The Secrets of Convection Baking: What You Need to Know!

In today's modern kitchens, convection ovens have become a standard feature in many new homes across the country. Despite being around for quite a while (ours has been in use for 14 years), a lot of people remain uncertain about how to make the most of them. At our place, we discovered the ins and outs through a bit of trial and error, sacrificing a few good cookies in the process of mastering the art of convection baking. However, the journey was well worth it, and we now exclusively embrace this option for its many benefits. Here, we're excited to share some helpful tips to guide you in harnessing the full potential of your convection oven.

Wondering how to use your convection oven? It's a breeze! The "convection" function is simply an optional setting on your oven, usually controlled by a button or switch on the control pad. Once activated, you're baking with convection heat, and when turned off, it functions like a regular oven.

When the convection setting is on, the oven heats up conventionally but also engages a fan and exhaust system. This system circulates hot air throughout the oven, creating a uniform temperature around your food. The result? Your culinary creations cook more quickly and evenly, with an added bonus of achieving a delightful crispiness due to the extraction of moisture.

Now, about setting the temperature: one of our initial lessons was to lower the suggested oven temperature in recipes by a solid 25°F. Trust us, it wasn't the first thing we learned—more like the 6th or 10th attempt. Lowering the temperature is essential for efficient convection baking; you simply don't need as high a temperature to achieve the desired results.

Here's another tip: about halfway through the recommended baking time, take a peek inside. With convection, things tend to cook faster than in a regular oven, so don't solely rely on the timer. Use your senses—look and smell. As you become familiar with convection baking, you'll develop a knack for timing your favorite recipes.

With the holiday season upon us, it's the perfect time to impress your friends, neighbors, and colleagues with delicious convection-baked treats. If you're baking in bulk, take advantage of the convection setting by placing multiple sheets on different racks. For smaller batches, the traditional oven setting works just fine.

We hope these tips inspire you to preheat that oven, follow your favorite cookie recipe, and venture into the world of convection baking. With a bit of patience and practice, you'll become a convection baking enthusiast in no time! Happy holidays from our family to yours!

And because 'tis the season, here's a basic (but delicious) sugar cookie recipe to get you started:

BASIC (But Delicious) Sugar Cookie Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling

MAKES: 84 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

• 1 egg

• 1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

FROSTING:

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened

• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 to 4 tablespoons 2% milk

• Food coloring of your choice, optional

• Colored sugar, edible glitter, nonpareils, or frosting of your choice, optional

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Combine flour and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Chill 1-2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place on greased baking sheets. Bake 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

3. For frosting, in a small bowl, combine butter, sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to achieve a spreading consistency. If desired, tint with food coloring. Frost cookies; decorate as desired. Yield: 6-7 dozen.