This easy campfire baked French toast is a slightly sweet breakfast treat cooked in a Dutch oven. Add pumpkin purée for a seasonal touch!
Nothing brings people together like a nice campfire French toast bake on a crisp morning. Hand round the cups of coffee or camping-friendly lattes, and you've got yourself a very happy start to the day.
What Equipment Will I Need?
You'll need a cast-iron Dutch oven, preferably one with a lid designed to hold coals on top. Bring parchment paper to line it. Charcoal briquettes will help you build up enough heat to bake.
And for safety's sake, be sure to bring a lid lifter, tongs, and a heat-resistant glove.
For storing ingredients, a good cooler is a must. We use the Igloo BMX.
If you don't yet have a Dutch oven, you can make French toast sandwiches using a cast-iron skillet.
How to Make Campfire Baked French Toast
Preheat your briquettes in the fireplace, and set some aside to place on the Dutch oven lid later.
Meanwhile, your bread loaf should be sliced into pieces about one inch thick. (We did this the night before just to save a few minutes of prep time.)
Prepare your Dutch oven with the parchment paper.
To make the custard, combine pumpkin purée (if desired), milk, eggs, light brown sugar, bourbon and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Then dip each bread slice and place it upright in the Dutch oven, until all the pieces are fitted snugly inside. Pour the rest of the custard over all the bread.
Add a few little pats of butter over top of the bread, fold the parchment paper inwards, and set the lid on top.
Place the Dutch oven directly onto the main batch of coals.
With tongs, put the previously set-aside coals on top of the lid. Let it bake for about 40 minutes.
Finally, let it bake uncovered for about 5 more minutes, just long enough to thicken up any extra liquid.
You can now take the Dutch oven off the coals, and let the French toast cool slightly. Have the butter and maple syrup handy, and enjoy!
I also love making this pumpkin French toast bake at home!
Campfire Baked French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 French or Italian loaf, cut into 1" thick slices Stale, dried-out bread works best
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (optional) Or omit and add topping of choice when serving (such as berries)
- 1-½ cups milk
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar Or use maple syrup
- 1 ounce bourbon Use 2-ounces for a boozier French toast
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon or Chinese 5-spice
- 2 tablespoons butter, cubed, plus more to serve
- maple syrup or honey, optional
Instructions
- Prepare Coals: Preheat campfire coals until very hot. Once coals are hot, set aside around 15 coals for easy access (you'll be setting them on top of your Dutch oven).Prepare Dutch oven by lining with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, milk, eggs, brown sugar, bourbon, and spices.Dip each slice of bread in the custard, and then layer bread in Dutch oven.Pour remaining custard over the bread.
- Dot the French toast with butter, fold the parchment paper in (so it doesn’t stick out when the lid is closed), and cover with Dutch oven lid.(If your Dutch oven is not a campfire-style oven with a flat lid, you'll need to set the lid on upside-down so it can hold the coals.
- Place Dutch oven directly on the main batch of coals. Using tongs, set reserved coals on top of lid, and let it bake for about 40 minutes.
- Next, remove lid, and leave the Dutch oven on the fire uncovered for about 5 more minutes. The excess liquid should boil off. If needed, let it cook a few more minutes until any extra liquid has thickened.
- Remove Dutch oven from heat. Allow French toast to cool slightly before serving. Serve with butter and maple syrup.
Leave a Comment: