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Baking Timer
Tap what is in the oven and press Start as the door closes. The alarm is set for the first check, not the last minute.
8 minutes
Spacestart / pauseRresetFfull screen+ −add or remove a minute0–9type a time
8–12 minutes at 350–375°F (175–190°C). Take them out when the edges are set and the middle is soft.
18–22 minutes at 375–400°F (190–200°C). The tops spring back when pressed.
18–22 minutes at 350°F (175°C). A toothpick in the center comes out clean.
25–35 minutes at 350°F (175°C) in an 8-inch pan. A few moist crumbs on the toothpick is right.
25–35 minutes at 350°F (175°C) for 8–9 inch rounds. The top springs back and the edges pull away.
55–65 minutes at 350°F (175°C) in a loaf pan. Test the center, which bakes last.
30–40 minutes at 375–400°F (190–200°C). It sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
Baking times and oven temperatures
| Bake | Oven | Timer (first check) | Usual range | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cookies | 350–375°F (175–190°C) | 8 min | 8–12 min | Edges set, middle still soft |
| Muffins | 375–400°F (190–200°C) | 18 min | 18–22 min | Tops spring back |
| Cupcakes | 350°F (175°C) | 18 min | 18–22 min | Toothpick comes out clean |
| Brownies, 8-inch pan | 350°F (175°C) | 25 min | 25–35 min | Toothpick has a few moist crumbs |
| Cake layers, 8–9 inch rounds | 350°F (175°C) | 25 min | 25–35 min | Springs back; edges pull from the pan |
| Banana bread, loaf pan | 350°F (175°C) | 55 min | 55–65 min | Toothpick from the center is clean |
| Sandwich loaf | 375–400°F (190–200°C) | 30 min | 30–40 min | Sounds hollow; 190–200°F (88–93°C) inside |
For a conventional oven; 350°F is 175–180°C. In a fan or convection oven reduce the temperature by about 25°F (15–20°C) and check early. Your recipe, pan and oven decide the real time, so these are the points to start checking from.
How to use it
- Heat the oven fully before anything goes in, and put the rack in the middle unless the recipe says otherwise.
- Tap what you are baking. The countdown is set to the early end of the usual range; if your recipe gives a time, set its shortest figure with the steppers.
- Press Start as you close the oven door. Leave the door shut for the first two-thirds of the bake.
- When the alarm sounds, test: a toothpick for cakes and quick breads, a look at the edges for cookies, a tap on the base for a loaf. If it is not done, tap +1:00 a few times and test again.
Why the oven timer is set to the first check
Baking times come as ranges because no two ovens, pans or batters match. A recipe that says “25 to 35 minutes” is telling you to look at 25. Underbaked cake can go back in for three minutes; overbaked cake cannot be undone. So each chip here sets the early end of the range, and the tests in the chart tell you whether to stop or carry on.
Those tests work because of what happens after the oven. Cookies are taken out while the middle still looks soft, since they keep cooking on the hot tray for a few minutes and firm up as they cool. Brownies should leave a few moist crumbs on a toothpick, because a clean toothpick means they will be dry once cold. Cakes and banana bread are different: the toothpick should come out clean, and the center of a loaf pan is always the last part to set.
What changes baking time: fan ovens, pans and the door
A fan or convection oven moves hot air across the food, so heat gets in faster. The usual adjustment is to lower the temperature by about 25°F (15–20°C) and check a few minutes ahead of the recipe time. Dark metal pans absorb more heat than shiny ones and brown the edges and base sooner, so start checking early with those too.
Depth matters more than quantity. The same brownie batter in a larger, shallower pan bakes faster than in an 8-inch pan, and a 9-inch cake layer is done before an 8-inch one filled with the same batter. Opening the door early lets heat out and can make a cake that has not set sink in the middle, which is why the first two-thirds of the bake should be left alone.
Common mistakes
- Putting the tray in before the oven has reached temperature. The first minutes set the rise, and a cool oven gives flat cookies and dense cakes.
- Waiting for cookies to look done in the oven. By then they are overbaked; they should look slightly underdone in the middle.
- Opening the door to check a cake in the first half of the bake. The drop in heat can make it sink.
- Using the recipe temperature in a fan oven without lowering it. The outside browns before the middle is cooked.
- Testing banana bread near the edge. The center is the last part to bake, so the toothpick goes there.
Questions people ask
How long do you bake cookies?
Most drop cookies take 8 to 12 minutes at 350–375°F (175–190°C). Take them out when the edges are set and lightly golden and the centers still look soft, then leave them on the tray for a few minutes to finish.
How long do you bake cupcakes?
About 18 to 22 minutes at 350°F (175°C). They are done when the tops spring back to a light touch and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
What is the baking time for banana bread?
About 55 to 65 minutes at 350°F (175°C) in a standard loaf pan. If the top is browning too fast before the center is done, lay a piece of foil loosely over it for the last part of the bake.
How long do brownies take to bake?
About 25 to 35 minutes at 350°F (175°C) in an 8-inch square pan. Stop when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs; wet batter means more time and a clean toothpick means they are past fudgy.
What is the baking time for a cake?
Two 8 or 9-inch round layers take about 25 to 35 minutes at 350°F (175°C). The cake is ready when the top springs back, the edges pull away from the pan and a toothpick comes out clean.
How do I know when a loaf of bread is baked?
A soft sandwich loaf takes about 30 to 40 minutes at 375–400°F (190–200°C). Turn it out and tap the base: it should sound hollow. A thermometer in the center reads about 190–200°F (88–93°C).