Home bakers (and particularly Americans) are so terrified of over-baking things that they wildly, tragically underbake them. Some things (brownies, snicker doodles) are best if you just barely bake them, but a lot of things (particularly breads, viennoiserie, some cookies, etc) need to get properly, richly browned. Colour is flavour! Raw flour doesn't taste good! Gelatinise your starches, caramelise some sugars, and crisp up that crust, people!