Your oven plays an invaluable role in the baking process but is often taken for granted. You can make your baked goods even better by fully understanding your oven. These tips and tricks can help.

Do not improvise. If the recipe says to bake something at 350 degrees for an hour — but you only have 45 minutes  don’t crank up the heat and cook your item for less time. The results will not be the same. And if the recipe says to preheat your oven, do so.

Invest in an oven thermometer. Some ovens have a tendency to run a little hot or a little cold, but with a thermometer, you can ensure that the temperature is always right.

Use a timer. You may think you’ll just remember to pull your cookies out in 12 minutes. You won’t.

Embrace the middle. Position your food in the center of the oven, unless the recipe tells you to do otherwise. Your pans should not touch each other, nor should they butt up against the sides of the oven. Stagger your pans if you have more than one but not enough room to put them on one rack.

Refrain from peeking. Continually opening the oven door affects the temperature inside and could ultimately affect your finished product.