(No) Bake Sale

August 11, 2009 8:05 AM

I need to bake something, but it's hot (and getting hotter) and humid, and I don't want to raise the temperature in here any further. Any suggestions for no-bake (or toaster-oven?) treats?

As part of our volunteer commitment to our CSA, my lovely fiancée promised to make some baked goods for their biweekly bake sale, which takes place this afternoon. However, she is overworked and never got around to baking last evening, and won't be home in time to make anything in time for the sale.

So I need to bake ... something. Could be anything, as we didn't promise to bring any item in particular. Cookies, brownies, whatever.

But, yeah, it's hot and I don't want it any hotter in here. Do you know any good no-bake recipes that produce something bake-sale friendly? Whatever I make must be apportioned into individual-size units, as cookies or brownies would be. A cake that could be sliced would work, too.

The toaster oven doesn't make things too warm in here, so I'm open to toaster-oven-specific recipes, too. Microwave is an option, as well.

We have a reasonably well-stocked kitchen, and I'm a pretty good cook. (She's the better baker, but I can manage.) Any ideas?

Thanks!

posted by Dr. Wu to food & drink (27 comments total)

Rice Krispies Treats are always good!
posted by amarynth at 8:09 AM on August 11 [3 favorites has favorites]

You could make haystacks. There are lots of recipes out there, but the basic idea is melted chocolate mixed with things like coconut and those dry noodle things you use to top salads, then stuck in the freezer on wax paper.
posted by monkeymadness at 8:11 AM on August 11

If your are willing to use a stove top, these Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal No-bake cookies have been a favorite in my family for years. And they are really fast to make, too. The whole process takes less that 15 minutes. The only tricks are to strictly observe the boiling time, and have the wax paper (or cookie sheets) ready because once you mix in the oatmeal, and take them off the stove, they can start to set up pretty quickly.

Ingredients

* 2 cups sugar
* 4 tablespoons cocoa
* 1 stick butter
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 cup peanut butter
* 1 tablespoon vanilla
* 3 cups oatmeal
* Waxed paper

Directions

In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for 2 minutes then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, until cooled and hardened.
posted by kimdog at 8:12 AM on August 11 [12 favorites has favorites]

Bake chocolate chip cookies on the dashboard of your car!
posted by HotPatatta at 8:15 AM on August 11 [1 favorite has favorites]

No-bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies are my all time favorite non-baked treat. My dad's all time favorite cookie, baked or not, is the chocolate version. Either of these take a few hours to set, though, so if you haven't made these before then don't be distressed by their seeming mushiness; however, if the chocolate ones are not permitted to boil long enough, they will never set.
posted by Polychrome at 8:17 AM on August 11

Peanut butter squares!

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
16 oz confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 sticks margarine, melted

Mix above, press into 13x19 pan.

Melt 12 oz chocolate chips together with 1/2 cup peanut butter. Spread evenly over what's already in the pan. Refrigerate till solid, then cut into squares.
posted by Tomorrowful at 8:18 AM on August 11

Oh, if you want chocolate & peanut butter together, try making Buckeyes. They are awesome (like a peanut butter cup, only more delicious).

I really, really, really strongly advise against putting both peanut butter and cocoa in the oatmeal no-bake cookies as listed in the recipe posted by kimdog. Every batch of cookies I have seen/tasted made in this fashion have turned out incredibly crumbly and dry and just didn't taste nearly as good as the all-cocoa or all-peanut butter versions. (And I absolutely love chocolate and peanut butter together normally).
posted by Polychrome at 8:21 AM on August 11

Hey, kimdog, those peanut-butter-oatmeal things looks right tasty 'n' easy. That's the leading candidate at the moment.

(Polychrome: thanks for the tip. As it happens, we have no cocoa in the house, so I would've omitted that ingredient, anyway!)

Keep 'em comin', please! My fellow CSA members are hungry!
posted by Dr. Wu at 8:32 AM on August 11

Oh, and, HotPattata, I would totally do the car-cookies recipe if I had a car!
posted by Dr. Wu at 8:38 AM on August 11

Nanaimo Bars
posted by plinth at 8:42 AM on August 11 [1 favorite has favorites]

To continue the chocolate-peanut butter theme: I used this recipe last night in my unbearably hot, humid kitchen to make mini-peanut butter pies for a bake sale at work. There is some stovetop cooking for the topping, but you can buy a premade crust to avoid baking.

