• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Start here
  • Baking 101
  • Recipes
  • Shop

The Bake School

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Start here
  • Baking 101
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Start here
    • Baking 101
    • Recipes
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Baking science

    Published on: February 6, 2021 by Janice; Updated on: February 7, 2023 Leave a Comment

    Why cookies end up very dark on the bottom and completely raw in the middle

    13 shares
    • Facebook4
    • Yummly
    • Email

    Has it ever happened to you that you bake your cookies at 350 ºF, the standard for most recipes, but your cookies end up so dark (even burnt) on the bottom, yet completely raw in the middle? There are a lot of reasons this could happen so let's go through them.

    Crispy oatmeal cookies

    Reasons cookies are browning too quickly and raw in the middle

    Your cookies might be browning too quickly because of:

    • the colour and material of your sheet pans: bakeware made of darker materials will absorb more heat and depending on the metal, some are better heat conductors.
    • your oven: it might not be preheating to the set temperature and might be going way above that or you are setting your oven to a very high temperature, too high for your cookies
    • oven rack position: if you are baking your cookies on the bottom rack of the oven, they might have too much heat directed to the bottom
    • too much baking soda can promote Maillard browning by increasing the pH of cookie dough
    Freshly baked big chocolate chip cookies made with chunks of dark chocolate on a parchment-lined sheet pan with one cookie broken in two — 7 cookies on sheet pan
    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Solutions

    If you are having trouble baking cookies that are golden brown on the outside and perfectly baked, consider making the following adjustments:

    • get an oven thermometer to double check the temperature of your oven (leave it hanging in your oven at all times so you can get to know your oven a little better)
    • double check that both heating elements of your oven are working. If one is broken, the other will compensate and this will definitely mean baked goods burn on one side.
    • drop the temperature of your oven by 25 ºF if your cookie sheets are a dark material or if your cookies are very old and have stains and baked on gunk that is verging on black.
    • switch your oven rack to the middle position and place your sheet pan of cookies on the middle rack to bake them more evenly
    • if your sheet pans are old, very stained, and have burnt-on dark spots, figure out a way to clean them if they are, or upgrade to new cookie sheets
      • another option for this one is to invest in parchment paper or better yet, a silicone baking mat like a Silpat. Silicone is an insulator and reduces browning of cookies, slowing it down significantly, which is exactly what you need to solve this problem. Note that these mats come in different sizes and you should invest in the right size to fit your pans as you can't cut them without damaging them.
    • double check your recipe to make sure it’s not overloaded with baking soda

    Don't despair if your cookies end up burned on the bottom and raw in the middle. Learn from it! Sometimes just a small adjustment to your technique or your equipment can have a big impact.

    More Baking science

    • Homemade chocolate chip cookies that are too thick.
      Thick cookies and reasons cookies don't spread
    • Flat cookies that spread thin in the oven and merged together into one big cookie.
      Flat cookies and reasons they spread thin
    • Baking a pie on the bottom oven rack position.
      Oven rack position
    • The freezer plate test with a dollop of strawberry jam to show it wrinkles when it sets.
      The jam setting point and how to determine jam set
    13 shares
    • Facebook4
    • Yummly
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Baking resources

  • Baking conversion charts
  • Baking ingredients and pantry staples
  • Baking substitutions
  • Common baking conversions
  • Choosing baking pans
  • How to measure ingredients for baking
  • Mixing methods
  • Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    This is a picture of Janice Lawandi

    Hi, I'm Janice! I am a baking-obsessed recipe developer with a PhD in Chemistry who writes about baking and the science of baking.

    More about me →

    Give back

    If you enjoy the free content on this website, consider saying thank you!

    Eggless chocolate cake

    Chocolate layer cake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate sprinkles on a cake stand.
    Learn to make an eggless chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting!

    Bake with rhubarb

    • Strawberry jam with rhubarb smeared on a piece of toast on a plate.
      Strawberry rhubarb jam
    • Freshly baked rhubarb crumble ready to be served.
      Rhubarb crumble
    • Rhubarb raspberry upside down cake on a parchment lined round black tray, cut into a few slices with a cake lifter under a slice
      Rhubarb raspberry upside-down cake
    • Serving rhubarb muffins on plates with a side of butter.
      Rhubarb muffins with sour cream and streusel
    • Let's bake with rhubarb-best rhubarb recipes roundup
      What to bake with rhubarb
    • Bluebarb or blueberry rhubarb crumble with a marzipan oat crumble topping in a blue baking dish with a fluted edge
      Blueberry rhubarb crisp with marzipan crumble

    Bake with berries

    • Toast served with homemade strawberry jam and butter on a pink plate.
      Strawberry jam
    • Serving apple and blueberry crumble with scoops of vanilla ice cream on plates.
      Apple and blueberry crumble
    • A plate of blueberry scones served with butter.
      Scones with blueberries
    • A jar of homemade blueberry jam with a spoon.
      Blueberry jam
    • Slices of fruit tart served on black dessert plates.
      Fruit tart
    • Pavlova cake filled with whipped cream, lemon curd, and raspberries being served.
      Pavlova

    Baking conversions

    Buy the baking conversion charts NOW!

    How to poach pears

    Poached pears on an enamelware plate.
    This easy poached pears recipe is simple and you can use the poached fruit for salads, appetizers, and desserts!
    This is a picture of Janice Lawandi

    Hi, I'm Janice! I am a baking-obsessed recipe developer with a PhD in Chemistry who writes about baking and the science of baking.

    More about me →

    Give back

    If you enjoy the free content on this website, consider saying thank you!

    Eggless chocolate cake

    Chocolate layer cake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate sprinkles on a cake stand.
    Learn to make an eggless chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting!

    Bake with rhubarb

    • A perfect slice of rhubarb pie, ready to be served.
      Rhubarb pie without strawberries
    • Perfectly golden brown orange blossom rhubarb bostocks are made from frangipane and baked in the oven until golden brown
      Rhubarb bostock with frangipane & rhubarb jam
    • unmolding orange rhubarb cakes with cornmeal from mini loaf cake pan
      Mini orange cornmeal cakes with rhubarb
    • Multigrain waffles with roasted rhubarb | bakeschool.com
      Roasted rhubarb with multigrain waffles
    • Rhubarb pumpkin seed cake after baking | kitchenhealssoul.com
      Moist rhubarb cake
    • A plate of scones with rhubarb served with jam.
      Rhubarb scones

    Bake with berries

    • Framboisier cake
    • Three ice cream strawberry shortcakes on small dessert plates on white marble surface
      Ice cream strawberry shortcake
    • A raspberry shortcake with homemade biscuit, whipped cream, and berries on a pink plate with a fork with black matte handle
      Raspberry shortcake
    • A jar of homemade strawberry red currant jam with a spoonful on the side and the metal band
      Strawberry and red currant jam
    • A raspberry chocolate tart garnished with star-shaped cookies and fresh rapberries.
      Chocolate raspberry tart
    • A heart-shaped pan of raspberry brownies.
      Raspberry brownies

    Baking conversions

    Buy the baking conversion charts NOW!

    How to poach pears

    Poached pears on an enamelware plate.
    This easy poached pears recipe is simple and you can use the poached fruit for salads, appetizers, and desserts!

    Footer

    If you enjoy the free content on this website, consider saying thank you!

    Buy Me a Pound of Butter

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Meet Janice
    • FAQ
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and conditions
    • Accessibility
    • Press

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services
    • Portfolio

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    COPYRIGHT © 2023 · THE BAKE SCHOOL