Cast-Iron Cornmeal Johnnycakes Breakfast with Crispy Bacon and Cinnamon Maple Butter
Crisp bacon in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium coals or a medium-low flame, then stir boiling water into cornmeal and thin it with milk. Fry the batter in the bacon fat, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the edges are lacy and golden. Serve with cinnamon maple butter; it takes about 40 minutes start to finish.
Johnnycakes are a New England breakfast: thin cornmeal cakes with crunchy edges and a soft, sweet-corn middle. There are no eggs and no baking powder. You scald fine cornmeal with boiling water, thin it with milk and fry it in bacon fat.
They're a good change from the usual pancake morning. The batter is three pantry staples, and the only cooler items are bacon, butter and milk. The whole thing cooks in one skillet, so cleanup stays short.
Cast-Iron Cornmeal Johnnycakes Breakfast with Crispy Bacon and Cinnamon Maple Butter
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals or medium-low flame
- Pack weight
- 3 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- One burner
- Low water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- small pot or kettle for boiling water
- mixing bowl
- whisk or fork
- thin metal spatula
- tongs
- foil
- heat-safe gloves or pot holder
Steps
-
Mix the maple butter
Stir the softened butter, 2 Tbsp maple syrup and cinnamon together in a small cup until smooth. Set it aside in the shade or back in the cooler.
-
Crisp the bacon
Lay the bacon in a cold 12-inch skillet and set it over medium-low heat. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, turning often, until crisp. Move it to a plate, and leave about 3 Tbsp of fat in the pan.
-
Scald the cornmeal
While the bacon cooks, boil water in a small pot. Whisk the cornmeal, salt and sugar in a bowl, then pour in the boiling water and stir until thick and smooth.
-
Thin the batter
Stir in the milk. The batter should drop off a spoon like loose oatmeal. Add a splash more milk if it's stiff, and stir again before each batch because it thickens as it sits.
-
Fry the first side
Spoon 3 Tbsp of batter per cake into the hot fat, 4 cakes at a time, and spread each to about 3 inches. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until the edges look dark gold and lacy.
-
Flip and finish
Flip with a thin spatula and cook 2 to 3 minutes more until golden and set. Move the cakes to a foil-covered plate to stay warm.
-
Repeat and serve
Fry the rest in 2 more batches, adding a little bacon fat if the pan looks dry. Serve 3 cakes per person with bacon, a spoonful of cinnamon maple butter and a drizzle of syrup.
Trail Notes
Mix the cornmeal, salt and sugar in a zip bag at home. Pack the maple butter in a small lidded jar. At camp you only need to add boiling water and milk.
Keep the bacon, butter and milk at 40°F or below until cooking time. Use separate tongs and a clean plate for cooked bacon, and wash your hands after handling raw bacon.
No milk? Use another 1/2 cup of hot water. The cakes will taste a bit less rich but still crisp up well. Shelf-stable milk also works.
Let leftover bacon fat cool and scrape it into a sealed container or bag to pack out. Never pour it on the ground or into a fire ring, because it draws animals.
Round out your camp day
Picked to work with the same kit as this recipe.
LunchCast-Iron Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet with Whole-Grain Mustard
DinnerOne-Pot Camp Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemon, Carrots and Thyme
Snack or treatCast-Iron Chili Mac Corn Chip Pie with Cheddar and Pickled JalapeñosMore one-burner camping meals →Planning a trip? Get the free 3-day meal plan →
Campers ask
What is a johnnycake?
It's a thin, fried cornmeal cake from New England. It's made from cornmeal, hot water, salt and a little milk or sugar, with no flour or eggs.
Why are my johnnycakes falling apart in the pan?
The pan is usually too cool, or the batter is too thin. Let the fat get hot enough to sizzle, thicken the batter with a spoonful of cornmeal if needed, and wait for dark edges before flipping.
Can I make johnnycakes over a campfire?
Yes. Set a skillet on a grate over medium coals, not open flame, so the fat doesn't scorch. Rotate the pan now and then to even out hot spots.
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