I used those Keebler mini graham cracker crusts, and added a little cinnamon to the filling. I ended up with enough filling for about 24 mini-crusts, but only enough topping for about 14, so I recommend doubling the topping recipe. I also recommend cooling the topping for longer than the recommended 5 minutes; things got a little melty for the first few pies I topped.

They came out quite tasty, if I do say so myself!
posted by hilatron at 8:48 AM on August 11

Icebox cake is fucking awesome and all you do is put it in the freezer. I've never made it myself, but my mom used to make it all the time and that's some delicious treat right there.
posted by creasy boy at 8:55 AM on August 11 [2 favorites has favorites]

No Bake Sunflower Date Cookies (almond, not peanut butter, to change things a bit).

There are lots of variations of "no bake strawberry cream pie" on the internet, which is essentially a graham cracker crust filled with cream cheese, mixed with whipping cream, sugar, nutmeg and strawberry slices. It's pretty good, but needs refrigeration.

I like this no-bake recipe for chocolate cake with dried cherries, but find it serves better if you make individual cakes instead of one big one.

You can also grind up 1 cupish of almonds (toasted first for better flavor) in a food processor, add an extract, or zest, or cocoa powder, and then mix in honey until you have a good consistency. Roll them into balls. You can roll the balls in zest, or cocoa powder or crushed nuts if you like. You can also squish a dried cherry into the center. Store in a cool airtight container.

We used to make these very gooey excessively sweet things camping as kids.
posted by crush-onastick at 9:05 AM on August 11

Microwave Fudge!

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

In large bowl, combine condensed milk and chocolate chips. Microwave on high 1 minute, stir until melted (if chocolate is still not melted, stick back in the microwave for 30 second increments, stirring well in between. Stir until smooth, add vanilla and stir well. Pour into greased 9x9 inch pan. Refrigerate until set. Makes 1 pound 9 oz.

For rocky road fudge:

Stir 1 cup miniature marshmallows and 1/2 cup chopped nuts into melted chocolate mixture and continue as above.
posted by Sassyfras at 9:17 AM on August 11 [1 favorite has favorites]

Hey, kimdog, those peanut-butter-oatmeal things looks right tasty 'n' easy. That's the leading candidate at the moment.

Seconding these cookies..with a caveat. These things are all kinds of awesome when they're fresh. However, they go stale really, really fast. If they hang-around for a few days, they turn into hard, crumbly, slightly dessicated lumps. Of course, it's rare that they survive long enough to get stale.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:23 AM on August 11

Also, Ice Cream Cupcakes

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

1. Use your favorite recipe or box mix.
2. You will need one flat bottomed ice cream cone for every two ounces of batter.
3. Put two ounces of batter in each cone and arrange cones in a circle in the microwave.
4. Bake:

o 30-45 seconds for 1 cupcake
o 45-60 seconds for 2 cupcakes
o 60-80 seconds for 3 cupcakes
o 80-90 seconds for 4 cupcakes
o 100-120 seconds for 5
o 140-150 seconds for 6

Cupcakes are done when surface springs back lightly when touched.
Always check for doneness at the minimum suggested time.
If some cupcakes are done before others, remove the finished cupcakes and continue baking the remaining cupcakes.

Picture.
posted by Sassyfras at 9:29 AM on August 11 [2 favorites has favorites]

If you have an outdoor gas BBQ, you can bake it in. Controlling the temperature can be hard though, especially if you don't have a thermometer for it. I've done it by first heating up the grill with both burners for about 15 minutes, turning off one of the burners, and putting what I'm baking over the unlit side of the grill. Rotate a few times as it's baking.
posted by ShooBoo at 9:39 AM on August 11

Basic 5 Minute Microwave Fudge

12 ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips (Get the good quality.)
2/3 cup butterscotch chips (this is the ingredient that controls the sweetness. More butterscotch=More sweet)
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts or pecans

