Baking Cookies and Convection Ovens

What is the concensus on baking cookies in a convention oven? I use convention for roasting chicken and sometimes pork loin, but I turn down the temperature to prevent scorching or drying out. I am afraid to experiment with cookies because I may end up ruining the batch.

Linn
  • Posted by: Linn
  • October 20, 2012
  • 120403 views
  • 9 Comments

9 Comments

JJ September 5, 2016
Thanks, Cranberry. I am trying various combinations of temperature and time for a better result. I have a Wolf E-Series wall oven.
 
Linn October 21, 2012
Thanks Maedl and Sam1148 for you observations. I really like the idea of switching half way through.
 
Sam1148 October 21, 2012
It's all going to depend on the oven. Mine has a convection setting...but still the cookies needs to be turned mid way---the "convention" element is at the back of the oven with a fan...so the back side gets a more direct hot air blast. On my oven the the 'convection setting' fires up the element on the fan and bottom element stops. (or does some micro-logic trick).

What I do for cookies is start with conventional..and then midway switch to convention.. to avoid burned bottoms.

Sounds like Maedl has a similar problem with the convection setting; with hot air blast on one side.
 
Maedl October 21, 2012
I bake cokies in a convection oven--I can't figure out how to turn off the fan, so I have no choice. almost all cookies have turned out fine--even macarons.. The only problem has been with Springerle, which puff up considerably and are rather delicate. The first time I tried them in this oven, they all flopped over to one side. Now when I bake them, I build an edge to the cookie sheet with foil to protect the cookies from the air current and it works nicely.
 
Linn October 20, 2012
Thanks Amanda. The next time I do a batch I will give convection a try.
 
Amanda H. October 20, 2012
Many bakeries use convection ovens, so it's ok to bake your cookies in a convection oven. I always turn my oven down 25 degrees when using the convection feature. Try this, and keep an eye on them. If the recipe says to bake for 15 minutes, I'd check them at 8 minutes. Once you get a successful batch, the rest will be a snap. Good luck!
 
JJ September 3, 2016
Turn down heat by 25 degrees for convection, but how to adjust timing for cookies that, for example, only require 8 to 10 minutes baking time? In my new Wolf oven (tested for oven temperature accuracy by a service tech), my usually no-fail drop cookie recipes are overbaking outside and underbaking inside no matter how I adjust.
 
cranberry September 5, 2016
JJ, I'd turn it down another 25 degrees and see what that does for you. Did you get the wolf m series? If so there is a huge thread on gardenweb about their performance.
 
Florence L. December 21, 2019
I know this is an old post but did you ever resolve the problem? I am using a Viking convection oven and having the same problem.
 
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