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.
whimsy
July 26, 2009people 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
July 28, 2009The 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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July 29, 2009Thank You,
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July 29, 2009Best Wishes!,
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July 29, 2009What template are you running on this site ? I really like it. Could you post where you got it from ?
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July 30, 2009I want to say thanks!,
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August 1, 2009nice foots, I love it, thank you for just sharing pictues.
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August 13, 2009I like my legendary N96. I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
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August 27, 2009Hello 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.
KOOKKOO
September 14, 2009good idea!!!
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September 27, 2009look delicious
Emmy
October 11, 2009Here’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.
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October 27, 2009whoa! this just might work better in asia, where temperatures really soar at midday.
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November 6, 2009This just might be a craziest idea I’ve ever read about.
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November 12, 2009some very interesting points… but i think your research and bias leaves a lot to be desired… then of course, that’s just my opinion…
have a great day… definitely a thought-provoking post!
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November 12, 2009WOw…Unique Baking every time.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.
mor
November 16, 2009it’s looks tasty 🙂
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November 30, 2009Fantastic. care to share your sources 🙂 ?
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January 3, 2010Hello. And Bye.
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January 22, 2010nice post bro
Stefan Petersen
February 5, 2010What a great idea. Not only do you get cookies, but your car smells good too!
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February 21, 2010hello
first of all i would like to say that u r genious 😛 these cookies looks so tasty . the way u describe them is fantastic .. my sister always try 2 bake something usually but she fails to bake properly ,and lose so much electricity , she always been scolded by mama ,, now i’ll recommend my sis as well to take a look on ur recipe . so she can make something tasty . and can save electricity as well thankyou 🙂
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March 2, 2010I read your previous post about car baked cookies with interest and a bit of sceptism but I pleased you tried it out yourself.
Moti Peretz
March 10, 2010Oh my, great job people. Impressive work.. very creative too.. and sure looks tasty.
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April 29, 2010Baking cookies in the car, really funny and amazing. Are cookies bake in car? I don’t know it but really it can bake eggs in car.
Deena Kred
April 29, 2010Those just sound delicious…
grendell
April 29, 2010That is a very tasty treat indeed…
Drew
May 6, 2010How I would love to have the time to give cookie making a go. Though I think I’m now feeling inspired endough to give it a go.
Cheers for the recipe and I look forward to reading more on your blog about baking. Keep up the good work.
many thanks
Drew.
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May 11, 2010Thank you for this information. You have done a great job. Thank you for highlighting this, keep up your good work.
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May 16, 2010These are so delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe!
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May 21, 2010Baking cookies in the car, really funny and amazing. Are cookies bake in car? I don’t know it but really it can bake eggs in car.
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May 21, 2010How I would love to have the time to give cookie making a go. Though I think I’m now feeling inspired endough to give it a go.
Cat @ ButteryBakery
July 6, 2010This is incredibly creative!!! I ought to give it a try since I have so much time on my hands now.
Peter
July 16, 2010I spent a summer in Arizona a few years back and tried cooking a steak in my car. I figured 4 hours would be good, but it ended up being well done!
sean
July 23, 2010This an awesome idea!I love cookies and I am inspired to try this one now!:)
Darcy
July 27, 2010Thanks so much for posting this. I have blogged it to a bunch of my friends and already have a batch on my dash….should be ready in T minus 2 hours 57 minutes!
Brandy
July 30, 2010I have never heard of such a thing! I am adding this to my ideas for camping. I am thinking a day spent at the beach while the cookies bake in the car. Now I am off to make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from the Frog cookbook you posted about. Yum, Cookies!
app103
August 10, 2010I am wondering if a meringue type cookie might be a better option for car baking, as they are normally baked at much lower temperatures and for a longer time than regular cookies, and browning is not something you need to concern yourself with.
They might even bake faster in a car than the usual 8 hours they take in a traditional oven, since the car will be somewhat hotter than your oven is, once you have turned it off for a few hours.
If baking them all the way through is a concern, you could always put a Hershey kiss in the middle of each one, instead of it being solid cookie dough all the way through. The chocolate doesn’t have to cook…just get melted.
Jean
September 2, 2010thanks for the creative idea! never thought this will work hahahh! now you got me thinking…