Mastering the Art of Grill Baking: Enjoy Delicious Baked Goods Outdoors This Summer

Tired of heating up your kitchen during scorching summer days? Imagine enjoying freshly baked cookies, cobblers, or even artisan bread without ever turning on your indoor oven! This comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know about baking on your outdoor grill, transforming it into a versatile outdoor oven. Say goodbye to a sweltering kitchen and hello to delicious summer baking adventures!

As summer temperatures soar, the last thing many of us want to do is fire up our indoor ovens, turning our kitchens into saunas. Yet, the craving for homemade baked goods doesn’t magically disappear with the heat. This dilemma led me to ponder a simple question: could I bake on the grill? A bit of experimentation, coupled with some research and creativity, revealed a resounding “yes!” Not only was the experience successful, but it proved to be remarkably simple and rewarding. Baking on the grill has become my go-to method for all things baked, allowing me to keep my home cool and comfortable throughout the summer months. In fact, I might not use my indoor oven again until autumn!

If you’re ready to embrace the joy of outdoor baking, keep reading. I’ll share all my best tips, techniques, and insights for successfully using your outdoor grill to bake a wide variety of treats. From gooey cookies and comforting cobblers to hearty loaves of bread, your grill is about to become your new favorite baking appliance. Get ready to impress your family and friends with delicious, grill-baked delights, all while keeping your kitchen cool.

Essential Equipment for Successful Grill Baking

To transform your grill into a reliable outdoor oven, you’ll need a few key pieces of equipment. Most of these are likely already in your grilling arsenal, but understanding their role is crucial for consistent baking results.

A Covered Grill: This is non-negotiable. Whether it’s a gas grill or a charcoal grill, a lid is essential for creating an enclosed, oven-like environment that traps and circulates heat. While any covered grill will work, a gas grill often offers more precise temperature control, making the baking process a bit easier, especially for beginners. Charcoal grills can achieve excellent results too, but they require more attention to managing fuel and vents.
An Accurate Thermometer: While some grills come with built-in thermometers, they aren’t always the most accurate. An oven thermometer placed directly inside the grill chamber, or a reliable digital probe thermometer, is incredibly helpful. It allows you to monitor the internal temperature precisely, which is critical for baking. Unlike grilling meats where some temperature fluctuation is acceptable, baking requires a relatively stable and accurate temperature to prevent undercooked or burnt results.
A Heatproof Buffer: This is perhaps the most important piece of “extra” equipment. A buffer is something heatproof that you place between your grill grates and your baking pan. Its purpose is to prevent the direct, intense heat from the burners or charcoal from scorching the bottom of your baked goods. I highly recommend using a cast iron pan, skillet, or even a pizza stone for this. Heavy-duty aluminum foil pans, inverted metal baking sheets, or even ceramic tiles (ensure they are unglazed and oven-safe) can also work. The buffer diffuses the heat, mimicking the gentler, more even heat distribution of a conventional oven.
Suitable Baking Pans: Just like indoor baking, you’ll need the appropriate baking sheets, cake pans, or casserole dishes. Metal pans generally conduct heat more efficiently, which is good, but be mindful that darker pans can lead to faster browning. Lighter-colored metal pans or even glass/ceramic dishes can work well, but remember they will heat up and cool down more slowly.
Long-Handled Tongs or Spatula: For safely placing and removing your hot baking pans from the grill.

How to Bake on the Grill: Converting Direct Heat to Indirect Heat

The fundamental principle of grill baking is to convert the intense, direct heat of grilling into the more even, indirect heat required for baking. Every grill is unique, so achieving this balance might require a few attempts. Don’t be discouraged if your first batch isn’t perfect – patience and practice are key to mastering your specific grill. It’s often a good idea to start with simpler, more forgiving recipes like cookies before moving on to more delicate items like cakes or elaborate breads.

1. Setting Up Your Grill for Indirect Heat

The goal here is to create a zone where your baked goods can cook without being directly over the flame or hot coals. This is the cornerstone of successful grill baking.

For Gas Grills with Multiple Burners: This is generally the easiest setup. Turn on only some of your burners, ideally the outside ones, and leave the central burners off. You will place your baking dish over the unlit burners. For example, on a four-burner grill, you might turn on the far-left and far-right burners to medium-low or medium, leaving the two middle burners off. This creates an oven-like convection current around your baking item.
For Gas Grills with a Single Burner: While more challenging, it’s still possible. Turn the single burner to its lowest setting. You’ll rely heavily on your heatproof buffer and ensuring your baking dish is elevated or offset as much as possible from the direct heat source.
For Charcoal Grills: Arrange your charcoal briquettes in a ring around the perimeter of the grill, leaving the very center empty. This creates a hot perimeter and a cooler, indirect heat zone in the middle where your food will bake. Alternatively, you can bank the coals to one side, placing your baking dish on the opposite side. Consider using a drip pan filled with a little water beneath your baking area to help regulate temperature and add moisture.

2. Preheating Your Grill (Your Outdoor Oven)

Just like an indoor oven, proper preheating is crucial for even baking. However, grills tend to lose heat more quickly when opened and don’t recover as efficiently as well-insulated ovens. Therefore, a slightly higher preheat temperature is recommended.

