Car-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies, step by step September 4
Last week, I drew up some guidelines to follow if you wanted to try baking cookies in your car. This past weekend, since the temperatures were well over 100F out here, I decided to give the technique a try myself. I parked my car in full sunlight in the middle of the day, sliced up some cookie dough and started to bake.
I previously noted that most of the reporters and writers who tried this technique used refrigerated, slice-and-bake cookie dough. My guess would be that they chose to use that type of pre-fab dough because they might not be regular bakers and were looking for something that would be quick and easy, since the baking process using a car is not exactly fast. I went with a homemade dough, but decided that I, too, would use a slice-and-bake type of cookie (the recipe is at the bottom of this article). This meant that my dough could be prepared well in advance and that I could control the thickness of each cookie with precise slicing. Drop cookies work, too, but this seems to be the best way to control spread and ensure even cooking.
I sliced my dough into 1/4-inch thick slices and placed them on a parchment lined baking sheet. I used potholders to support the baking sheet (and to prevent any damage to my dashboard from the hot metal) and placed both the cookies and an oven thermometer in my car. 30 minutes later, the cookies were beginning to spread slightly.
The temperature inside my car reached over 180F during baking. Since my car is significantly larger than my oven, I didn’t want to open the car doors at any point during the baking. I recommend that you remove anything you think you’ll need before you begin. Here are the cookies after about 1 hour:
It took about 2 1/2 hours for the cookies to bake completely. I ended up opening the car door shortly before the end of the baking period to check for doneness. This check has to be done manually, as there are no color indicators (such as brownness) to judge by because the sugar in the car cookies does not caramelize and brown like that of oven-baked cookies. So, I gently pressed the edges of the cookies to feel that they were firm and even more gently touched the center of one of the cookies to see that it held together and was not gooey (the center of the cookie should not be entirely firm, unless you are shooting for a crispy cookie). Finally, I slid one of the cookies around on the parchment paper - a good test for this type of baking because a baked cookie will release easily from the paper, while an unbaked cookie will stick in place. If your cookies are not done, add more baking time in 15 or 30 minute increments, as opposed to the 30 second or 1 minute increments you might add to an oven-baked cookie.
The finished cookies were very light in color, but smelled and tasted delicious. They were slightly crisp at the edges and chewy in the center. I think that they were best hot out of the car, and believe that my tasters did, too, since the whole batch was gone in under 5 minutes. My only regret is that I didn’t bake more at one time, since it’s a time-consuming process and not something I’m up for every day.
Car-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, soft
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Beat in egg, followed by flour mixture and chocolate chips.
Place dough on a large sheet of wax paper and roll into a log approximately 11-inches long by 2.5-inches wide. Freeze for 2-3 hours, or overnight.
When ready to bake, park your car in the sun on a 100F+ day. Slice cookies into 1/4-inch thick slices and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Place baking sheet on car dashboard (with protective towel underneath) and bake for 2 1/2-3 hours, until done.
If you have a big dashboard (or a friend with another car), you can do two batches at once, otherwise you can save half of the dough for another day.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
Joanna Sep 4
I ought to try this some day while at work, since there’s not an oven at the office, My coworkers would LOVE hot, fresh-baked cookies. As it is, they always get the leftovers from the day before.
Jill - GlossyVeneer Sep 4
What a fun experiment. I should try that next July, when the temperatures here in Las Vegas regularly reach 115+. Right now it’s just hovering around 105, plenty hot I’m sure.
Mallow Sep 4
This cracked me up! I doubt I could have pulled it off here in Seattle this “summer”, but I keep thinking camping trip cookies…
brilynn Sep 4
That’s awesome!
But are you ever going to get the smell of baking cookies out of your car? (Not that that’s a bad thing…)
Lydia Sep 4
I remember reading a recipe once for cooking bluefish on your car engine, while you were driving somewhere! This kind of reminds me of that recipe.
deb Sep 4
This is brilliant! I can only imagine the to-die-for aroma in your car this week. I would crave cookies constantly.
yumsugar Sep 4
This is fantastic, I have a feeling it doesn’t get hot enough here, but I really want to try it!
anna Sep 4
Mmh cookies.. I’d say it will be worth making sun tea too while baking the cookies. There should be enough space on the dashboard for a few teas too
Ev Sep 4
There was a cookbook out a few years ago called Manifold Destiny. Cook food on your car engine as you drive along!
