🔍 What Went Wrong?

Spread thin and flat

Likely causes:

Butter too soft or melted; too little flour; dough put on a warm sheet; oven not fully hot.

Next time:

Use softened, not warm, butter; measure flour carefully; chill the dough 30 minutes; cool sheets between batches.

Puffy and cakey

Likely causes:

Too much flour (scooped cups); too much creaming or too many eggs.

Next time:

Spoon and level the flour, or weigh it; cream just until light.

Dark or burnt bottoms

Likely causes:

Dark baking sheet; rack too low; oven runs hot.

Next time:

Light sheet lined with parchment, middle rack, check your oven with a thermometer (Oven and Pans).

Dry and hard

Likely causes:

Overbaked, or too much flour.

Next time:

Take them out while the centers still look soft.

Uneven batch

Likely causes:

Different-sized scoops; hot spots in the oven.

Next time:

Use a scoop or tablespoon; turn the sheet halfway.

Cakey instead of fudgy

Likely causes:

Overbaked; too much flour; too much beating after the flour went in.

Next time:

Pull them when a toothpick shows moist crumbs; fold the flour in gently.

No shiny, crackly top

Likely causes:

Eggs and sugar not beaten enough.

Next time:

Beat the eggs and sugar hard for a minute, as the Fudgy Brownies tip says.

Dry edges, raw middle

Likely causes:

Glass or dark pan; the recipe's full batter in a smaller pan, so it's deeper.

Next time:

Use a light metal pan, or lower the oven by 25°F (15°C) and bake longer (pan size).

Crumble when cut

Likely causes:

Cut while warm.

Next time:

Cool completely in the pan first.

Sank in the middle

Likely causes:

Underbaked; too much baking soda or powder; oven door opened too early.

Next time:

Check doneness with a skewer, not the clock; measure leaveners with level spoons.

Tough, with tunnels and peaked tops

Likely causes:

Overmixed after the flour went in.

Next time:

Stir only until no dry flour shows (muffin method).

Gummy streak near the bottom

Likely causes:

Underbaked, or too much wet ingredient (very big bananas).

Next time:

Bake until a skewer is clean; measure mashed banana if your bananas are large.

Dark top, raw center

Likely causes:

Oven too hot, or a dark pan.

Next time:

Lay foil loosely over the top once it's brown, as in the Banana Bread tip.

Dense and heavy

Likely causes:

Old leavener; too much flour.

Next time:

Test your baking soda and powder; weigh the flour.

Flat and dense

Likely causes:

Old baking powder; overmixed batter; batter left standing a long time.

Next time:

Test the baking powder; stir until just combined; cook within about 15 minutes.

Tough or rubbery

Likely causes:

Overmixed.

Next time:

Lumpy batter is right.

Burnt outside, raw inside

Likely causes:

Pan too hot.

Next time:

Medium heat; the first pancake is a test.

Pale and greasy

Likely causes:

Pan not hot enough, or too much butter in the pan.

Next time:

Heat the pan longer; brush on a thin layer of butter.