- Butter a loaf pan (or any square pan)
- Melt chocolate and butterscotch in the microwave: Set microwave to 50% power and heat for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat this step until the chocolate is just melted and smooth. (Just melted...don't scorch the chocolate!)
- Add vanilla and mix in well.
- Add Nuts and mix. If the mixture has started to harden, you can give it a few seconds in the microwave.
- Add room temperature sweetened condensed milk and quickly stir into the mix.
- Pour into buttered pan and chill before slicing. (Cut it fairly small since fudge is pretty darn sweet)

Admittedly, this isn't my absolute favorite fudge recipe. However, it's yummy, super quick and versatile. Substitute white chocolate chips and add cranberries. Or do chocolate with raisins and peanuts. Do a small batch with mint chips (no butterscotch) and do a layer of chocolate fudge topped with a layer of mint fudge.
posted by 26.2 at 9:59 AM on August 11

Slow cooker. Pro: Doesn't heat up the kitchen much at all, with the added bonus of requiring very little actual skill. Con: you may not have enough time at this point, but I'll throw it out there anyway.
I pull most of my recipes from the personal blog of a woman who vowed to use her slow crockpot every day for an entire year.
Of particular interest:
chocolate mousse
Blueberry buckle
Peach compote

Damn. They all look so good.
posted by 8dot3 at 10:00 AM on August 11

I haven't tried these no bake individual apple pies but they look awesome.

I have made tthis really tasty lemon pie, maybe you could make a mini-bake-salve appropriate version by making them in a cupcake pan?
posted by nuclear_soup at 10:07 AM on August 11

Well, I wound up making kimdog's peanut-butter-and-oatmeal goodies, and, MAN, them thangs is tasty. I had to stop myself from eating more than a couple, lest the bake sale suffer the consequences.

Thanks to everyone. Your answers have given me some great ideas for future summertime baking.
posted by Dr. Wu at 10:24 AM on August 11

I can't believe I'm the first to say Rice Krispie Treats.
posted by dzaz at 10:59 AM on August 11

kimdog: those cookies rock. I just made them. Didn't have any cocoa on hand, so I subbed chocolate syrup and used about half the sugar. Yummmmm. Next time, I think I might try maple syrup. They are not cooled and hardened yet, but my mouth doesn't care.
posted by nosila at 11:18 AM on August 11

I'm glad that everyone likes them! Funny... but I've never deviated from the recipe, so now I'm eager to try peanut butter only or maple syrup!

I should also say that these cookies have an alternate, not so glamorous name: cow patties!
posted by kimdog at 12:10 PM on August 11

I came late to the party but wanted to add what may be a family recipe because I can't find it on the internet. This is one of my all-time top-5 cookies, and it makes a ton (I made 80 approximately 1-inch spherical cookies once).

These tasty no-bake refrigerator cookies are crunchy, chewy bites of chocolatey deliciousness. They will keep their consistency for a while out of the refrigerator but after a day will become kind of spongy, but won't fully melt.

Grape Nut Cookies
Makes: 40+, depending on size

1 12 oz. package chocolate chip
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups Grape Nuts cereal
1 cup coconut
1 cup nuts, chopped (often omitted)

- Cover cookie sheets (or other flat surface) with wax paper.
- Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or microwave oven.
- Stir in sweetened condensed milk until blended.
- Combine chocolate mixture with Grape Nuts cereal, coconut and nuts (optional).
- Stir until completely coated.
- Drop in daps on wax paper, refrigerate until solid.
posted by bookdragoness at 12:24 PM on August 11

Chocolate mousse. This is really good mousse!

It does require you to melt a block of chocolate, but if you don't want to do it on the stove tope, it could be accomplished in the microwave (carefully).
posted by just_ducky at 5:48 PM on August 11

I am obsessed with Paula Deen's banana pudding recipe. I'm a major klutz in the kitchen so I try to avoid using heat (the oven especially ends up being problematic!). This recipe has proved to be very popular at pot lucks. I made it for a bake sale once - just use the mini Chessmen cookies and portion into individual plastic cups.
posted by radioamy at 11:56 PM on August 11