Baking Cookies on Stoneware: Share Your Experiences!

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Discussion Overview

This thread explores participants' experiences baking cookies on stoneware, highlighting various outcomes, techniques, and personal preferences. Participants share their successes and challenges, as well as tips for improving results.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, expressed dissatisfaction with their first attempt at baking cookies on stoneware, noting longer baking times and difficulty removing the cookies.
  • Another participant shared their experience of enjoying the results from stoneware, particularly with oatmeal cookies, and suggested that it takes time to adjust to baking with stoneware.
  • Several users mentioned that the first batch of cookies typically takes longer to bake, but subsequent batches cook more quickly.
  • One participant noted the benefits of using parchment paper to keep the stone clean while baking.
  • Another participant emphasized that a seasoned stone is not dirty, although some family members may perceive it differently.
  • One participant shared that their relatives praised cookies baked on stoneware, despite them being made from pre-packaged dough.
  • Another participant mentioned that their partner prefers metal pans and is not convinced of the benefits of stoneware.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ regarding the effectiveness of stoneware for baking cookies, with some participants expressing positive experiences while others reported challenges. No clear consensus emerges on the best practices for using stoneware.

Contextual Notes

Participants' experiences vary widely based on personal preferences, oven types, and familiarity with stoneware. The discussion reflects a range of baking outcomes and techniques.

Who May Find This Useful

This thread may be of interest to Pampered Chef consultants and community members looking to share or learn about baking cookies on stoneware.

chefbria
Messages
54
Has anyone baked cookies on the stoneware yet? I tried yesterday for the first time because I wanted to see the difference. Did not like the way they turned out at all. First off the baking time was three times as much, then they broke as I tried to remove them. So needless to say I reached in my cabinets for my trusted aluminum pan. My cookies turned out wonderful. They were soft and chewy plus the bake time was ten minutes. It's hard to sell stuff if you don't have good experiences with it. Please share your stories with the stoneware.

Thanks
chefbria
Las Vegas, Nevada
 
Realize that the stoneware keeps cooking, so take the cookies out of the oven a bit before you think they will be done. Then, use the mini serving spatula to take them off the stoneware. If your piece isn't very well seasoned, use nonstick spray or bake something high in fat before using it for cookies. Another way would be to use the parchment paper.
 
Speaking of parchment paper. How well does it do at keeping the stone clean? My mom was thinking she might like a stone but her husband, my stepfather, who does a lot of the dishes would go crazy with the discolorations. So I'm wondering if she used parchment paper if this would do the trick by keeping the stone clean while getting the benefits of cooking with the stone.
 
tlennhoff said:
So I'm wondering if she used parchment paper if this would do the trick by keeping the stone clean while getting the benefits of cooking with the stone.

A seasoned stone is not dirty.
 
The first sheet of cookies will take longer... but after that you'll find they bake more quickly.

Personally, I don't know what I did before stoneware!!!!! (well, had a lot of burnt cookies, for one thing! lol) I REALLY like the way oatmeal cookies turn out... nice and crisp on the top, but soft in the middle! MMMMMMM

I say give it another try. It takes time to adjust to how the stones bake.

Parchment paper will help the stones be easier to clean... but the oils from what you are baking still come through the parchment, which will help the seasoning process. "The uglier they look, the better they cook" My bf is a major clean freak! He was at first freaked out about my stones and that they didn't look "clean" but he got over it... I didn't give him a choice! He was moving in with ME, so he had to get used to MY stuff!!! lol
 
DebbieJ said:
A seasoned stone is not dirty.

To my stepfather it is.
 
chefbria said:
Has anyone baked cookies on the stoneware yet? I tried yesterday for the first time because I wanted to see the difference. Did not like the way they turned out at all. First off the baking time was three times as much, then they broke as I tried to remove them. So needless to say I reached in my cabinets for my trusted aluminum pan. My cookies turned out wonderful. They were soft and chewy plus the bake time was ten minutes. It's hard to sell stuff if you don't have good experiences with it. Please share your stories with the stoneware.

Thanks
chefbria
Las Vegas, Nevada

sounds like you cooked them too long.
why did you keep cooknig them so long???

obviously, you wanted soft cookies-so why keep cooking them till they were that hard?

I have had no problems with stoneware, and have yet to burn or ruin a cookie on one.

HTH
 
Definately try again:) If you're not used to baking with your stoneware yet; it does take a little while to get used to it. The first batch will take a few minutes longer--shouldn't be 3 times longer though. Leave them in until they're light golden brown. Let them cool on the stone a couple minutes; then remove with you mini serving spatula. Then, each batch after that, they will take less time to bake, since the stone is heated. Just don't give up yet! Like someone else said, a little crunchy on the outside & chewy on the inside-Yum-o!
 
My first time using a stone for cookies I was also unsure. I now love it. my recomendation is to place them a little lower in the oven than you may with a metal sheet.

Try, try again and good luck! :)
 
I love using my rectangle stone for cookies! They come out great! I just recently started using our parchment paper and think they come out even better and saves me on cleanup. It is true that the first batch takes more time than the rest but it's only a minute or two longer.
 
My Rect stone is black.....BLACK! I LOVE it and would have to seek professional help if something happened to it!
I do not own anything but stoneware...no metal and no glass pans. NO joke.....there is nothing in my kitchen but Pampered Chef. OK...well my everyday ware is not PC but we do use the SA's a lot to eat from!

Try, try again and I promise the more you use it, the more you will love it!

HTH!!!
 
I still have my pans but I only use stoneware unless I am in a pickle, I am even going to borrow my friends stone for a dessert when I have my family in town
 
I am considering buying ONE metal pan, because I have NONE! I need a metal one for when I'm baking frozen dinners (which is not often, so that's why I haven't bought one yet! lol).....

When I left my husband, I took NOTHING from the kitchen that was not PC! I left him with the crap and *I* took the good stuff (he always hated PC, anyway...)

Now my kitchen is 90% PC (only because PC has yet to come out with flatware and drinking glasses! lol)
 
It was so neat at my show last night when one of the ladies went on and on about how much she loves her stoneware.. She said sometimes she bakes so many cookies or loaves of bread that she uses stoneware and something else at the same time. She says you can always tell a difference in the ones baked on the stone. It is so fun when the guests sell our products to their friends.
 
cooking on stoneware
chefbria said:
Has anyone baked cookies on the stoneware yet? I tried yesterday for the first time because I wanted to see the difference. Did not like the way they turned out at all. First off the baking time was three times as much, then they broke as I tried to remove them. So needless to say I reached in my cabinets for my trusted aluminum pan. My cookies turned out wonderful. They were soft and chewy plus the bake time was ten minutes. It's hard to sell stuff if you don't have good experiences with it. Please share your stories with the stoneware.

Thanks
chefbria
Las Vegas, Nevada
I fixed cookies on my chocolate brown pizza stone last night and they were perfect. Keep trying, you will love it, I promise. I have used my large rectangular stone to cook ribs and roast on our gas out door grill this summer. Love it too.
Tina
 
I also LOVE PC stones and don't have anything but our stones for baking!
 
I have one metal cookie sheet, I use it on the bottom of the oven if I think something might boil over
 
I love my stones also, but my hubby hates them. He does alot of cooking and I just can't sell him on how great they are. He prefers metal and just growls when I use any stones on something I'm fixing him (what a baby)!! One day he may come to see the light, but I don't look for it anytime soon.
 
I love baking cookies on the stones - I made Toll House Cookies (the ones that come in a roll of dough) and my relatives raved that they were the best cookies they'd ever had! I said "They're not even home made - I bought the roll - scooped them onto a piece of stoneware and baked them". But they loved them - although I have to agree that I do bake them longer especially the first batch - when it say 9-11 minutes it's more like 15 minutes for me (but then again I have an ancient oven as well and I like my cookies to have some crunch to them). But then the subsequent batches don't seem as long. Keep trying - as your stone seasons more - they will taste even better!

Gina Miller
 
Has anyone?I love my stoneware and never had a problem with making cookies. Try again pratice makes perfect.:)
 
Seasoned like Cast iron !!
DebbieJ said:
A seasoned stone is not dirty.
tlennhoff said:
To my stepfather it is.

The seasoning process is similar to the way that Cast Iron in seasoned. Both get darker as they are used, and you shouldn't use soap on Cast Iron either. Most people don't consider cast iron skillets dirty and the seasoning adds flavor:D . Maybe that would be a way to describe the seasoning process to people that aren't sure about the way it works and what it is.
 
genburk said:
The seasoning process is similar to the way that Cast Iron in seasoned. Both get darker as they are used, and you shouldn't use soap on Cast Iron either. Most people don't consider cast iron skillets dirty and the seasoning adds flavor:D . Maybe that would be a way to describe the seasoning process to people that aren't sure about the way it works and what it is.

I believe my stepfather made my mother give away thier cast iron skillets for this very reason. Some people are just set in their ways and arguing with my stepfather about how foolish his attitude with is unlikely to make any of us happy.

