What causes burnt cookie bottoms
Reasons include:
- Your baking sheet is very dark, which promotes browning. Use a light-coloured metal sheet instead, like aluminum.
- Your oven maintains its temperature poorly and the bottom heating element turns on frequently.
- Baking two sheets at once on two racks, which blocks hot air circulation and confuses the thermostat. The bottom element then heats continuously, which burns the bottoms of cookies. They should be baked on the middle rack and one sheet at a time.
Using a cookie cutter other than gingerbread man shape
This is possible. The trick is to group cookies of roughly the same size on the same sheet so they bake at the same time. Use the baking time stated in the recipe as a guide, but rely on the cookies’ appearance (edges starting to brown, matte surface) to deduce that they’re done.
Preparing cookie dough ahead of time
Doing so is recommended, given that the cookies will have better flavour and spread a bit less during baking. Well-wrapped cooking dough can be refrigerated for about a week. Let it come to room temperature before shaping and baking according to the recipe.
Freezing cookie dough
It’s best to divide the dough into individual cookie portions beforehand. To do this, use a small ice cream scoop or spoon. Freeze the portions first on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then transfer them into a freezer bag or an airtight container. For most cookies, there’s no need to thaw before baking. Simply bake the frozen dough according to the recipe’s instructions, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.
COOKIES
Cookies
Looking for more tips and tricks for a successful holiday feast? Be sure to check out our handy guide:
