Cooking and baking are both common activities in the kitchen. Some people may even use these terms interchangeably. While it’s true that both processes can result in tasty food, there are a few key differences between cooking and baking. Read on to learn four ways they’re different from one another.
WHAT IS COOKING?
Cooking is the process of preparing food by mixing and heating ingredients to change their chemical composition. It can take place in many places, such as on a cooktop by sautéing, or in an oven by baking, roasting or broiling.
WHAT IS BAKING?
Baking is a specific type of cooking that circulates a dry heat—usually in an oven—to chemically transform food. Baking also physically transforms food by changing its color, size and texture.
WHAT’S THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COOKING AND BAKING?
While the cooking definition is broadly explained as combining ingredients and heating them, the baking definition is much more specific; only using dry heat with precisely measured ingredients. That means that all baking is considered cooking, but not all cooking is considered baking.
OTHER WAYS COOKING AND BAKING ARE DIFFERENT
Below are four key differences between cooking and baking.
1. HEATING METHOD
Baking is usually only done in an oven since it requires consistent dry heat.Cooking can also take place in the oven, however, there are a variety of oven settings and heating elements that can be used for different outcomes. Since ovens can be used in both baking and cooking, it’s important to get familiar with the different parts of an oven and how they can affect your food’s final result.
2. EQUIPMENT
Cooking utilizes tools like knives, pots, pans, and various heat sources like a grill, stove or oven. Baking essentials are different and can include items such as measuring cups, whisks and stand or hand mixers, with an oven being the heat source.
3. PRECISION WITH MEASUREMENTS
Baking requires precision and accuracy when measuring out ingredients; you need exact amounts of each ingredient to get the desired results. Cooking, on the other hand, is often much more flexible as you can frequently taste as you go and adjust recipes to your liking.
4. INGREDIENT INTERACTIONS
There’s a reason people refer to baking as a science. If you know how ingredients work on a scientific level, then you’ll likely know when to add flour to provide more structure or eggs to act as a leavening agent. Cooking tends to be more flexible, often allowing you to tweak the recipe to your preference without worrying that these little adjustments will necessarily ruin the overall outcome.
IS BAKING HARDER THAN COOKING?
Baking isn’t necessarily harder than cooking. It really comes down to your preferences in the kitchen. If you enjoy precision and consistency, then you may find baking to be easier for you. But if you enjoy flexibility and creative freedom in your dishes, you might find that cooking comes more naturally to you.
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FAQs
While the cooking definition is broadly explained as combining ingredients and heating them, the baking definition is much more specific; only using dry heat with precisely measured ingredients. That means that all baking is considered cooking, but not all cooking is considered baking.
What are the similarities between baking and cooking? ›
They both require skill and knowledge. They both call for cutting, chopping, mixing, and stirring. And they both can create good things to eat. But the actual processes of cooking and baking are often very different, a point which is made abundantly clear if you read their respective recipes.
How long to cook something at 300 instead of 350? ›
How long to cook something at 300 instead of 350? Add 20% to your cooking time and you should be in the safe zone.
How long do I cook something at 400 instead of 450? ›
Divide 400 by 450 to get the percentage difference of 0.89, or 89%. You will then take the initial cooking time of 60 minutes at 400 F, or 200 C, and multiply it by 0.89 to get 53 minutes.
Is baking or cooking healthier? ›
Baked foods retain more nutrients
Your body benefits more from the higher nutrient content of baked food. With baked food, you can eat delicious food while keeping healthy. Just remember to cook at the right temperature and length of time for each dish. You must also have the right oven to cook delicious healthy meals.
What is the best definition of cooking? ›
a. : the act of preparing food for eating especially by heating : the act of cooking food. I do most of the cooking for our family. b. : a manner of preparing food : cuisine.
What cooking method is similar to baking? ›
Because the terms “baking” and “roasting” are so similar, baking is typically used for breads, cakes, and pies, and roasting refers to meats and vegetables. You can roast large cuts of meat or entire fouls, as well as vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, squash, and eggplant.
What counts as cooking? ›
These include baking, roasting, frying, grilling, barbecuing, smoking, boiling, steaming and braising. A more recent innovation is microwaving. Various methods use differing levels of heat and moisture and vary in cooking time.
Do chefs cook or bake? ›
The term, chef, means a professional cook who not only has the skill set to produce food but also has the knowledge of food. A pastry chef should understand the science behind baking.
Can you bake two things at once? ›
You can bake several dishes at once by setting your oven to the average temperature called for across recipes. If, for instance, one dish requires a temperature of 350℉ and another needs to bake at 400℉, set the temperature to 375℉ and keep a close eye on food as it cooks.
When roasting meat and poultry, set the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C) or higher. Explore the charts below to learn how to get great results every time you cook.
Can you bake at a lower temperature for longer? ›
at a lower temperature for a longer period? Yes, absolutely. Generally, when you cook, or specifically bake something at a lower temperature, you are essentially increasing the cooking time as well. The good thing about this method is you can cook the food more evenly, especially on the inside.
Is it better to cook longer or lower temperature? ›
Lower temperatures are great because they give you a larger window of time between when your dish is cooked perfectly and when it gets over cooked. For meat cooking lower slower cooking usually results in more tender succulent meat or poultry.
How do I follow a recipe if my oven doesn t go as high as the recipe states? ›
As a general rule of thumb, if you've misplaced those instructions, you can knock the temperature down by 10 per cent to reduce the temperature a little. Just follow the recipe as written and bake to the same cooking time.
Do you cook anything at 500? ›
475-500 F: Things are starting to get hot in here. If you're cranking the heat to the highest your oven can go, you're likely making pizza or breads. A super high temperature will cause the bread or pizza dough to rise and cook before the gluten has a chance to set (this is a good thing).
Do you bake or cook pizza? ›
Bake the pizza.
If you don't have a baking stone, bake the pizza right on the baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate the pizza. If using parchment, slide it out from under the pizza and discard. Bake until the crust is golden-brown and the cheese is melted and browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes more.
What is considered cooking? ›
Cooking, also known as cookery or professionally as the culinary arts, is the art, science and craft of using heat to make food more palatable, digestible, nutritious, or safe.
Can I cook instead of bake? ›
If you don't have an oven or yours isn't working, you can still make some of your family's favorite dishes on your cooktop or stovetop, such as pasta al dente. You can also make some casseroles, lasagna and other oven-baked dishes on your cooktop using a cast-iron skillet, dutch oven or other cooktop-safe cookware.
