When are Cookies done Baking?

This question seems obvious, but not every cookie has the same doneness. Not every cookie is the same. Some cookies need to be baked a little longer and some cookies do not. So, when are cookies done baking?

TIP #1: Golden Brown Edges

There are a couple ways to tell when a cookie is done baking. The most common way to tell when a cookie is done baking is to look along the edges of a cookie. When the cookie is JUST golden brown, they are done. This tip is most common in chocolate chip type cookies, oatmeal cookies, and similar types.

The reason you want them JUST golden brown along the edges is because when you take baked goods out of the oven, they continue to bake as they cool down. When cookies are taken out just as you start to see the golden brown along the edges, they usually come out crunchy on the outside and nice and gooey on the inside.

If the cookie is too much golden brown along the edges it will be very crunchy on the outside and inside–too baked. My mother-in-law calls these coffee cookies. And while I LOVE me some coffee cookies, I don’t want them all the time. Most of the time I enjoy crunchy on the outside and soft and gooey one the inside.

TIP #2: The Bottoms are JUST Golden Brown

Another ti[ to check if your cookies are done, is to use a spatula and gently lift the cookie off the cookie sheet and peek at the bottom. It is best to lift just a small section of the cookie and not the entire cookie. Lifting the entire cookie might result in the cookie smooshing together (is that even a word?).

For example, you can see the golden brown peaking through the bottoms of these lemon crinkle cookies. At least on the front cookie. If you look at the cookie off the the right, there is no golden brown. With these cookies it was best to look under the cookie. I baked these cookies to my desired time, but saw no golden brown edges. And I did not was to risk overtaking them.

So instead, I lifted up the cookie just slightly to peek under the cookie. If the cookies were golden brown underneath, I took them out of the oven. If the cookies were not golden brown underneath, I baked them for another 2 minutes.

TIP #3: Looking at the Center of the Cookie

If the timer on the oven goes off and the cookies still look very gooey in the middle, then they need to go back in the oven. I always like to add 2 minutes to the timer after what the recipe calls for. For example, if the recipe calls the cookies to bake for 12-14 minutes. I bake for 12 minutes. If they are still not done, I bake another 2 minutes. If they are still not don’t, I bake for another 2 minutes. and so on.

I hope these tips help! If you use any of these tips and find them successful, snap a picture, share it in your Insta Stories, and tag me @raesbakeryblog.