How Can I Keep My Cookies Fresh And Soft?

[Emily]

Hi fellow bakers, I have been having some trouble with my homemade cookies. When they come straight out of the oven, they are delicious as ever. A couple hours later, they are hard as a brick! I go by the instructions and I take them out a couple minutes before like it says, still no luck. Cookies are one of my favorite desert snacks, would like to be able to eat them without breaking my teeth... All tips are welcome!

 

[Trellum]

Hi there Emily! It is normal for the cookies to get a little harder once they cool off, they're always ways softer when you take the out of the oven. Now I don't know for how long you are baking them or what kind of cookie it is, but I'm guessing you are talking about cookies like the ones I make sometimes... the ones that are supposed to crumble in your mouth.

What kind of sugar are you using??? Also I can't help to think that maybe you are leaving your cookies in the oven a little longer than they need, you should do a test and just take them out the oven as soon as you see they're done. I always do that, I don't really take mine out at the time the recipe reads, because sometimes there are variations... those variations depend a lot in your oven and the state/material of your baking sheet.

So let me know what kind of sugar you use and what the cookies that are giving you trouble

 

[LyveMyche]

I used to have the exact same problem. What I ended up doing is this. I start checking on them about 4 or 5 minutes before they are done... for example if the recipe says they are done in 12 minutes, I'm checking on them at about 8 minutes. as soon as they start to show some level of golden brown color beginning to appear, I am about ready to pull them. If just the ones in the back start browning first, I will rotate the pan 180 degrees and wait another minute or so until the others again have some golden browning, then pull them. I will then let them sit on the pan for about 1 minute then IMMEDIATELY I get them off the pan and onto a cooling rack. They will continue to cook if you leave them on the pan, and if you leave them in the oven until they are completely golden brown, then they continue to cook after you remove them, they are then over cooked and will get too hard when they cool. So by pulling them sooner, they will still finish cooking on their own and not be overdone. Be careful when transferring them to the cooling rack as they will be very soft (and of course hot) at this point. I have found that a very thin spatula works well for this. Hope this helps...

 

[Tonya]

I've actually used my "brown sugar bear" (made of terra cotta) to keep cookies/baked goods moist longer. It really seems to work well!

 

[Tina Nord]

I've actually used my "brown sugar bear" (made of terra cotta) to keep cookies/baked goods moist longer. It really seems to work well!

I always wondered if that trick worked or not, sounds like it works like a charm.

I agree with the others in that you should pull the cookies out at the first sign of doneness. Let them cool for about an hour and then get them into their storage container so that they do not dry out. I place my cookies in a plastic container and then they are stored in the freezer, because that is the way my family likes them. I also find that when I put cookies from the freezer into my lunch box, they are thawed and moist by lunchtime.

 

[tangela]

This is really the weirdest thing but whenever I'm done with my cookies (after it's been on the rack and stuff), I immediately put it in tupperware containers and put it in the microwave (or the oven if I'm done using it). For some reason this keeps the cookies warm and soft, and stays soft and will stay soft for a few days afterwards!

And I usually don't have to worry about anything beyond a "few days" because it never lasts that long

 

[Winterybella]

I am probably the last to offer an opinion, but from my limited experience the cookies only go hard on me if they were over baked in the first place. That's been my experience the few times I have tried cookies. When they remain nice and moist it usually means my timing was right taking them out of the oven.

 

[wahmed]

Store it with a slice of appl . Works every time

 

[PrideKidd]

My one Grandmother used to use a slice of bread, it always seemed to make her cookies last forever without getting hard. I still use that method to this day and it has not failed me yet. Go Grandma!

I have also heard if you boil a post of water and put it in the oven, then place your cookies on a baking sheet above the moist air for 5 minutes it can soften up cookies and the like. I have not tried this method yet but will let you know how it works next time I make cookies.