It's So Hot in Indiana That You Can Bake Cookies In Your Vehicle

Want to find something fun to do in this heat without actually being in it? How about this little experiment in your car.

It has been insanely hot outside. We've seen temperatures in the upper nineties and the heat index makes it feel even hotter. That trend will continue over the next few days too. According to Eyewitness News Cheif Meteorologist, Wayne Hart, the heat and humidity will continue over the weekend, and another Heat Advisory could be on the way for the Evansville Area.

While you might want to spend some time inside, cooling off and avoiding the heat, that doesn't mean that you can't have a little fun outside at the same time when temperatures are this high.

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Bake Cookies...In Your Car

It's so hot outside in the Evansville area, that you can actually bake cookies in your car. I know it sounds weird, but it's true. Who needs an oven, when your vehicle can do the same thing. For this little experiment to work, you will need to park your car in a sunny spot, on a day when the outside temperature is over 95 degrees. Luckily, we have a few of those days coming up. While outside temperatures might be 95 or higher, the temperature inside your vehicle gets even hotter. It can get over 150 degrees inside your vehicle, which is perfect for baking cookies.

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How to Bake Cookies in Your Vehicle

According to US News, this is everything that you will need to bake cookies inside of your vehicle:

For baking cookies in your car, it’s best to use pre-made cookie dough, especially one without eggs or that uses pasteurized egg whites only. You’ll also need parchment paper, a cookie sheet, pot holder, a spatula and a towel. It’s also important to have a thermometer that is easily visible and that can read temperatures over 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the cookies on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper or covered with a non-stick cooking spray. Sit a towel underneath the baking sheet and place it on the dashboard of your vehicle. This towel will prevent the hot metal of the baking sheet from leaving a scorch mark on your dash.

For the cookies to bake, your vehicle must be hotter than 165 inside, so that's where the thermostat comes in. Don't expect to have cookies ready to be served in less than 30 minutes. When baking cookies in your vehicle, it can take up to three hours, maybe more. So, you will want to ensure that your vehicle is parked in a spot where the sun will be hitting it for most of the day.

How Do You Know When They Are Done?

Since you aren't baking these cookies in the oven with a set of instructions to follow, you might want to know when these cookies are done. Again, these can take anywhere between three to five hours to bake fully, so you'll have to be a little patient and check on them periodically throughout the day. According to US News, here are some tips to help you know when they are done baking.

If they easily and firmly pull off the parchment paper or tray and aren’t too gooey, then you’re ready to remove the cookie sheet. Make sure you use a potholder, as the cookie sheet will be very hot to touch. Because the temperature won’t get as hot as a conventional oven, the cookies won’t brown as they do in the oven. That’s because the sugars in the dough won’t caramelize at the lower baking temperature, so expect your car cookies to be lighter, with less crispy edges, than cookies baked in an oven.

Good luck and happy baking! I tried this a few years back, and it worked wonders! Check it out:

Magnificent Photos of Summer in the Tri-State

Sweet sweet summertime. From blooming flowers against a backdrop of green leaves to powerful thunderstorms making way for vibrant sunsets - it's so beautiful this time of year. We have some incredibly talented photographers around the tri-state. It's so cool to see how they see the world and capture life's little moments for eternity. Check out more amazing local photography at the Facebook Group: Evansville Photography.