Hilton Hotels & Resorts is a global hotel chain founded by Conrad Hilton in 1919. Known for its luxury and comfort, Hilton's brands are loved by both business travelers and tourists alike. Hilton’s hospitality is cherished by people around the world.

DoubleTree by Hilton, a subsidiary of Hilton, is renowned for offering a warm chocolate chip cookie at check-in. This service, which started in 1986, aims to provide guests with a “home-away-from-home" warmth. For many guests, the chocolate chip cookies from DoubleTree have become a special memory. Did you know these cookies recently went to space?

In 2019, the year marking Hilton's 100th anniversary, the company embarked on a new challenge aimed at the future of space travel: baking chocolate chip cookies in space. This project, a collaboration between Hilton, the U.S. space company Nanoracks, and the startup Zero G Kitchen, explored food preparation methods in microgravity. Five cookie dough samples and a prototype of the space oven "Zero G Oven" were sent to the ISS, where astronauts tested different baking times and temperatures to perfect the cookies.

Baking cookies in space requires a special technique different from what we use on Earth. Typically, cookies are baked in a convection oven at about 150°C (300°F) for 16–18 minutes. However, in microgravity, convection doesn’t occur, so a new space oven called the Zero G Oven, which uses heat conduction like a toaster, was developed and tested for the best baking methods. The experiment successfully baked delicious cookies similar to those on Earth, but it also revealed new challenges in baking time and temperature adjustments.

The first cookie was baked at 300°F (150°C) for 25 minutes but was still undercooked. The second and third cookies were baked for 75 and 60 minutes, respectively, and had a delicious aroma. The fourth cookie was baked for 120 minutes and then cooled for 25 minutes, while the fifth cookie was baked for 130 minutes at 325°F (160°C) and then cooled for 10 minutes. These last two cookies were the best. According to Italian astronaut, Luca Parmitano, “I can smell it, and I do observe some chocolate melting." It seems that baking in space requires higher temperatures and longer times. Based on these results, the Zero G Oven will be improved for future use, and it may enable not only baking but also grilling, frying, and pan-searing in space. While current space food is mainly pre-cooked meals, the future may bring more opportunities for cooking and enjoying food in space.

The space oven "Zero G Oven" isn't just for astronauts and space travelers—it's widely accessible to research institutions, companies, and educational institutions interested in exploring the new frontier of space cooking. Users can launch food samples into space, where astronauts aboard the ISS will cook them using the "Zero G Oven." It's ideal for various purposes such as food research and space education. If this piques your interest, why not consider it?

Recommended Users for the Zero G Oven:
- Researchers interested in exploring the relationship between cooking and gravity
- Those studying methods for cooking food in microgravity environments
- Educators looking to engage students and the general public on the theme of future space food
- Major food brands that want to showcase advancements in their products
- Major appliance manufacturers that eager to highlight their technical capabilities
- Anyone looking to pioneer the new frontier of space cooking!

Hilton’s chocolate chip cookies became the first food ever baked in space and the frozen cookies returned to Earth in 2020. Since May of this year, one of the cookies has been on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia. In 2026, it will be moved to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The cookies are stored in a clear case filled with nitrogen to prevent mold, so you can’t smell the sweet aroma, but you can certainly appreciate the future of food preparation in space!

Hilton is also actively working on the development of a space hotel. In 2022, Hilton announced that it would be the official partner for the U.S. commercial space station “Starlab", responsible for interior design and astronaut sleeping quarters. Starlab is set to launch into low Earth orbit in 2028. In the future, there might be a day when you can enjoy DoubleTree’s chocolate chip cookies at a Hilton-curated space hotel. As space travel becomes a reality, Hilton’s efforts show that a future where many people can visit space might not be a distant dream after all.

If you’re inspired to try making these cookies yourself, here’s the official recipe along with a video tutorial.

🍪 DoubleTree by Hilton’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

The key to enjoying DoubleTree’s cookies is to eat them warm! They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Savor a taste of these beloved cookies that have even traveled to space!

●Source:
- Hilton Stories: DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookie First Food Ever Baked in Space
- CollectSpace: DoubleTree Cookies Space Results
- Hilton Stories: Hilton Voyager Space Partnership
- DoubleTree by Hilton Reveals Official Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe