Recipe: Flapjacks on the Fire

Posted by Donkey Long Tong on July 10, 2026

How to Make Fluffy Flapjacks On The Fire

A lot of people think pancakes belong indoors on the stove. We get it. That’s how most of us grew up making them.

But there’s no rule. The fire works just as well. Better even. There’s something about cooking breakfast over coals that turns a stack of flapjacks into the best part of your morning.

This quick and delicious recipe is from Arabee Parkinson at eat_to.thrive. It's also a lot easier than you'd think. All you need is cake flour, bicarb, yoghurt, eggs, honey and vanilla. Good ingredients that do their job.

Recipe Information:

Prep Time:	Cook Time:	Total Time:	Makes:	Skill Level:	Cook Method:
10 Mins	20 Mins	30 Mins	10 Flapjacks	Easy	Pan over Coals

Ingredients:

1 Cup unbleached cake flour
2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp Chilli salt (or regular salt)
1 cup Plain yoghurt (full-fat, Greek or double-cream)
2 Free-range eggs
2 tbsp Honey or maple syrup
1 Vanilla pod, scraped (or 1 tsp real vanilla extract)
For frying - Coconut oil

Good yoghurt matters. Skip the flavoured stuff. The fat is what makes these delicious.

Equipment

Donkey Long Tong 80cm - R900
For managing the coals and moving the pan off the hot spots between batches.
Donkey Tong 69cm - R800
So you can flip with a proper grip.
Cast-iron Pan - R3700
A non-negotiable. Holds the heat, distributes evenly and doesn’t warp on coals.

Method

Build your fire and let it burn down to a steady bed of coals. You don't need big flames, just hot, glowing coals.
Sieve the cake flour, bicarb and salt into a bowl. The lumps you skip now become the lumps you taste later.
In a separate bowl, crack the eggs. Add the yoghurt, honey and the seeds from the vanilla pod. Whisk until smooth.
Pour the wet into the dry. Fold gently. Don’t beat the life out of it. Small lumps are fine. Overmixing makes them tough.
Get the cast-iron pan hot on the coals. Hold a hand 10cm above. If you can’t keep it there for three seconds, you’re ready. Add a tablespoon of coconut oil and let it shimmer.
Dollop the batter into the pan. About a quarter cup per flapjack. Don’t crowd them. Two at a time is plenty.
Wait for bubbles. They’ll pop and stay open across the surface. That’s your signal.
Flip with the Donkey Tong 69cm. Another minute on the second side. Press lightly with the back of the tong. If it springs back, it’s done.
Stack them. Cover with a clean cloth. Repeat until the batter is finished.

A Note on the Fire

Flapjacks on the fire is about heat control. You can’t crank a knob. You need to read the coals, move the pan and manage the temperature.

The tricks are:

A steady bed of coals, no big flames.
Move the pan off the hottest spot between batches.
If they’re browning before bubbles form, you’re too hot.
If bubbles take forever, push the pan closer to the centre.

If the first one is a sacrificial flapjack, that’s normal. The cast iron is still finding its temperature. Adjust and go again.

What to Serve with Fire-Cooked Flapjacks

The traditional stack with syrup works. But there’s more on offer:

Homemade plum jam
A dollop of cold yoghurt
Stewed berries
Lemon and sugar
Bacon and maple syrup
A tin of condensed milk warmed in the corner of the pan

Full Recipe Video Here

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make flapjacks on a braai?

Yes. A cast-iron pan on a bed of medium-hot coals works the same as a pan on a stove. Build your fire, let it die down to coals, and proceed as normal.

What’s the difference between flapjacks, pancakes and pannekoek?

In South Africa, a flapjack is a small, thick, fluffy pancake leavened with bicarb or baking powder. The kind you stack. A pannekoek is the thin, eggy one rolled with cinnamon sugar. American-style pancakes and South African flapjacks are basically the same thing.

Why are these flapjacks so fluffy?

The yoghurt. The acid in the yoghurt reacts with the bicarbonate of soda, which gives you the rise without needing baking powder. The fat in the yoghurt makes them soft.

Can I use plain flour instead of cake flour?

Yes. Cake flour gives a slightly softer crumb because it has less protein. Plain flour works fine. Self-raising works too, in which case skip the bicarb.

Do I need a cast-iron pan?

Strongly recommended. Cast iron handles fire heat better than anything else. A regular non-stick pan can warp on coals. Stainless cooks unevenly. If cast iron isn’t an option, use the heaviest pan you own.

Can I prep anything the night before?

Mix the dry ingredients the night before and store in a jar. In the morning, add the wet ingredients and you’re ten minutes from breakfast. Don’t mix the full batter ahead of time. The bicarb starts working the moment it hits the yoghurt and you’ll lose the lift.

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