Get a perfect bake every time! Here's the best oven rack position for baking cookies.
This Is the Best Oven Rack Position for Baking Cookies
Updated on Jan. 07, 2023
Most ovens have two or three racks. But, when it comes to making cookies, there is no reason to take a bet on which one will ensure the superior bake. We have all the information you need on best oven rack position for baking cookies.
Where should I bake my cookies?
The simple answer to this question is, meet in the middle. Cookies should (almost) always be baked on the middle rack of the oven. The middle rack offers the most even heat and air circulation which helps cookies bake consistently.
The bottom rack of the oven is closest to the heat source (ovens heat from the bottom unless you have the broiler on), so it can result in burnt bottoms. The top rack of the oven is the furthest from the heat and can result in cookies that spread a little too much.
To make sure your oven is in pristine condition, follow our maintenance tips.
Ideally, cookies are baked one sheet at a time, placed horizontally across the middle oven rack. You should also rotate the pan about three-quarters of the way through the bake time.
What if I’m baking two batches at once?
But we don’t all live in that ideal world. Sometimes you have to bake quick! When you need to get two sheets done at once, here’s our recipe for cookie success:
- Place one sheet on the middle rack and one sheet on the top rack.
- Add two minutes to the total bake time.
- Switch the two sheets halfway through.
So, if the recipe called for a 10-minute bake time, you’d bake the two sheets for 12 minutes total, swapping their location at the 6-minute mark.
If your sheets fit on your oven racks vertically (going from front to back of the oven on the rack), place one sheet on the left side of the oven and one sheet on the right side of the middle and top racks. This helps with air and heat circulation and will keep the tops of the cookies on both sheets and even golden brown.
Oven location isn’t the only cookie quandary you’ll run into! We talked to an expert about the tips for getting perfect cookies every time.
Now that you know where to put your cookie sheets in the oven, try out some of our favorite simple cookie recipes.
Oat Chocolate Chip CookiesI love these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I made this recipe just before we showed our house. Not only did the people buy the house, but they requested the recipe. — Nancy Fridirici, Brookfield, Wisconsin
Take a look at these amazing drop cookie recipes.
Amish Sugar CookiesThe Amish seem to be master bakers, and they did not skimp on Amish sugar cookies.
Also check out this 3-ingredient sugar cookie recipe that is impossible to forget.
No-Bake Cookie Butter BlossomsChewy and sweet, these easy treats mix Rice Krispies, cookie spread and chocolate kisses in an unforgettable spin on an old favorite. —Jessie Sarrazin, Livingston, Montana
Oatmeal CrispiesMy husband, who normally isn't fond of oatmeal, thinks these old-fashioned cookies are great. With a hint of nutmeg, their aroma is wonderful as they bake...and they taste even better! —Karen Henson, St. Louis, Missouri
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip CookiesIt is hard to resist cookies, let alone pumpkin chocolate chip cookies made with oats and cinnamon. No surprise here — they are the perfect fall treat, especially right out of the oven.
Chewy Chocolate Chip CookiesEveryone who has tried these cookies says they're the best they've ever eaten. I'm sure the addition of pudding mix makes all the difference.
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut CookiesWhite chocolate macadamia nut cookies are the king of macadamia nut cookies. These rich, buttery cookies bake up soft with just the right amount of crispness.
Butterscotch Toffee CookiesDecadent and so easy to make, these five-ingredient toffee chip cookies are your next go-to sweet treat.
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter CookiesWith this easy recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, you get two great cookies in one soft, chewy treat.
Gingerbread Oatmeal CookiesCookie butter and ground ginger add a new layer of flavor. The recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies, and they go fast. You may want to make a double batch. —Carole Resnick, Cleveland, Ohio
Cranberry CookiesChock-full of cranberries, chocolate chips and nuts, these cookies are fun to eat. They offer a change of pace from traditional Christmas cookies...but don't wait until December to make them. My family requests them all year-round. —Betty Albee, Buhl, Idaho
Popcorn CookiesIt's so much fun to surprise people with the crushed popcorn in these yummy cookies. They're definitely a distinctive treat on the cookie tray! —Leigh Anne Preston, Palmyra, Indiana
Maple CookiesThese maple cookies are a baker's dream. They're a bit different from the norm but, oh, so easy to love!
