When baking cookies, where is the best place to put your oven rack?

Question

If your oven rack is up higher, what happens to the cookies?
If it is lower, what happens to the cookies. Which way does the cookies get crisper or chewy?

Answer 1

I've found that the middle allows for even cooking to adjust the chewing or crispy character of ur cookie just adjust the time u leave the cookie in the oven

Answer 2

I know this is considered "wrong" but since I like my cookies chewy and not darkened on the bottom (or anywhere else!) I always put my cookie rack at the top of the oven. Cookis normally cook from the bottom up because contact with the metal cookie sheet heats them directly. By putting the cookie sheet at the top, they get heat from the top as well as from the cookie sheet so they cook evenly and stay chewy and moist.
The most important thing while baking cookies is to watch them! Don't go by a timer as it only takes a couple seconds to go from perfectly golden to overcooked, brown and dry.
Oh, if what you want is crispy & drier cookies (like if you're making tuiles for example) then you need to put the rack near the middle or lower section of your oven to get the result you need.
Best thing to do either way though is to experiment, as each oven cooks a little differently and everyone's tastes are different!
Happy Baking!

Answer 3

When baking cookies, it is best to not put the rack too high or too low, but right in the middle of the oven. If you want your cookies crispy, leave them in a bit longer than the recipe calls for. Typically, a chocolate chip cookie, if pulled out when just browned will be chewy even after a couple of days. But if you leave it to get a little darker color, being careful to not let it get burnt, it will have a crispy texture. I like crispy and chewy so I've done that many times.

Of course, when you initially pull them from the oven, even the crispy ones will be chewy and soft but if you let them cool until they are no longer warm to the touch, they will be crispy.

Answer 4

The rack should be in the middle to promote good air movement! The high or low concept has nothing to do with chewy but over baking will certainly obtain crispy! What most people don't understand is the baking principle! First, don't use the dark color bake ware as they will always produce "burnt" or "over baked" results! Use the "aluminum colored" bakeware! Secondly, use the underside and not the inside so as to avoid "hot spots" on the edge of the pan where there's a lip. A cookie is properly baked when the outside edge has a golden tone to it. The cookie continues to bake even when removed from the oven from residual heat!

Answer 5

The best location is in themiddle of the oven that way the cookies get the best heat distribution. Usually you will find that there are hot and cold spots in the oven. If you tried to back two sheets at a time you will see that the upper cooks faster and the cookies get browner because heat rises.

Answer 6

If the rack is lower the bottom of your cookies will burn. If it is too high the won't cook correctly. I always put the rack in the middle.

Answer 7

Should always be it in the middle. About 10 inches from the bottom of the oven.

Answer 8

place it so the cookie rack is in the center of the oven. this is not nearly as important if you have a convection (fan) oven as it circulates the heat evenly.

Answer 9

The point is to provide correct cooking heat for the recommended time period. Usually this is in the center of the oven.

Answer 10

Too high the tops will over brown,,too low the bottoms will burn..place the rack the middle