Check out the key words “solar cooking” on your favorite search engine. Solar ovens are easy to make or buy. Great for summer cooking to keep the heat out of your house.
Dewi Sep 4
I would love to do this but I fear it would add one more temptation for people to break into my car !
Nicole J. LeBoeuf-Little Sep 4
More people should know about this. Not only would it promote sharing fresh-baked cookies around the office after lunch, but I think it really gets the point across about how dangerous it is to leave children and pets in the car during the day. Seriously. I think if more people knew they could use their cars as a slow-cook oven, and did so, they’d be muuuuch less inclined to leave their toddlers in there during a grocery run.
Katie Sep 4
Wow. I read your previous post about car baked cookies with interest and a bit of sceptism but I pleased you tried it out yourself. What a conversation point they would be if you took them to a party! Great looking cookies.
Smerky Sep 5
Car cookies…now there’s an idea! They actually look halfway decent! Too bad the weather is getting cool and I can no longer bake them. Perhaps next year. You have a wonderful blog, by the way.
olive Sep 6
i will definitely try this. i live with three seasons out here…hot, hotter, hottest.
Josh D. Sep 7
I could see this as a side industry here in Phoenix, AZ: Sell pre-made “take and bake (on the way!)” cookie kits!
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JC Oct 3
Keep up the great work!
Cheryl Oct 11
Here’s my suggestion.
Try baking the cookies on nonstick, dark coated cookie sheets.
Don’t use any parchment, foil, or wax paper at all.
nanio Oct 25
I don’t want the nasty funk of my car anywhere near uncooked food. Or cooked food for that matter.
…
I should probably go wash the car.
Anonymous Nov 11
this is a really creative idea, i used for my science fair project this year! Thanks for the idea!
Kevin Nov 14
Okay, I’m a tad late to this baking party BUT I LOOVVVEEEEEE THIS! I’m kinda sad that I found this late because I’d have been trying this too. I would love to pull up to a In N Out drive through and offer the nice window folk a cookie “hot off the dashboard!”
Okay, I have to ask, “Is that a leopard wheel cover?” I think I love you.
Lorraine Nov 30
That was a very unique way of baking !
Buffalo Bob May 7
wow
Gumby May 26
Egg whites do not begin to coagulate (cook) until they reach about 140F and egg yolks do not begin to coagulate until they reach about 150F. For both, the temperature must be raised another 10F before they can be considered cooked. Both fats and sugar retard the coagulation of the egg so that they don’t begin to coagulate until about 180F. The foregoing can be found at Baking911, America’s Test Kitchen and the USDA/FSIS. It seems that your cookies may be dehydrating rather than actually baking.
marleny Jun 3
dats kool
yummy-yum-yum Jun 3
omg, that is so kool i totally want 2 try this 1 day,
they look so good in da pictures too, they make my mouth water,lol
cookie lover Jun 3
yummy, i love cookies, i looooooooooooooooooooooooovvvvveeeeeeeee coookiiiesssss!!!!!!!!!!
John Aug 3
I’m impressed. But where I live, the days of 100 degrees, are seldom, one after another. But it happens.
Nicole Aug 4
I have been saving this website page forever so that I could make these cookies! I am so excited, it’s reaching 103+ this week and I am going to cook these cookies while I am in band camp, and when I come out, I will have freshly baked cookies! I am sooooo excited, thanks for this awesome idea!
lionheart Aug 12
Car baked cookies! I can’t believe it worked …
One Mom, Five Kids Aug 13
This is very interesting - who would have thought a car would get hot enough to bake some cookies! Great article and great pictures!
maggy Nov 10
haha they luk gud!♥
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What Kinda of Car do you drive?
Anonymous Feb 19
weird or wat i just want to now how to make some stupid biscuits!!!!!!!!!
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Atlanta Women’s Health Examiner Mar 23
This is great, I can’t wait to try this;)
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we buy properties May 23
Useful post, great read anyway very interesting.
