How to Save Burnt Cookies - Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking (2024)

FAQs

How to Save Burnt Cookies - Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking? ›

By removing the burnt acrid or unpleasant parts you're left with the desired flavor. Your baked good will look as good as new and no-one will ever be able to tell. For cookies and biscuits or desserts with a crisp using either a microplane or a box grater is best.

It happens, and it's frustrating. But don't throw them away — there's an easy fix! Instead of just starting on a new batch of cookies, try this: Use the small holes of a Microplane or box grater to gently scrape away the burnt bits from the bottom!

If your cookies look great, but the bottoms are a little too burnt for your liking, don't panic, we can save them! Take a microplane or box grater on the smallest side and grate that burnt part right off. No grater? A roughly balled up piece of aluminum foil rubbed on the bottom of the cookie will do the trick too.

Burnt cookies are almost always dry as well, so if you wonder how to make them soft, there are a few options: dump them into milk, jam, or chocolate sauce. Or, why not make cookie sandwiches or frost them?

The bottom of your cookies can burn for a variety of reasons. Your oven is too hot. The cookies baked for too long. Even the color of your baking sheet affects the bottoms of your cookies.

Wrap them immediately

It's perfect for when the cookies first come out of the oven and you realize that you've baked them for too long. Just wrap each individual cookie in plastic wrap while they are still warm and the moisture created should soften them back up.

And the National Cancer Institute Experts say that while it is considered safe to eat burnt food, with so much research still unknown around the topic, it is best to consume it in moderation in small quantities. Needless to say, you can enjoy that crispy black marshmallow on your s'mores. It's all good.

If you're concerned about sticking, use parchment paper to line the pan, as it won't promote over-browning. Parchment paper also makes it so sticky ingredients don't make a mess of your pan; it guarantees easy clean up.

According to food connoisseurs, the process of burning food creates the Maillard reaction. This occurs when the caramelising of food results in amino acids and sugars being rearranged, and this produces complex flavours that are uniquely appealing to modern diners. So that explains why charred food tastes so good!

Instead of greasing your cookie sheet, line it with a sheet of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Either will prevent sticking and help protect the bottoms of your cookies. And no, neither wax paper nor aluminum foil will not work as a substitute.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

Cornstarch Is The Secret To Soft And Chewy Cookies.

You could also re-crisp them by baking on a wire rack in a 300 degree F oven for a few minutes.

Once it's clear that you do have limp cookies or less-than-crispy crackers, put them back into a preheated 300° F or 325° F oven, regardless of the original (presumably higher) baking temperature. I tend to use 300° F for items that can't afford to get darker, and 325° if a little extra color won't hurt.

Start with a low heat and then gradually turn to medium or high. Or, if you like your food a little charred, you can start with high heat, and then switch it to medium and low to finish cooking. Stirring is also a great way to prevent your food from burning as it doesn't let the food stick to the bottom of the pan.

A sheet of aluminum foil under the pan can help prevent burning on the bottom. If your oven heats unevenly you can also bake you cake with can pan on a sheet pan that is doubled up as well.

Place the stale cookies on a microwave-safe plate and cover them with a damp paper towel. Microwave them in short bursts of 10-15 seconds until they become soft. Be careful not to overdo it; the cookies can become too soft or lose their texture.

You could also re-crisp them by baking on a wire rack in a 300 degree F oven for a few minutes.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Once the oven is heated, place the tray on the middle rack and allow the cookies to warm up for 4 to 6 minutes, or until warm. Remove your cookies from the oven and enjoy them right away.

When cookies turn out underbaked, they can still be salvaged. Quickly return them to the oven if they're fresh, or reheat at a lower temperature if they've cooled. For cookies too soft to crisp, repurpose them in desserts like parfaits or trifles. These strategies ensure no batch of cookies is wasted.