top with second crust, cook until golden and pears are tender.
Conclusion
The humble pie iron transforms outdoor cooking from mere sustenance to a delightful culinary adventure.
With endless combinations of crusts, fillings, and techniques, these versatile tools encourage creativity while providing reliable results over unpredictable campfire flames.
What makes pie-iron desserts truly special is their ability to create moments of connection—families working together to assemble their perfect sweet creations, friends passing warm treats around flickering fires, and the shared experience of finding new favorite recipes.
Whether you’re recreating childhood classics like s’mores and pudgy pies or experimenting with refined flavor combinations involving cream cheese and seasonal fruits, pie iron desserts capture the essence of outdoor gatherings, simple pleasures boosted through fire, creativity, and community.
As camping equipment evolves, the enduring popularity of pie irons proves that sometimes the most straightforward tools create the most memorable outdoor dining experiences.