Aim for a grill temperature approximately 25 degrees Fahrenheit (around 15 degrees Celsius) higher than the desired baking temperature. For instance, if your cookie recipe calls for 375°F (190°C), try to preheat your grill to about 400°F (205°C). This accounts for the inevitable heat loss when you open the lid to place your items inside. Use your reliable grill thermometer to monitor the temperature and give it ample time to stabilize before placing your food in. Consistency in preheating is a skill that improves with practice.

3. Inserting Your Baking Items with Care

Once your grill is preheated and your indirect heat zone is established, it’s time to carefully place your unbaked goods inside.

Always ensure your heatproof buffer (cast iron pan, pizza stone, etc.) is in place before your baking pan. Even when baking over unlit gas burners, a buffer adds an extra layer of protection against unexpected hot spots. Lift the grill lid only for the shortest time necessary to slide your baking dish or sheet pan onto the buffer. The quicker you close the lid, the less heat you’ll lose, maintaining a more stable baking environment.

4. Adjusting Heat and Monitoring Progress

This step requires a watchful eye and a bit of patience. While it’s okay to “peek” occasionally to check on your baking progress, try to limit opening the grill lid. Each time you lift the lid, a significant amount of heat escapes, and your grill will take time to recover its temperature. As you become more familiar with your specific grill’s tendencies, you’ll learn when and how often to check.

If you notice your baked goods browning too quickly, especially on the bottom, you might need to lower the heat (reduce burner setting, close charcoal vents slightly, or add another buffer layer if possible). If they’re not browning enough or cooking too slowly, you may need to increase the heat slightly. Remember that external factors like wind can also affect your grill’s temperature stability.

For a recipe that typically bakes at 375°F, aim to keep your grill temperature consistently between 375°F and 400°F, making small, gradual adjustments as needed. Resist the urge to make drastic changes, as they can lead to overshooting the desired temperature.

5. Enjoying Your Freshly Baked Goods

Once your baked items are golden brown, cooked through, and smell absolutely irresistible, it’s time to remove them from the grill. Use long-handled tongs or oven mitts designed for high heat to carefully transfer your pans. Let your baked goods cool slightly according to the recipe, and then dig in!

There’s a unique satisfaction in enjoying delicious, homemade treats that didn’t require turning on your indoor oven. You’ll not only savor the flavors but also the cool comfort of your home on a hot day.

What Should You Bake on the Grill? Delicious Ideas for Outdoor Baking

The possibilities for grill baking are broader than you might imagine! While you can bake almost anything, starting with “sturdy” and forgiving desserts is a great way to build confidence. My personal favorites include things that don’t rely heavily on precise, delicate textures, but rather benefit from a good, even bake.

Cookies: Classic chocolate chip, oatmeal, or sugar cookies are fantastic grill-baked treats. They cook relatively quickly and are generally forgiving of minor temperature fluctuations. The cookies pictured in this post, Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, are an excellent choice!
Cobblers and Crisps: These fruit-filled desserts are perfect for the grill. The bubbling fruit and golden-brown topping are incredibly satisfying. The indirect heat helps the fruit cook down beautifully while crisping the topping to perfection. Think Summer Fruit Cobbler or Classic Apple Crisp.
Galettes and Skillet Pies: Rustic fruit tarts like Mini Blueberry Galettes or a Strawberry Skillet Pie are wonderfully suited for grill baking. They are less fussy than traditional pies and bake up with a beautifully browned crust.
Breads: No-knead breads or simple quick breads can achieve a fantastic crust and tender crumb on the grill. The enclosed environment is excellent for developing a good rise and crust. You can even try baking smaller rolls or focaccia.
Brownies and Bars: Similar to cookies, brownies and bar desserts are great candidates. Their dense texture allows them to hold up well to the grill’s heat.
Muffins and Scones: Baked in a cast iron skillet or a sturdy baking dish, these can be a delightful addition to an outdoor brunch.

Tips for Even Better Grill Baking:

Rotate Your Dish: If your grill has hot spots, rotating your baking dish halfway through the cooking time can help ensure even browning.
Use a Drip Pan: For charcoal grilling, a drip pan under your baking dish can help catch drips, regulate temperature, and add a little moisture to the environment.
Prevent Over-Browning: If the top of your baked goods is browning too quickly before the inside is cooked, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
Keep it Clean: A clean grill will perform better and prevent unwanted smoky flavors from burnt residue transferring to your baked goods.
Consider the Weather: Windy conditions can make it harder to maintain a consistent grill temperature. On such days, you might need to adjust your heat settings more frequently.

Baking on the grill is more than just a summer hack; it’s a fantastic way to expand your culinary skills and enjoy the great outdoors. With a little practice, your grill will become an invaluable tool for creating a wide array of delicious baked goods, keeping your kitchen cool and your taste buds happy all season long.

Shop Essential Baking Tools for Your Grill Adventures

This article was originally published in July 2013 and has been updated and expanded for comprehensive guidance on grill baking.