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So you made some delicious, chewy, homemade cookies- nice job! Aren’t fresh cookies amazing the first day? But then comes the second day…you go to reach for a cookie only to find that it has gotten hard and crunchy.
What happened?!? Why don’t the cookies stay soft for longer than a day? Don’t worry- I am here to help you save your cookies and keep them soft for days.
Make sure to check out our post about simple ways to keep a cake soft as well!
First, Make Soft Cookies
The first step to keeping cookies soft is to make soft cookies in the first place (of course!). There are a few tricks to making nice soft cookies that we can quickly go over.
Let’s start with the flour- skip the all purpose flour and use cake flour. Cake flour doesn’t brown as quickly as all purpose flour and also will help the cookies rise slightly making them chewier. One step toward chewy cookies!
Use shortening in your cookie batter, which will not melt as quickly as butter and will prevent the cookies from spreading too thin while baking. Less spreading means thicker, softer cookies.
Brown sugar, rather than white sugar, is a better choice as well for chewy cookies. Brown sugar retains moisture while baking and moisture equals soft!
My favorite way to keep cookies chewy is to bake them just to the point where they are cookies but still soft in the center. Over baking can dry the cookies out making them crunchy and crisp. Less time in the oven makes for a nice soft cookie!
If crunchy and crisp cookies are your thing, check out these simple ways to make your cookies crisp.
My Cookies Were Soft…
If you managed to make super soft cookies (great job!) but then found that they were hard as rocks the next day, what happened? The first thing to look at is how you stored them.
Were they wrapped tightly or stored in an air tight container? Or were they left exposed and un covered overnight? Dry air is a soft cookies worst enemy. Even the softest cookie will become hard if not stored properly.
Keep ‘Em Soft
Cover the Cookies Well
Step one to keeping cookies soft is to wrap them tightly with plastic wrap or store them at room temperature in an air tight container, preferably glass. Keep the air away! The less the cookies are out in the open, the better off they will be. So wrap them up!
Use Bread
It may sound crazy but storing the cookies with a slice of bread will work wonders. Put a slice of plain bread at the bottom of the cookie jar or plate and place the cookies right on top of the bread.
The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread and stay soft. Bread is a perfect tool because it has very little flavor or scent and won’t transfer any unwanted taste to the cookies.
Make sure to switch out the bread every day or two to keep the cookies fresh (do homemade cookies ever stuck around more than a day?!?). You will notice that the bread will get hard and crunchy while the cookies stay nice and soft- that’s moisture transfer in action!
Freezer Bags For Soft Cookies
While we already mentioned covering the cookies well, it is worth pointing out how useful freezer bags are when it comes to cookie storage. Freezer bags are much thicker and less porous than regular plastic bags or plastic wrap.
Place the cookies in a single layer in a freezer bag, seal it well and your cookies will stay nice and soft. That’s an easy solution!
My Cookies Are Already Hard! Help!
Maybe you are reading this article a little too late and your previously chewy cookies have already gotten hard. Don’t worry! It may not be too late to save them!
There are a few things you can try to make your cookies soft again.
Apple?
If you have an apple laying around the house, you are on your way to soft cookies! Cut up an apple and put a few slices in an airtight container along with your cookies.
Let them both sit for a few hours (preferably overnight). The moist apple will help humidify the air in the container and make the cookies soft again. Such an easy method!
Bread
No apple? No problem. We can revert back to our slice of bread trick! Place a piece of bread with the hard cookies, wrap tightly and store overnight.
While the cookies may not get as soft as when stored with an apple, they will still get some moisture back from the bread. Bye bye crispy cookies!
Microwave
The next trick is perfect if you want to eat one of the hardened cookies right away. Place the cookie on a plate and fill a microwavable cup with a few tablespoons of water. Place the plate and the water in a microwave and set for about 30 seconds.
The steam from the water will soften the cookie and the microwave heat will warm it up as well. You will be eating a soft cookie in no time and it will taste as though it just came out of the oven!
Oven
Speaking of the oven, you can soften cookies by simply placing them back in the oven for a minute or two. This method works best if you are going to eat the cookies right away.
Yes they will come out of the oven nice and soft, but as they cool, they will get even crispier than before. Eat them quickly while they are warm and chewy!
Did you know you can bake cookies without an oven?
Keep Cookies Soft- It’s Not That Hard!
With so many ways to keep cookies soft or make them soft again, you should never need to eat a stale, crunchy cookie again. Make sure to bake soft cookies to begin with then store them properly (it seems like having some bread on hand is a good idea!).
If you forget to wrap them up, the cookies will forgive you! Our guide will have you eating soft cookies in no time.
Now go heat up that oven and get out the mixer, it’s time to bake some soft, chewy cookies….my mouth is watering already!
As an enthusiast in baking and culinary arts, I've spent years refining my skills and knowledge in creating delectable treats, including cookies. My expertise stems from both personal experience and a deep exploration of baking techniques, ingredients, and their effects on the final product.
The article "Easy Ways to Keep Your Cookies Soft (or Make Them Soft Again)" delves into various aspects crucial for maintaining the softness of homemade cookies. It addresses key concepts related to baking, ingredients, storage, and techniques to ensure that cookies remain soft and enjoyable for a more extended period.
Here's an overview and explanation of the concepts covered in the article:
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Ingredients for Soft Cookies:
- Flour: Using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour helps in creating softer cookies. Cake flour browns less quickly and aids in producing chewier cookies.
- Shortening: Incorporating shortening in the cookie batter instead of butter prevents excessive spreading during baking, resulting in thicker, softer cookies.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar retains moisture during baking, contributing to a softer texture compared to white sugar.
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Baking Techniques for Softness:
- Baking cookies until they are just set, yet still soft in the center, prevents them from becoming overly dry and crunchy.
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Storage Methods to Maintain Softness:
- Air Tight Containers: Properly storing cookies in airtight containers or tightly wrapping them in plastic wrap helps prevent exposure to dry air, which can lead to hardened cookies.
- Use of Bread: Placing a slice of bread in the container alongside cookies helps maintain moisture levels, keeping the cookies soft. The bread absorbs moisture, preventing the cookies from becoming dry.
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Reviving Hard Cookies:
- Apple Method: Placing apple slices in an airtight container with hardened cookies helps humidify the air and soften the cookies.
- Bread Method: Similar to the storage technique, using a slice of bread with the cookies can help restore some moisture.
- Microwave and Oven Techniques: Reheating cookies with a bit of moisture (water in a cup alongside the cookie in the microwave) or briefly warming them in the oven can soften the cookies, although they might get crispier upon cooling.
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Expert Advice and Author's Background: Sarah Bridenstine, the article's author, is the founder of Baking Kneads, sharing insights, recipes, and tips for baking enthusiasts. Her expertise stems from a childhood immersed in a bakery environment, providing a wealth of knowledge and experience in baking techniques.
The article serves as a comprehensive guide, offering practical tips and solutions for both baking soft cookies initially and reviving hardened ones, ensuring a delightful cookie-eating experience over time.
