let it cool

Meaning

This phrase means to allow hot food or drink to lower in temperature before consuming, serving, or proceeding to the next step of a recipe. It is often used to prevent burns or to let baked goods set properly. The tone is neutral and helpful.

Examples

• Once the cake is out of the oven, let it cool on a wire rack.

  Once the cake is out of the oven, let it cool on a wire rack.

• The soup is boiling hot, so let it cool for a few minutes.

  The soup is boiling hot, so let it cool for a few minutes.

• Don't frost the pie yet; let it cool completely first.

  Don't frost the pie yet; let it cool completely first.

• After boiling the syrup, let it cool before pouring it over the fruit.

  After boiling the syrup, let it cool before pouring it over the fruit.

• If you don't let it cool, the cheese will slide right off the pizza.

  If you don't let it cool, the cheese will slide right off the pizza.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ let it cold

  ✓ let it cool

  'Cold' is an adjective describing a state. 'Cool' is used here as a verb meaning to lower in temperature.

• ✗ leave it cool

  ✓ let it cool

  While 'leave it to cool' is grammatically acceptable, 'let it cool' is the standard, most natural idiomatic expression used in recipes.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The tea is too hot to drink right now, so ___.

  💡 Allow the temperature of the liquid to drop.

  Show answer

  let it cool

• Take the bread out of the oven and ___ before slicing it.

  💡 Wait for it to become less hot.

  Show answer

  let it cool