There’s something downright comforting about sliding a cast iron skillet close to the coals and watching the lid fog up with buttery steam. Cast Iron Campfire Cheddar Biscuits are the kind of camp snack that makes people wander over from their chairs the moment they catch that toasted-cheese aroma drifting through the pines. They bake up golden around the edges, tender in the middle, with little pockets where the cheddar melts and sizzles against the iron.
Because these are drop biscuits, you don’t need a floured table or a rolling pin—just a bowl, a spoon, and a steady fire. I like cooking them over a bed of mature coals rather than tall flames, rotating the skillet now and then so the bottoms brown instead of scorch. The cast iron holds heat beautifully, which means you get that bakery-style rise even at camp, and cleanup stays simple: a quick wipe while the pan’s still warm.
Bring them to the picnic table with a pot of chili, tuck one alongside eggs at a trailhead breakfast, or split them open for a quick sandwich with summer sausage. However you serve them, they’re best eaten hot, straight from the skillet, with a little ash on your boots and a cold drink within reach.
Cast Iron Campfire Cheddar Biscuits
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup cold butter cubed
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup milk
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder.
- Add cold butter and rub in with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in cheese and then milk until just combined (do not overmix).
- Drop spoonfuls of dough into a lightly greased cast iron skillet (makes about 8).
- Set over medium campfire coals and cover loosely with foil. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Serve warm, straight from the pan.