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Are you looking for a delicious and easy camping meal that’s perfect for the whole family? Look no further than pie iron pizza pockets!

Pizza hobo pies are a fun twist on traditional pizza and can be cooked over an open fire or on a camping stove.

Cooking pizza in a pie iron is my family’s favorite way to make pizza while camping, because everyone can put exactly what they want inside!

camping pizza pockets cooked in pie iron over the fire

Personally, I find these pizzas to taste far better than regular pizza as they are crispy and cheesy, which is the perfect combination in my book.

This camping pizza recipe allows each person to customize their pizza and cook it over the open fire.

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Hobo Pie Pizza Ingredients

Canola Oil Cooking Spray: It’s important to oil your cast iron prior to cooking to prevent sticking and to help build up the seasoning layer. Easily substitute a regular cooking oil and rub it over the inside of your pie iron.
Refrigerated Pizza Dough: I love Aldi or Trader Joe’s premade balls of refrigerated dough. However, you could also use Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough sheets as well with similar results.
Pizza Sauce: If you’re making pasta during your trip, you can easily substitute pasta sauce for pizza sauce as well.
Mozzarella: Mozzarella is my favorite cheese for pizza, but you could obviously use any types of cheese you love.
Toppings: Pepperoni, sausage, olives, onions, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes – the possibilities are endless! Note: if you use fresh tomatoes or mushrooms, be aware that the vegetables will let out a lot of liquid while cooking and make your pizza soggy. I’d recommend removing the insides of the tomato or precooking the mushrooms.
Garlic Powder and Oregano: This little bit of seasoning adds a lot of “pizza” flavor, but it’s definitely not needed if you don’t have it while camping.

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Equipment To Make Pie Iron Pizza

Cast Iron Pie Iron (Camp Cooker): Pie irons are made of aluminum or cast iron, but I highly recommend using cast iron as they withstand much higher temperatures for longer periods of time. However, aluminum pie irons do not require seasoning and can be cleaned like all other dishes, so there are benefits to using them as well.

Round cast iron camp cooker
Square cast iron camp cooker
Double cast iron camp cooker – allows you to make twice as many sandwiches with half the work prepping and cleaning!
Aluminum pie iron camp cooker – although I don’t like the way they cook as much, they are easier to use because they don’t need to be seasoned and can be cleaned like all your other dishes.

Portable Over the Fire Cooking Grate: While cooking in hot coals or embers is ideal for cast iron pie irons, you can also cook over a fire by using a fire grill grate. It’s perfect for a wide variety of campfire pits and can easily be adapted to work at your site. It’s also great if you just started your fire and want to get cooking right away! Simply place your pie irons on the grate and turn halfway through cooking.

Cast Iron Cookware Tips and Tricks

Cast iron pans are the perfect camping tool because they can be placed right in the fire. However, cast iron cookware do require some special care and cleaning so they function properly and remain in good shape. Check out how to season, care for, and clean cast iron camping cookware.

Learn More about cooking with cast iron

How to Make Pie Iron Pizza

In this section you’ll find a step by step tutorial of how to make this recipe with photos. The full recipe with exact measurements, steps and a printable card can be found at the bottom of the post.

1. Assemble the pizza

Spray the inside of the pie iron with cooking spray and then begin building your pizza! I’ve found that cutting a premade ball of pizza dough sold at the grocery store into 8 pizzas is the perfect amount for making four pie iron pizzas (2 pieces of dough for each pie iron).

After stretching one of the pizzas of dough out, place it in the bottom of the pie iron. Add sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice before placing the second stretched out piece of dough on top.

2. Seal pie iron camp cooker

Close the pie iron around the pizza. If any of the pizza dough hangs over the edge, just cut away the excess before cooking.

3. Cook over campfire

There are two options when cooking with a pie iron: in the coals or over the flame. I find that cooking in the coals is faster, but sometimes can result in over cooking/burning more easily. Cooking on a grate over the fire is usually a few minutes slower, but you have a bit more control over the temperature.

Hot coals: Place pie iron directly in the hot coals and embers from your fire. If your fire has been going for awhile, simply pull a pile of coals a bit to the side and place the camp cooker on those hot coals.
Over the flame: Use a grill grate to create a flat cooking surface over the fire. Place the camp cooker on the grate and let it cook.

Don’t have a cast iron camp cooker? Simply use your camp stove on low (or fire grate with a cast iron skillet) to cook these pizza pockets. Keep a lid on the pan the entire time (except when flipping it) to help cook the dough all the way through).

4. Enjoy!

Pie iron pizzas are one of my family’s favorite meals while camping! Everyone ends up loving their dinner and loving the process of cooking it over the fire as well.