Can You Put Underbaked Cookies Back in the Oven?

Sharing is caring!

Can you put cookies back in the oven if they are underbaked? Yes, you can! If you’ve found yourself with less-than-perfectly baked cookies, this post is for you. I’m sharing two easy ways to save your cookies if they aren’t quite done.

The holidays are right around the corner, which means cookie season is about to be in full swing.

Of all the things I bake—from sourdough bread to cinnamon rolls—I think cookies can be one of the trickiest treats.

It’s not so much that cookie dough is hard to make, as that it can be difficult to tell when a cookie is perfectly baked.

We’ve all been there—when you take a batch of cookies out of the oven and realize on the first bite that they aren’t done in the middle.

In that moment of disappointment, you wonder, “Can I put cookies back in the oven if they are underbaked?”

I have good news: you absolutely can!

Whether you are making einkorn chocolate chip cookies, a sourdough skillet cookie, peanut butter cookies, oatmeal cookies, shortbread cookies, or anything in between, with these tips, you can still enjoy delicious fresh cookies even if they are underbaked.

Twice Baking Cookies

Twice baking is a baking process that involves, well…baking something twice.

Usually, the second bake is intentional and done to create a specific texture, such as crunchy biscotti or other hard cookies.

However, twice baking also works for salvaging cookies that are underbaked.

Depending on how cool the cookies were before the second bake, twice baking might change their texture, but they will still be totally edible.

Ideally, preventing underbaked cookies is the best plan.

So before we get too wrapped up in how to put cookies back in the oven, it’s important to learn how cookies end up underbaked and how to identify a cookie that needs more time.

That way, the next time you bake, you’ll be on your way to making perfect cookies.

How Cookies End Up Underbaked

Not Enough Time in the Oven

Of course, the most obvious reason cookies are underbaked is that they weren’t in the oven long enough. The baking time depends on several factors, including temperature, baking sheet type, batch size, cookie size, and type of cookie.

Tray Placement

If you are baking a few sheets of cookies, the tray on the lower racks may not bake as quickly as the trays above it.

Oven Hot Spots

If your oven is like mine, hot spots cause the cookies in the back to bake faster than the ones in the front.

Using a convection oven or rotating the trays halfway through can prevent uneven baking.

Large Batch Size

If you pack your trays with cookies, they may take longer to bake than your recipe calls for.

Overcrowding may cause spreading and uneven baking because the cookies share the heat with too many others.

Wrong Oven Temperature

Oven temperatures vary per recipe, but the average is usually 350°-375° F. If your cookies are underbaked, make sure the oven is set to the right temperature.

Also, oven temperatures vary. If you suspect the temperature of your oven is way off, use an oven thermometer to see if there is an abnormal temperature difference.

How To Tell When a Cookie Is Underbaked

Knowing when a cookie is perfectly baked can be a little tricky. Cookies fresh out of the oven look and feel different once they cool, so it can be hard to judge when a cookie is done.

But there are a few visual cues that can help determine if your cookies are underbaked:

• Color: The best way to assess cookie doneness is by checking the color. Underbaked cookies are pale. Of course, you don’t want cookies that are too brown, but fully baked cookies have a golden brown color.
• Edges: The edges of underbaked cookies will also be pale.
• Center: An underbaked cookie will have an overly soft center and won’t be set in the middle.
• Texture: An underbaked cookie will have a doughy texture, whereas a finished cookie will have a soft but firm texture.
• Shine: If your cookies are shiny in the middle, that is a sign they are underbaked.
• Flat: Underbaked cookies deflate as they cool. So flat cookies are a sign they weren’t in the oven long enough.

How To Fix Underbaked Cookies

Luckily, not all is lost if you realize your cookies aren’t quite done. You can salvage underbaked cookies with a few easy steps:

If Your Cookies Are Still Warm

1. Keep them on the baking sheet or gently transfer them back to a baking sheet if you moved them to a cooling rack.
2. Preheat the oven to the temperature the recipe calls for.
3. Bake the cookies for a few more minutes until they are done.

Keep an eye on them, or use a kitchen timer. Cookies go from underbaked to overbaked really quickly.

You will still have soft cookies if they don’t cool too much before going back in the oven.

If Your Cookies Have Cooled Off

Sometimes—and I speak from experience—you might not realize your cookies are underbaked until they have cooled off to room temperature.

Luckily, you can still save them with these easy steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 300° F and transfer the cookies to a baking sheet. This temperature might be lower than what the recipe calls for, but at this point, the goal is to bake the center and reduce the moisture in the cookie without burning the edges.
2. Bake the cookies until they are done.

If they have been cooled and rebaked, the texture of the cookies might change. However, they will still be delicious!

FAQs

Do I have to rebake the whole batch?

No, you only need to rebake the cookies that aren’t done.

If you have some cookies that are done, set them aside to cool. Then, place the underbaked ones back in the oven.

How long do cookies need to bake?

It really depends on a variety of factors. However, most cookies take about 8-12 minutes.

But get to know your oven. Cookies always take 10-15 minutes in my oven.

What should I do if my cookies are overbaked?

Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to save overbaked cookies. You can crush and sprinkle them on ice cream or use them in other recipes, like a parfait or trifle (stale cookies also work great for this).

And as long as they aren’t burned, even an overbaked cookie is good when you dunk it in a glass of cold milk!

Is it safe to eat underbaked cookies?

Now, in full disclosure, I’ve probably eaten my weight in raw cookie dough over my lifetime. But technically, eating underbaked or raw dough isn’t safe.

Most underbaked cookies also have an unsavory texture, so you are better off baking them for a few more minutes.

What is the best way to store cookies?

Leftover baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container or ziplock plastic bag. They can be left on the counter for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can store the cookies with a slice of bread to keep them extra fresh. The moisture in the bread will prevent the cookies from going stale too quickly.

More Posts You’ll Love

• Sourdough Lemon Bars Recipe (with YouTube video)
• Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Bread – Discard Recipe
• Honey Caramelized Pears with Simple Oat Crumble
• Sourdough Carrot Cake – (No-Wait Recipe)
• My Favorite Kitchen Tools for Scratch Cooking (2024)
• How To Use a Cast Iron Waffle Maker – Complete Guide

If you tried rebaking your cookies, let me know how it went. Leave a comment or review below!

And don’t forget to pin this post and follow Moon + Magnolia on Pinterest. You can save all my recipes on your boards and keep up with the latest happenings!