# Trouble with cookies in gas convection.



## btcookies (Sep 26, 2019)

Hi! I've been renting a commercial kitchen for my cookie business. The gas convection oven is a bit old with a squeaky fan but it works well! My cookies also bake perfectly in regular non-convection ovens. However, I'm opening a storefront and cannot get the cookies to bake properly in other gas convection ovens. I own four and also tried a different brand at a used equipment store. In both, the cookies are spreading perfectly and are nicely crispy/golden on the outside. 

However, I'm not getting enough moisture evaporation in the center, resulting in overly moist cookies. These are larger 4.5 oz thick cookies so I expect the centers a little under-baked but not to this extent. The only options are high/low fan and temp. The shape comes out perfect at 300 F low fan and the outside is done in approx. 15 mins. At home they bake well at 350 for 17-18 mins. I've tried simply baking longer. The outside gets darker and extra crispy but inside is still very moist. The cookies spread too much at lower temps so that isn't an option. Any ideas on how to remedy this?


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## jcakes (Feb 18, 2007)

Are you saying the cookies baked in the rental kitchen with a conVECtion oven are not baking well? Or just the ovens you tried in the used equipment store? Have you chosen ovens for your storefront? Can you no longer buy the brand of oven that the cookies work in (because it's so old?) Maybe the rental kitchen would love to sell you that old creaky oven  for your storefront!

As for things to try, you could start them in an oven with high fan then lower it part way through the baking cycle; or start with low fan until the shape is set and then in the last few minutes of baking turn the fan to high. You could also try putting the sheet on a baking stone, but honestly that will be a pain to deal with.

Have you decided on an oven for your storefront? Have you tried an electric convection oven?


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## btcookies (Sep 26, 2019)

jcakes said:


> Are you saying the cookies baked in the rental kitchen with a conVECtion oven are not baking well? Or just the ovens you tried in the used equipment store? Have you chosen ovens for your storefront? Can you no longer buy the brand of oven that the cookies work in (because it's so old?) Maybe the rental kitchen would love to sell you that old creaky oven  for your storefront!
> 
> As for things to try, you could start them in an oven with high fan then lower it part way through the baking cycle; or start with low fan until the shape is set and then in the last few minutes of baking turn the fan to high. You could also try putting the sheet on a baking stone, but honestly that will be a pain to deal with.
> 
> Have you decided on an oven for your storefront? Have you tried an electric convection oven?


No, they seemed to bake fine in the rental kitchen oven! The ones I bought for the storefront and the one I tested today both have this under-baked center issue. My only guess is that maybe the fan on the rental oven isn't as strong. I have two double stack ovens installed so I'd love to make them work. I've tried all high fan and all low fan but haven't switched between them yet!


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

From my experiences, all ovens bake different and no 2 are alike. If the storefront ovens aren't giving you the quality, it may be as simple as a temp/time adjustment.


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## btcookies (Sep 26, 2019)

chefross said:


> From my experiences, all ovens bake different and no 2 are alike. If the storefront ovens aren't giving you the quality, it may be as simple as a temp/time adjustment.


I wish it were that simple! I've been able to narrow down the temp options based on spread and have tried various times. The outside just gets crispier..not much change otherwise.


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## fatcook (Apr 25, 2017)

Have you tried flattening the cookies before baking. This would reduce the time needed to bake the center, and allow you to reduce the temp and still get the same spread.


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## btcookies (Sep 26, 2019)

fatcook said:


> Have you tried flattening the cookies before baking. This would reduce the time needed to bake the center, and allow you to reduce the temp and still get the same spread.


Yes, I tried that today! The temp needed to be higher to keep them from being too flat. It did get a bit hotter in the center but was still very gooey.


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## katerqueen (Sep 13, 2016)

I have the same problem when baking cinnamon rolls in the convection ovens.


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## brooksms (Aug 9, 2018)

katerqueen said:


> I have the same problem when baking cinnamon rolls in the convection ovens.


So frustrating! I had to change my recipes to make it work.


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