How to Cook Brownies Evenly | 11 Easy Tips

To cook brownies evenly make sure the oven is set to the correct temperature, use a good quality baking tray so they eat evenly, rotate the tray 90 degrees after 20 minutes or try baking in a silicone pan. Test the brownies 5 minutes before the recommended cooking time with a skewer. If the skewer comes out covered in crumbs and not raw batter then they are ready.

This article will explore the top ways to get evenly cooked brownies.

1. Choose the right sized pan for the recipe

Choose a baking pan that fits your recipe. Most recipes will tell you the recommended pan size but for standard brownie mixes it will be an 8×8 inches (or 20×20 cm). This will give you brownies that are around ¾ of an inch.

If you use a pan that is too large the batter will spread out too thin and will cook quicker. You will then need to reduce the cooking time to avoid the edges cooking too fast and burning.

2. Lower the temperature if you have a fan forced oven

If you find that the edges of your brownies are cooking faster than the center then lower the oven temperature.

If you have a fan forced oven it is important to drop the temperature. For fan forced ovens aim for 320 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius). For a convection oven aim for 356 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).

If your brownies are cooking too fast on the edges you can drop the temperature of the oven by another 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Place the brownies in the middle of the oven

For an even cook aim to put the brownie tray in the middle of the oven. Move your oven trays to the second or third tray spot. This will help to cook the brownies evenly on the top and the bottom.

4. Rotate the pan after 20 minutes

It is important to rotate the brownie pan in the oven to get an even cook. I like to rotate the pan after 20 minutes turning it 90 degrees. This will avoid the brownie mix overcooking if your oven has uneven hot spots.

5. Use a good quality baking pan

Choosing a good quality pan is important to make sure the brownies heat evenly. If you are baking in a metal pan, choose a thick metal or good quality stainless steel. Thinner metal brownie pans can heat up faster in some areas and will rapidly transfer heat to the brownies.

This can result in hard bases on the brownies or overcooked corners.

6. Try a silicone baking pan

Metal baking pans heat up quickly so if you are having problems with the edges cooking before the center choose silicone. Silicone will not heat up as quickly as the silicone does not absorb and hold heat like metal or glass.

7. Take the brownies out of glass pans

If you choose to bake your brownies in an ovenproof glass pan like I do it is important to take the brownies out sooner to cool. Once the brownies have cooked through in the oven allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes. After this, move the brownies to a cooling rack or wooden chopping board.

Glass pans hold heat for a long time and will continue to cook the brownie mix if they are left there. This can result in the brownies becoming cakey and overcooked rather than fudgy inside.

8. Preheat the oven first

Before placing your brownie tray int eh oven make sure it has been preheated and has reached the correct temperature. Ovens will blast extreme heat while they are heating up so they quality get to the right temperature.

If you put your brownie mix into the oven before it has finished preheating then the brownie will be exposed to this high heat which can rapidly cook the edges, lead to cracking and an overcooked base.

For evenly baked brownies let the oven preheat fully before putting them in.

9. Spread the batter evenly

Some brownie batter recipes are incredibly thick so will pile up in the middle when you put it in the pan. To make sure the brownies bake evenly spread the batter out with a silicone spatula. This will make sure that they are the same depth, and the full tray will cook through evenly.

10. Check the batter with a skewer or knife

It is important to check your brownies before the end of the cooking time to make sure they don’t become too hard. If the recipe specifics a 35 minute cooking time, take them out and test them after 30 minutes.

Use a skewer or butter knife to test your brownie mixture. Poke it in the center and pull it out. The skewer should have crumbs on the outside and not raw batter when it is ready.

11. Use an oven thermometer

Using an oven thermometer is a great way to make sure the oven is set correctly to avoid overcooking your brownies.

Sometimes ovens are not actually heating to the temperature you set it to. To find out grab a small oven thermometer to make sure. To bake brownies evenly they usually are cooked at 320 degrees Fahrenheit or 160 degrees Celsius in fan forced ovens.

How to Cook Brownies Evenly | Summary

Brownies are fun to bake but can quality cook on the edges before the center is baked if you don’t keep an eye on them. Testing them 5 minutes before the recommended cooking time can help you catch them before they overcook. You can then put them back in if they need a few minutes more.

Happy cooking.