The Oven Rack You Should Be Using To Bake Cookies

Cookies are some of the most diverse desserts out there, from the humble oatmeal to the ooey-gooey chocolate chip to the more elaborate pinwheels or thumbprint cookie recipes. If you like your desserts with a certain texture or flavor profile, chances are good there's a cookie recipe out there you'll love. 

However, just because cookies are amazingly versatile and a staple in just about every fond childhood memory or at every holiday party, that doesn't mean they're easy to make. There are a lot of mistakes that just about everyone makes when baking cookies.

Beyond sloppy mixing and measuring, you could be making a big mistake by not baking your cookies on the proper oven rack. Yes, even the oven rack you choose makes a big difference in how your cookies turn out. Not every rack in your oven will bake them the same, due to the temperature differences found throughout the average oven. So, which oven rack is best?

According to the experts at Quaker Oats, the center oven rack is the best spot for your cookies to bake. (If you only have two racks in your oven, just move one a little higher or lower than normal and slide the other right in the center.) 

Put your cookies on the top rack, and they may cook faster, but they also may burn. Put your cookies on the bottom rack, and you might find yourself wondering when exactly those cookies will reach the perfect golden-brown hue. The middle is just right.

But, what do you do if you want to bake two sheets of cookies at one time? Quaker Oats says, in that instance, space your oven racks so the oven is divided into thirds. Halfway through your baking time, flip the baking sheets so the one that started on the bottom is at the top and the one that started on the top is at the bottom. This will help ensure a more even bake for both trays.