Browned Butter Spice CookiesIf you like spice cake, you’ll love this recipe! Browned butter, dark chocolate and a splash of rum produce an unconventional spice cookie that’s guaranteed to please. —Kristin Kenney, Newport Beach, California
Sour Cream DropsThe unique frosting on these cookies combines butter and confectioners' sugar for a rich flavor. —Tracy Betzler, Reston, Virginia
Oregon's Hazelnut Chocolate Chip CookieOregon has an abundance of nuts, and these nutty cookies are popular with the ladies at my craft club. Growing up during the Depression, my mother taught us to use what was available and said, "It doesn't have to be expensive to be good." She was right! —Selmer Looney, Eugene, Oregon
Peanut Butter Oatmeal CookiesMy husband loves homemade cookies, and these are probably his favorites. The wheat flour and oats give these cookies a distinctive flavor. —Linda Fox, Soldotna, Alaska
Ginger Drop CookiesMy mother shared the recipe for these soft spice cookies, and I've been making them ever since. That the recipe was my mother's makes them all the more special. —Bethel Walters, Willow River, Minnesota
Almond BlondiesThese make a nice change from the typical chocolate brownie. When I bake up a batch, they disappear quickly at my house. —Cindy Pruitt, Grove, Oklahoma
Super Chunky CookiesChocolate lovers will go crazy over these cookies that feature loads of chocolate! When friends ask me to make "those cookies," I know exactly what recipe they mean. —Rebecca Jendry, Spring Branch, Texas
Chocolate Cherry CookiesWhen you want chocolate and tangy cherries, make these chocolate cherry chunk cookies. A thick cookie base studded with rich chocolate chunks and dried cherries is a satisfying snack or dessert.
Cranberry Pecan CookiesEach delightful little cookie is loaded with cranberries, nuts and a sweet hint of vanilla. But these little gems start with ready-made cookie dough! Let that be your little secret. —Louise Hawkins, Lubbock, Texas
Almond Toffee SandiesI knew after sampling these cookies from a friend that I had to add the recipe to my bulging files! —Vicki Crowley, Monticello, Iowa
Oatmeal Cranberry CookiesChewy and sweet, oatmeal cranberry cookies balance tart cranberries and zesty orange with indulgent white chocolate for an anytime treat.
Chewy Oatmeal CookiesI packed chocolate chips, raisins, nuts and cinnamon into my oatmeal cookie recipe. These soft cookies are easy to make. Best of all, our kids love them! —Janis Plageman, Lynden, Washington
Cherry CookiesThis quick recipe for soft maraschino cherry cookies is just the thing when you're craving something sweet but don't have a ton of time to bake.
Soft Ginger PuffsThese spice cookies loaded with raisins and walnuts really do appeal to all generations—I found the recipe in a 1901 South Dakota cookbook! Sour cream adds a wonderful, unusual flair. —Marion Lowery, Medford, Oregon
Blueberry Oatmeal CookiesBlueberries brighten up the palate in this simple cookie recipe with a secret spice (cinnamon!) that makes it impossible to eat just one—they’re that good!
Cookies in a JiffyYou'll be amazed and delighted with how quickly you can whip up a batch of these homemade cookies. —Clara Hielkema, Wyoming, Michigan
Monster CookiesWho can resist gigantic monster cookies chock-full of goodies like chocolate chips, M&M's and peanut butter? If your appetite isn't quite monster-size, make them by heaping tablespoonfuls. This is the world's best monster cookies recipe. —Judy Fredenberg, Missoula, Montana
Toffee Chip ThinsIn an attempt to create the "ultimate" cookie, I took the best features from my favorite recipes to create this sweet, crisp cookie. My family can't get enough of them. —Lynae Lang, Wolf Point, Montana
Chocolate-Covered Raisin CookiesMy family loves these moist, chewy cookies. They're a year-round treat at our house, and a batch never lasts long. —Karen Bourne, Magrath, Alberta