What I'm hoping will happen is that my siblings (who are getting stones from me for their birthday/xmas) will rave about them and he'll decide to give them a try.
 
parchment paperParchment paper is great to use when you need to make a lot of cookies. Put a piece on your stone, bake your cookies, slide your cookies off and repeat with a new piece. You know that once you take your cookies out of the oven the stone stays hot for a long time. It really helps around the holidays!:)
 
chefbria said:
Has anyone baked cookies on the stoneware yet? I tried yesterday for the first time because I wanted to see the difference. Did not like the way they turned out at all. First off the baking time was three times as much, then they broke as I tried to remove them. So needless to say I reached in my cabinets for my trusted aluminum pan. My cookies turned out wonderful. They were soft and chewy plus the bake time was ten minutes. It's hard to sell stuff if you don't have good experiences with it. Please share your stories with the stoneware.

Thanks
chefbria
Las Vegas, Nevada


I had a problem the first time I tried to bake cookies on my stone. Don't get discourage on it. try again. They will turn out perfect the next time. I know my first batch isn't always that great when they come out of the oven because the stone was cold. But after the stone is heated up, they come out great. The only thing I don't do is cook them that look after that. I watch them like a hawk. Try it again!! That is all I can say.
 
When I bake cookies or biscuits, I have to make sure to put it closer to the bottom of the oven to get them cooked perfectly. If I put the stone in the middle, the top is more done that I'd like and the bottoms are nearly undone. When I put the stone on the bottom-most position, they come out PERFECTLY.

Yes, the first batch will take longer, but only by about 2-3 minutes. The rest of the batches on that stone will take the usual amount of time. This is because the stone takes longer to heat through than a metal pan. Once the stone is heated, however, you're good to go for perfect cookies in the usual time.
 
I have heard of making a baking soda paste to clean the stones. I haven't tried it, but I've heard it keeps the stones from discoloring. The paste is simply baking soda and water. Just rub it in on the dark spots...but be warned that this eliminates the seasoned effect, and spray will need to be used. I don't do this or recommend it to customers because it takes away from the selling points: 1. easy to clean 2. once seasoned it's nonstick. But for a picky customer you might recommend it.
 
The baking soda and water doesn't take the dark spots off completely, but it does clean it a little more, like if it feels a little greasy I use it. If something is stuck on, like dh left it overnight on the counter instead of cleaning it like is in his contract (ha ha) then I usually put a paste on it and let it sit.
 
I love my stones and never use anything else to bake with.

When I got my SSK my sister was living with me and she had a toddler and so did I. I used it everyday and it was a chocolately brown color before my first show!
 
The first time I baked cookies on stoneware I too did not like them. I tried to bake cookies again and they turned out fine. I do not think you should bake cookies on stoneware for the first use. Cookies turn out much better after the stone has been seasoned. Try again I think you will be pleased with your stone.
 
I lovebaking on stoneware especially for cookies. I make cookies alot for my husband to take to work and they think I make the best cookies. I'll let them think there is a secret ingredient when really the secret is I just bake them on stones. ;)
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of using stoneware for baking cookies?

Stoneware provides even heat distribution, which helps cookies bake uniformly. It also retains heat well, resulting in a crispy bottom while keeping the tops soft. Additionally, stoneware is naturally non-stick when properly seasoned, making it easier to remove cookies without sticking.

How do I prepare my stoneware for baking cookies?

Before using your stoneware for the first time, wash it with warm, soapy water and dry it thoroughly. To season it, apply a thin layer of vegetable oil and bake it in the oven at 350°F for about an hour. This helps create a non-stick surface and enhances the stoneware's performance.

Can I bake different types of cookies on stoneware?

Yes, you can bake a variety of cookies on stoneware, including drop cookies, rolled cookies, and even bar cookies. Just be sure to adjust baking times as needed, as stoneware may require slightly longer baking times compared to metal pans.

How do I clean my stoneware after baking cookies?

Allow the stoneware to cool completely before cleaning. Avoid using soap, as it can strip the seasoning. Instead, use a scraper or a stiff brush to remove any stuck-on bits. For tough stains, soak the stoneware in warm water for a short time, then scrub gently. Dry it thoroughly before storing.

What tips do you have for preventing cookies from sticking to stoneware?

To prevent sticking, ensure your stoneware is well-seasoned before use. You can also lightly grease the surface with cooking spray or oil before placing the cookie dough on it. Additionally, allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the stoneware before transferring them to a wire rack, as this helps them firm up and reduces the chance of sticking.

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