Scribble Cookies: Take III

We first tried making scribble cookies a couple of years ago, and I continue to save our broken crayon bits to do this. However, I still did not feel like our previous oven attempt was all that successful, and I wasn't a huge fan of the microwave method we had tried either. So, recently I found a different set of directions online. The main difference is that this blogger suggested setting the oven to 275 degrees whereas my previous set of directions recommended setting it no higher than 200. This significantly improved the process for us. It didn't take nearly as long.

There are probably a couple of other reasons for our success in addition to the increased oven temperature. For one, we now have a new oven, which works much, much better. It's amazing how much better, in fact. I actually did not even realize how poorly the old one worked until it just conked out on us last year. So, when the new one arrived, it was like a breath of fresh air. For another thing, I decided that perhaps making scribble cookies in mini muffin tins would be quicker and less problematic than making them in the full-size tins like be did previously. So, I can't really say which of these factors related the most to the success of our scribble cookies, just that they are worth noting. The main thing is that it worked, so this is probably how I will continue to do it in the future.

{Aren't they pretty? You totally want to make some, right? Here's how!}

Materials:

• broken crayon bits
• sharp knife (optional)
• mini muffin tins
• mini muffin foil/paper cups
• cookie sheet (optional)
• oven set to 275 degrees Fahrenheit
• bowls for sorting crayons (optional)

Directions:

1. Gather up all your broken crayon bits. (Tip: I save these in a bowl as they accumulate and then use them when we have enough for a project. We've been waiting a few months for this.)
2. Make sure all papers are removed. I usually just do this while I am saving them. Kids can also help with this.
3. If the pieces are too big, break them into smaller pieces. Kids can help with this. Adults can also use a sharp knife for this. (Tip: As I am breaking them, I like to sort them into bowls by similar colors: blues together, greens together, reds together, etc. You do not need to do this, but I don't see the purpose of making a couple dozen or so of mixed-up crayons. Even if they are all a bit different, they're still essentially the same. This way, we end up with crayons with blends of assorted hues of the same color, which the OCD side of me appreciates.)
4. Pre-heat your oven to 275 degrees. (ADULT USE ONLY)
5. Line your mini muffin tins with muffin liners. (Tip: Paper will work for this, but foil is preferred.)
6. Fill muffin cups with broken bits of crayons. Kids can definitely help with this step. You can fill them almost all the way to the top. (Tip: Before baking, I like to put up to two mini muffin tins (that each hold 12) onto a cookie sheet. This makes it much easier to take them in and out of the oven without spilling crayons or melted wax, but you don't have to do this.)
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 275 degrees. Scribble cookies do not have to be completely liquified, just melted enough so that there are no big chunks remaining. Set aside to cool completely. This took about an hour for this batch.
8. Once scribble cookies are cool, you can peel off the foil or paper liners and discard them. These recycled crayons are fun to color with, and they also make nice homemade gifts. The photo above shows a set of scribble cookies that I packaged up in a zippered baggie and we gave it as a birthday gift to one of Mia's friends. (Tip: Just make sure to supervise young children. Scribble Cookies do look quite like multi-colored peanut butter cups, and I still catch Logan, at 3 1/2 eating them at times.)