Ovenless treats
January 11, 2012 5:09 AM Subscribe
What portable treat can I make for a group that doesn't require the use of an oven?
I am always the one that brings delicious cookies to gatherings, but the oven of the house I live in is unpredictable and unreliable. My normally great recipes produce unevenly-baked cookies in it no matter what I do.
I'll be helping a friend move this weekend, and I'd like to bring something along- single serving and easily handheld, and will survive outside the fridge for at least an hour or two.
I've got a gas stovetop, fridge and freezer space, a KitchenAid mixer, and various other kitchen tools. I considered baking cookies in the toaster oven, but that seems tedious.
I'm down for sweet or savory recipes- maybe some sort of no-bake bar cookie, or truffle-y thing? Help me feed my friends!
I am always the one that brings delicious cookies to gatherings, but the oven of the house I live in is unpredictable and unreliable. My normally great recipes produce unevenly-baked cookies in it no matter what I do.
I'll be helping a friend move this weekend, and I'd like to bring something along- single serving and easily handheld, and will survive outside the fridge for at least an hour or two.
I've got a gas stovetop, fridge and freezer space, a KitchenAid mixer, and various other kitchen tools. I considered baking cookies in the toaster oven, but that seems tedious.
I'm down for sweet or savory recipes- maybe some sort of no-bake bar cookie, or truffle-y thing? Help me feed my friends!
Best answer: Don't-call-them-Reese's squares!
~13 x 19 ungreased pan
1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
3.75 (16 oz) confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 sticks margarine (or butter, presumably), melted
Mix all of the above, press into pan.
Melt 12 oz chocolate chips, mix with 1/2 cup peanut butter. Spread evenly over the bottom layer in the pan.
Refrigerate until solid, then cut into squares and enjoy.
(obviously not suited if allergies are a concern)
posted by Tomorrowful at 5:26 AM on January 11, 2012 [5 favorites]
~13 x 19 ungreased pan
1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
3.75 (16 oz) confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 sticks margarine (or butter, presumably), melted
Mix all of the above, press into pan.
Melt 12 oz chocolate chips, mix with 1/2 cup peanut butter. Spread evenly over the bottom layer in the pan.
Refrigerate until solid, then cut into squares and enjoy.
(obviously not suited if allergies are a concern)
posted by Tomorrowful at 5:26 AM on January 11, 2012 [5 favorites]
Best answer: Make a no-bake type of cookie, like the one in this recipe. Basically, it's somewhere between a Rice Krispie Treat and candy.
For an even faster version, make a bunch of haystack cookies. (The butterscotch chips can be substituted with chocolate chips or just about anything meltable and re-hardenable that's sweet.)
posted by xingcat at 5:39 AM on January 11, 2012
For an even faster version, make a bunch of haystack cookies. (The butterscotch chips can be substituted with chocolate chips or just about anything meltable and re-hardenable that's sweet.)
posted by xingcat at 5:39 AM on January 11, 2012
Homemade Pocky. Pretzel sticks dipped in a really nice dark chocolate.
posted by R. Mutt at 5:47 AM on January 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by R. Mutt at 5:47 AM on January 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
Nthing the rice crispy treats, but you should add dried cherry or cranberry, and some type of tasty toasted nuts!
Dark chocolate nibs, too:))
posted by jbenben at 5:51 AM on January 11, 2012
Dark chocolate nibs, too:))
posted by jbenben at 5:51 AM on January 11, 2012
Best answer: After a day of experimenting with various forms of krispy treats, the best kind were when we replaced the krispy with cinnamon toast crunch or golden grahams (the generic versions of these were fine too). They were extremely delicious.
(also if you ever feel like doing these experiments, get the children's sized individual cereal packets - they will make enough for a couple of people to try a bite of each kind)
posted by sciencegeek at 5:55 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
(also if you ever feel like doing these experiments, get the children's sized individual cereal packets - they will make enough for a couple of people to try a bite of each kind)
posted by sciencegeek at 5:55 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: This Latin American twist on Rice Krispie treats caught my eye a few days ago: Bocaditos De Corn Flakes Y Leche Condensada (Corn Flake Clusters).
This coconut milk fudge also sounds delicious.
posted by rebekah at 5:58 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
This coconut milk fudge also sounds delicious.
posted by rebekah at 5:58 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
These chocolate oatmeal peanutbutter no-bake cookies have been a favorite in my family for decades (my grandmother made them all the time). Stovetop + wax paper. The only real trick is you do have bring the mixture to a roiling boil for exactly one minute (or until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage) so the cookies set-up correctly.
posted by kimdog at 6:00 AM on January 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by kimdog at 6:00 AM on January 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
If you wanted to go for something non-sweet, may I recommend Knorr's Spinach Dip? Super easy, doesn't require an oven, and it always gets eaten up wherever I take it. It's superb with any type of cracker...
posted by Falwless at 6:11 AM on January 11, 2012
posted by Falwless at 6:11 AM on January 11, 2012
Best answer: These are the best unadulterated rice krispy treats you have ever had. Once you have these you will never go back.
These hazelnut chocolate cheerio treats are also amazing. I get requests for them all the time.
posted by ephemerista at 6:16 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
These hazelnut chocolate cheerio treats are also amazing. I get requests for them all the time.
posted by ephemerista at 6:16 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
Haystack cookies and their varieties are a classic option. You've already been linked the chow mein noodle variety, so here's one that's based on chocolate and oats (coconut is optional).
You can also make fudge, if you're not tired of it after the holidays. Either "cheater's fudge" (the flavored sea salt is optional; use a pinch of table salt if you want instead) or traditional is oven-free.
