Cookies are some of the most sought after desserts that children and adults alike enjoy. They are delicious, but it takes skill and effort to whip up perfect cookies every single time.
Cookies are usually ready within 8-10 minutes so if you’re a beginner, you might find it hard to tell when they’re baked through or not. In this article, we share tips on fixing undercooked cookies as well as discuss common cookie problems and how to avoid them.
You can re-bake undercooked cookies back into the oven as long as they’ve cooled down. Immediately cooking them when they’re undone puts the cookies at risk of getting burned so it’s safe to cool them down before re-baking to retain their crispness and freshness.
There are a lot of problems you’ll encounter when baking cookies so it’s better to know them now and be ready when a problem occurs. One of the most common things you’ll notice when baking your delicious recipe is that they sometimes keep burning in the bottom. If that often happens to you, putting a parchment paper under the cookies should solve this problem.
Forgetting the cookies in the oven too long will also put them at risk of being overly crisp. This happens when you get distracted and lose track of time. Immediately take out the cookies in the oven onto a cooling rack instead of on a sheet to allow air to circulate.
Meanwhile, if they dry out too quickly, you can store the cookies in a zip-lock bag with a small piece of bread. This prevents the cookies from turning dry and brittle.
It’s also recommended to use a portion scoop to ensure your cookies are uniform in size. If you aren’t using one, you’ll have a high chance of yielding different sizes and texture for your cookies, making them unappealing.
You should also practice rotating the cookie sheet partway through the baking to prevent uneven baking. Some ovens have different temperatures from the back, top, bottom, and sides. This will also affect the appearance of your cookie.
Lastly, reserve chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, or whatever toppings you wish to add on your cookies for later. You don’t usually notice it but your last batch of cookies always seem to have fewer chips on them than the first.
Reserving some for last is a great way to keep your cookies perfect from the first batch up to the last.
Cookies that have a chewy texture are usually undercooked. For a chewy texture, take the cookies out of the oven before the total baking time. This way, the cookies will droop on the spatula for a nice and chewy experience. Be wary though as underdone flour and eggs may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious digestive problems.
A lot of people prefer cookies that are underdone so creating a recipe that’s delicious and safe will definitely earn you a lot of praise.
Undercooked cookies with a chewy texture are a favorite among many. They’re edible and are even sometimes the bestseller in pastry stores. Droopy chocolate chips in a soft cookie are usually a delight for lovers of these types of recipes.
Remember though that since cookies contain flour and eggs, ensure that the sources are trusted to reduce bacterial infections.
Refrigerating cookie dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much. For this reason, chilling the dough is a crucial step especially for rolled cookies. Cookies will spread less the colder and more solid the fat in the dough is.
Warm cookie dough or using more than the recommended butter can also cause the cookie to spread quickly on the outside yet remain raw in the middle.
Cookies that easily crumb are usually a sign that they’re too dry. They don’t have enough moisture to hold your recipe in place, making the cookie fall apart.
Crumbling cookies can also be a result of using too much flour. This is why measuring using weight instead of cups is better not just when baking cookies but in any other pastry you can think of.
The ideal temperature for baking cookies is 350F. They’ll bake evenly at this range from the inside and out in 8-10 minutes. If you bake at a lower temperature, say 325F, the results may be mixed but if you’re going for a chewier cookie then you can go for that. Baking at a lower temperature also softens the outsides.
Baking anything higher than 350F will create golden and crunchy cookies so maybe this is another recipe you should experiment on.
Another effective way of baking cookies is by placing them in the microwave on high for a few seconds. Be mindful of spreading them evenly and by batches before turning the microwave on for 10-20 seconds.
You can even thaw cookies straight from the freezer using this method or refresh stale cookies to regain their taste.
Storing your leftover cookie dough in the freezer is totally fine because they have little to no water content in them. They last for up to 3-4 weeks when stored in the freezer and will maintain their freshness when it’s time to bake them.
As water expands in low temperatures and contracts when thawed, cookies will not have an issue unlike other foods that ruin their texture when frozen.
Conclusion
Cookies have been around for a long time and their popularity has only increased with time. There are a lot of recipes you’ll find online but creating one yourself is fun and should be tried out if you’re into baking.
It’s totally fine to place your baked or undercooked cookies back into the oven for a second bake but always be sure to check and adjust the time and temperature to avoid burning them.
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