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PATRICIAMARIELYONS9 Jun 13
I LOVE THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIPS COOKIES
PATRICIAMARIELYONS9 Jun 13
I LOVE THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIPS COOKIES
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MOJELA Jul 4
HEY ROSEY SO HEARD YOU DOING DIS COOKING REALLY GOING WELL I TAKE ALL DA RECIPE DOWN THANX AILEEN
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David Jul 8
Made two batches of dough — one for tomorrow — one for friday
Here in Houston, the Texas heat should be in high 90’s (even with the rain in the mornings) and a real-feel of 104-107
I am sure they will cook nicely and turn out delicious — Thanks!
sharkbytes Jul 14
That’s one expensive solar oven!
Matt Jul 15
doesnt cooking at such low temperatures leave you at risk of bacterial infestation?
Deep Jul 15
Congratulations on your fantastic recipe.. if everyone bakes cookies like this then lot of electricity will be saved… it’s surely a Greener, more eco-friendly way to bake cookies..he he I’m surely gonna give it a try..!:)
M. Parker H. Jul 16
This is excellent! So resourceful.
Anonymous Jul 16
It’s an interesting idea. I’m just concerned that there are chemicals that are released inside a car when it is very hot. It’s bad enough that we breathe it in when we first get into the car. If those chemicals were to get into the food that’s been cooking in the car… well you get the idea.
Champion Jul 17
I believe in Malaysia, I dun hv to wait for 2 1/2 hours for the cookies to bake. We have ’summer’ all year long.
Champion!!!
half baked Jul 17
One word. ANTS
TheWordWire Jul 17
I’m kind of relieved that it took as long as 2.5 hours — I live in Las Vegas and always feel like I’m loading my groceries into a crock pot for the drive home. Never thought to actually use it as an oven — great post!
do Jul 19
great time for getting salmonella,,,or however you spell it ,,,dont care,,,just dont eat till FULTY baked,,,, sounds like kinda a pardon the pun half nbaked idea,,lol
do Jul 19
crazy spelling,,,,,,i just ate one of those cookies above, made me nuts
Emme Jul 19
Added to my RSS, Thanks!
Bree bree Jul 21
This is THE coolest website i think ive ever been on lol its sooo interesting and its alot of stuff most people wouldnt realize they’d ever be able to do. i cannot wait to try the girl scout cookies and im thinking bout trying to car baked cookies too!
thank you so much for the Awesome website!!!
R.D. cook Jul 22
I’d suggest using pasteurized eggs for this, as the dough would be sitting around for a long time at low baking temperature. I WILL try it when it’s too hot to turn on the oven.
Krissi Sandvik Jul 23
WOW! And if anyone needs a reminder to NOT leave their dog in the car….
David Jul 25
This can’t be healthy. Think of all the dust and dirt that builds up in a car, even if you take extra caution in cleaning it out. Your car never could heat up enough to kill the bacteria that can/would get on the cookies for those 2 1/2 hours (the cookies need to reach 140 degrees, which is just not possible in a car).
I can’t believe a cooking website would even think of posting this.
whimsy Jul 26
people have been doing this at Burning Man for years… then again it gets a lot hotter there in the desert, so the cookies/brownies/spaghetti-os heat up much faster…
the rural independent Jul 28
The only difference between your solar cooker and my solar cooker is a few thousand pounds of steel and a/c.
I am a serious advocate and practitioner of solar cooking. Your great article only serves to heighten awareness of this unique, green and totally hip alternative method of cooking.
Good on you. Great article and an even greater site!
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Hello there buddy..This is awesome..Just really a nice idea to conserve energy.The use of the car as means of gathering solar energy to bake some cookies is really a good idea.
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good idea!!!
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Emmy Oct 11
Here’s a solution for all the nay-sayers talking about the egg whites not cooking thoroughly… Use pasteurized egg whites… They ought to be safer, as they are pasteurized. Also, they’ll cut some cholesterol out of your recipe (no yolks) and they cook just the same as regular egg.
Sleepless In KL Oct 27
whoa! this just might work better in asia, where temperatures really soar at midday.
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This just might be a craziest idea I’ve ever read about.