Here are some helpful solutions for the common causes:
- Use a light-colored aluminum cookie sheet.; dark sheets absorb more heat and transfer it to the cookies.
- Turn dark cookie sheets over. Often the bottom side is lighter in color.
- Reduce the baking time.
- Reduce the oven temperature by 25°F.
- Cover dark cookie sheets with heavy-duty aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Position oven rack in the center of the oven.
Place cookies about 2 inches apart and avoid putting them close to the edges of the cookie sheet.
Oven thermostats can change over time, requiring adjustments by the baker or calibration by a professional. To assure the correct temperature each time you bake, always use an oven thermometer.
Use a cookie sheet that is 2 to 3 inches smaller than the oven. This allows the air to circulate around the sheet, and heat the oven more evenly.
As altitude increases, liquids and even the moisture in foods evaporate faster. This causes cookies to continue to brown a bit more than usual after they have been removed from the oven. Reduce oven temperature or baking time. Since cookies brown a little after removing from the oven, bake to a lighter color than desired.
Particularly when making light-colored cookies such as sugar cookies, switch to bleached all-purpose flour. It usually contains less protein than either unbleached or bread flour. The more protein a flour has, the darker the color of the baked cookies will be. Learn more about flour.