If you have any berries available (or perhaps save this idea for summer!), dip them in yogurt and then freeze them. And there's all kinds of icebox cakes.
If you don't mind trying something savory instead, think about bringing homemade hummus (and pita chips, veggies, etc), or seven-layer dip and homemade salsa.
Dang, now I kind of want to spend the morning playing on Pinterest looking at food, but I have to go to class!
posted by asciident at 6:20 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
You can also make fudge, if you're not tired of it after the holidays. Either "cheater's fudge" (the flavored sea salt is optional; use a pinch of table salt if you want instead) or traditional is oven-free.
If you have any berries available (or perhaps save this idea for summer!), dip them in yogurt and then freeze them. And there's all kinds of icebox cakes.
If you don't mind trying something savory instead, think about bringing homemade hummus (and pita chips, veggies, etc), or seven-layer dip and homemade salsa.
Dang, now I kind of want to spend the morning playing on Pinterest looking at food, but I have to go to class!
posted by asciident at 6:20 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Those haystack cookies look neat.
And ephemerista, I originally hesitated when I saw your Smitten Kitchen link because I remember when she first tried to make a variant of that recipe and it was less than stellar. But I'm eager to try the rethought version!
I think I may go overboard and try two or three recipes for this weekend.
posted by rachaelfaith at 6:37 AM on January 11, 2012
And ephemerista, I originally hesitated when I saw your Smitten Kitchen link because I remember when she first tried to make a variant of that recipe and it was less than stellar. But I'm eager to try the rethought version!
I think I may go overboard and try two or three recipes for this weekend.
posted by rachaelfaith at 6:37 AM on January 11, 2012
Ooh! Also, if you want people to think you're a fancy pantser with fancy pants, dip strawberries in chocolate. It's the easiest thing in the world, but people treat it as if you invented strawberries and chocolate and the idea of putting them together.
posted by xingcat at 6:49 AM on January 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by xingcat at 6:49 AM on January 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
Homemade marshmallows. An hour of preparation, let it sit overnight, then maybe half an hour (?) of cutting and powdering.
Photo of my first attempt. The second time I made them, I beat them for a longer time, maybe ten minutes, so they came thicker like in the NPR photo.
posted by bentley at 7:07 AM on January 11, 2012
Photo of my first attempt. The second time I made them, I beat them for a longer time, maybe ten minutes, so they came thicker like in the NPR photo.
posted by bentley at 7:07 AM on January 11, 2012
rachaelfaith, I don't have any cooking suggestions, but I can't have an oven in my living situation. I bought this convection oven for a replacement, and it has been awesome and the results astoundingly consistent and delicious. If this is an ongoing problem for you, this is the $120 solution.
posted by fake at 7:55 AM on January 11, 2012
posted by fake at 7:55 AM on January 11, 2012
Response by poster: fake, I appreciate that suggestion. The oven I have is functional enough for cooking (roasting potatoes and veggies, etc) but just isn't regulated enough for finicky baking.
I will keep it in mind, though, great price!
posted by rachaelfaith at 8:02 AM on January 11, 2012
I will keep it in mind, though, great price!
posted by rachaelfaith at 8:02 AM on January 11, 2012
Chocolate mousse is stovetop + fridge and easier to make than you think.
posted by gauche at 8:37 AM on January 11, 2012
posted by gauche at 8:37 AM on January 11, 2012
White choclate snack mix (Cheerios, pretzels, corn chex, m&ms, and peanuts all covered in white chocolate. ) Around here we call it "white choclate Crack mix". The first one's free.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 8:38 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 8:38 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: We've made Moonbeams a few times.
We made a few adjustments to the recipe. We used 3/4 C of honey rather than a full cup, and added 1/2 cup of flax seed. Also, for most of them, we rolled them in toasted sesame seeds rather than coconut. They're best refrigerated.
posted by Morydd at 8:45 AM on January 11, 2012
We made a few adjustments to the recipe. We used 3/4 C of honey rather than a full cup, and added 1/2 cup of flax seed. Also, for most of them, we rolled them in toasted sesame seeds rather than coconut. They're best refrigerated.
posted by Morydd at 8:45 AM on January 11, 2012
I think you're looking for something more.... classy, but I like "Muddy Buddies" (made with Chex cereal)
posted by treehorn+bunny at 9:49 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by treehorn+bunny at 9:49 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
Chocolate eclair cake.
I can't tell you how nuts people go when I make this.
posted by dithmer at 11:35 AM on January 11, 2012
I can't tell you how nuts people go when I make this.
posted by dithmer at 11:35 AM on January 11, 2012
Welsh cakes. You make a sweet spiced dough with dried fruit mixed in (I use sultanas), roll it out, stamp out rounds with a cookie cutter, and cook them quickly on a griddle or in a frying pan; they're traditionally cooked on a bakestone, but you probably don't have one of those to hand. They keep for at least a couple of days in an airtight tin, and they're delicious.
Here's a recipe from the BBC, and another one. If I were making them I'd add the mixed spice from the second recipe to the ingredients from the first. Actually, no, I'd add at least twice that much, but then I have Opinions about mixed spice, principally that there's no such thing as too much.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 3:08 PM on January 11, 2012
Here's a recipe from the BBC, and another one. If I were making them I'd add the mixed spice from the second recipe to the ingredients from the first. Actually, no, I'd add at least twice that much, but then I have Opinions about mixed spice, principally that there's no such thing as too much.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 3:08 PM on January 11, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by whoaali at 5:23 AM on January 11, 2012 [2 favorites]