Baking Cookies For One? Use A Toaster Oven

Baking cookies can be a relaxing process, one that brings a sense of nostalgia when those sweet smells overpower your kitchen. Whether you like your cookies soft and chewy or thin and crispy, there's a big chance a stressful day or sudden craving might spur you to whip out your favorite cookie recipe. But what if you don't want the hassle of turning on your regular oven or baking a full batch? Luckily, there's a perfect solution: using your toaster oven.

A toaster oven can be quite versatile and quicker to heat up than a regular oven, which means less time between prepping your batter and taking a bite out of your favorite cookie. Once you've scaled down your cookie recipe to fit comfortably in your toaster oven, bake your cookies for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for the perfect batch of cookies for one. You'll still get a delightfully smelling kitchen and satisfy your cookie cravings, all with half the work.

Using your toaster oven can be a little different from a regular oven, which might result in some common toaster oven mistakes. But getting your cookies right is easier than you think. When baking with your toaster oven, make sure to use the middle or lower rack to avoid burning your cookies. You'll also want to make sure that you use a light-colored baking pan, as darker colors might make your cookies brown too quickly.

It's also important to preheat your toaster oven like you would a normal oven to ensure evenly baked cookies. If you're not chilling your cookie dough, your cookies will spread and bake faster, so keep an eye out towards the end of their baking time. Make sure that your baking equipment is specifically toaster oven safe, like silicone baking mats and metal pans. Avoid materials like aluminum foil or parchment paper, as these can be a serious fire hazard.

The toaster oven is the perfect tool to get you a smaller batch of cookies with less fuss or hassle, but keep in mind that they'll turn out best if you only cook one tray at a time. So, if you want to bake cookies for a bigger group of people, or don't have the right equipment, a regular oven may be the way to go. Either way, those freshly baked cookies will feel like a win.