8 Ways to Prevent Cookies from Burning on the Bottom (2024)

Description

Learn the chemistry of how your cookies bake and never get burned bottoms again.

  1. Sugar Control

    If you "accidentally" add too much sugar to your dough, it can cause the bottom of your cookie to caramelize and burn.

    Hyvee Dietitian Expert Tip

    Looking to cut down on sugar? For most baking recipes, you can reduce the sugar by 25 percent without affecting the taste or texture.

    8 Ways to Prevent Cookies from Burning on the Bottom (1)Hy-Vee Dietitians
  2. The Right Baking Sheet Color

    8 Ways to Prevent Cookies from Burning on the Bottom (2)

    Darker color pans absorb heat and can cause the cookie bottoms to burn. Instead, choose lighter gray or heavy dull-aluminum baking sheets.

  3. Ungreased Cookie Sheets

    Contrary to what you might think, using nonstick spray or butter to grease your pans can cause cookies to over brown. As a rule of thumb, cookies typically have enough fat in them to prevent them from sticking to the pan.

  4. Parchment-Lined Cookie Sheets

    A baker's best friend is parchment paper. It keeps cookie sheets clean, and if your using ooey-gooey mix-ins, it keeps them from sticking to the pan.

  5. Oven Rack Position

    Make sure your oven rack is not too close to the bottom of the oven. Cookies like to be right in the center for optimal heat circulation.

  6. One Sheet at a Time

    8 Ways to Prevent Cookies from Burning on the Bottom (3)

    Cookies also like their space. More than one cookie sheet will alter the airflow to your cookies, causing the ones on the bottom to over brown.

  7. The Sacrificial Cookie

    Get to know your oven by baking a single test cookie. This will indicate if there are any issues with your set up.

  8. Baking Time

    When baking cookies, set the timer just a few minutes before the lowest cook time. Without opening the oven, turn the oven light on and check to see if the cookies need more time. The cookies are done when they have set, have a dull shine, and are lightly golden brown around the edges.

8 Ways to Prevent Cookies from Burning on the Bottom (2024)

FAQs

8 Ways to Prevent Cookies from Burning on the Bottom? ›

How can you prevent cookies from burning on the bottom? To begin with, make sure your dough is cold enough. Also, use parchment paper and never put the dough on a warm baking sheet. Lastly, if you oven tends to burn from the bottom, make sure to place the baking sheet into the top third of your oven.

How to stop cookie bottom from burning? ›

How can you prevent cookies from burning on the bottom? To begin with, make sure your dough is cold enough. Also, use parchment paper and never put the dough on a warm baking sheet. Lastly, if you oven tends to burn from the bottom, make sure to place the baking sheet into the top third of your oven.

How to stop food burning on the bottom? ›

Start with a low heat and then gradually turn to medium or high. Or, if you like your food a little charred, you can start with high heat, and then switch it to medium and low to finish cooking. Stirring is also a great way to prevent your food from burning as it doesn't let the food stick to the bottom of the pan.

How do you keep cookies from getting hard on the bottom? ›

Here's a baker's trick you'll find in our new Monster Cookies recipe: Adding a piece of fresh white bread to the storage container will keep cookies from becoming hard or stale.

Can I save cookies that are burnt on the bottom? ›

If your cookies look great, but the bottoms are a little too burnt for your liking, don't panic, we can save them! Take a microplane or box grater on the smallest side and grate that burnt part right off. No grater? A roughly balled up piece of aluminum foil rubbed on the bottom of the cookie will do the trick too.

How to bake biscuits without burning the bottom? ›

To prevent the bottom of your biscuits from burning, you can use a light-colored baking sheet, line it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and place the biscuits in the middle or upper rack of the oven. Additionally, you can lower the baking temperature and extend the baking time.

Does foil burn the bottom of cookies? ›

So, the end result will be super crispy bottoms and not-quite-done middles. In a worst-case scenario, the bottoms of your cookies may even burn while the rest of them don't thoroughly bake through — definitely not ideal. The good news is that there are other solutions — so, what should you use instead of aluminum foil?

How to stop cake bottom burning? ›

Put a cookie sheet on the floor of the oven. It should divert enough heat to prevent your cake from burning.

Why are my cookies burning on the edges? ›

This thin area cooks faster than the middle, which is why it burns. Dropping the dough on a hot cookie sheet has the same effect. Another culprit — one that leads to burned bottoms — is using a dark cookie sheet. Like wearing all black at the beach, dark bakeware absorbs heat, says cookware company Circulon.

Why is food burning on the bottom of my oven? ›

This error usually happens when the oven's temperature dial is set higher than necessary for the recipe. Understanding the Issue: Many recipes require specific temperature settings. Deviating from these can lead to overcooked or burnt food. The Fix: Always cross-check the temperature required by your recipe.

How do bakeries keep their cookies soft? ›

Light corn syrup is sometimes used in specialist cakes and confectioneries to help keep baked products soft and doughy for longer.

What is the best temperature to bake cookies? ›

Cookie temperatures fluctuate, with some recipes as low as 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and a few as high as 425 degrees Fahrenheit, but most recipes land on 375 or 350 to evenly bake the entirety of the cookie.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

Cornstarch Is The Secret To Soft And Chewy Cookies.

How to make the bottom of cookies not burn? ›

8 Ways to Prevent Cookies from Burning on the Bottom
  1. Sugar Control. ...
  2. The Right Baking Sheet Color. ...
  3. Ungreased Cookie Sheets. ...
  4. Parchment-Lined Cookie Sheets. ...
  5. Oven Rack Position. ...
  6. One Sheet at a Time. ...
  7. The Sacrificial Cookie. ...
  8. Baking Time.

Why are my cookies hard but not burnt? ›

Why do Cookies Become Hard? Cookies become hard when the moisture in them evaporates. This can be caused by leaving them out in the air for too long, baking them for too long, or storing them improperly. The lack of moisture makes the cookies hard and dry, which makes them difficult to enjoy.

Why did my cookies burn so fast? ›

The easy fix here is to add more flour to the dough, little by little, until it sticks well to the mixer. Be sure you're using a thick, good quality baking sheet, too, as thin dark ones promote browning and will cause cookies to bake faster and burn more easily.

How to stop cake burning on the bottom? ›

A sheet of aluminum foil under the pan can help prevent burning on the bottom. If your oven heats unevenly you can also bake you cake with can pan on a sheet pan that is doubled up as well.

How do I stop my bread from burning on the bottom? ›

👉 Place a baking stone or baking sheet on the rack directly below your pot. This shields the bottom of your pot from excessive heat, preventing a burnt bottom. A few other things that can help: 🌟 Invest in good quality parchment paper or a reusable @thebreadmat.

How do you heat up cookies without burning them? ›

Soak a paper towel with water and then squeeze it to remove as much liquid as possible. Wrap 1 to 2 cookies with the damp paper towel, or place the paper towel over a plate of cookies. Microwave your cookies for 10 to 15 seconds. Remove the paper towel and enjoy your fresh, steaming cookies.

Why did my cookies spread and burn? ›

Excess Sugar and Fat

Measuring is key in baking. If your cookie contains excess sugar or fat, it will spread while baking. If your first batch of cookies spreads, try adding a few tablespoons of flour to help thicken the remaining dough.

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