How to Keep Cookies Soft So They Taste Fresh for Days (2024)

Published Mar 27, 2023

First, What Makes Cookies Soft?

If someone ever told you that “baking is a science,” they weren’t wrong. Cookies are soft or snappy or cake-y or crunchy based on the ingredients they’re made with. It’s all about moisture.

To keep it simple, cookie recipes that contain a lot of butter, brown sugar or egg yolks are going to yield soft and chewy cookies, because those ingredients add moisture and retain it for a longer amount of time. A shortbread or biscotti cookie, on the other hand, won’t ever be soft, because it lacks those magic, moisture-retaining elements. And while fiddling with baking ratios can be dicey, it can also pay off to experiment. Try adding an extra egg yolk or swapping some of the white sugar for brown when you whip up your next batch.

So why do soft cookies inevitably get hard?

Think of it like this: When you’re on an airplane, your skin is sucked of all hydration and you feel like a dry, shriveled up raisin. It’s the same for cookies in your kitchen. They go from soft to hard because they start to dry out, and it begins as soon as you pull them from the oven. (Yikes.) Whatever moisture is left in the cookies is always in a state of evaporation. At the same time, the sugars and starches are solidifying. Ergo, hard cookies.

But good news: Now that you know why your cookies are irresistibly chewy and soft (and also what makes them hard), here’s how to keep them that way for longer.

6 Ways To Keep Cookies Soft

1. Use Brown Sugar

Add two tablespoons of light or dark brown sugar to your cookie recipe. This works in two ways: One, brown sugar can hold extra moisture because of its molecular structure (science!). The glucose and fructose found in brown sugar are hygroscopic, which means they suck up and hang on to moisture. Moisture means soft, chewy cookies.

2. Store the Cookies with Bread

You can thank your Grammy for this time-tested trick. You probably saw her store her brown sugar with a piece of bread to keep it soft and workable. The same thing goes for your freshly baked treats. When you pack up those cookies in a container or storage bag, toss in half a slice of any kind of bread before you seal them up. Basically, the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, which keeps them nice and soft. Just make sure you don’t go overboard—too much bread will actually turn your baked goods to mush. (And choose a neutral bread so it doesn’t transfer its flavors to the cookies.)

3. Under-Bake Your Cookies

Ever accidentally bake a batch of cookies for too long, only to find that they were crunchy and hard instead of soft and chewy? Yep, the opposite goes for under-baking. Pull your cookies out of the oven a minute or two early (while the center is still gooey). Once they’re just cool enough to transfer, put them in a storage bag or container. They’ll stay moist and chewy for longer that way.

4. Scoop your cookie dough in mounds

The next time you’re baking a batch of cookies, try scooping the dough into tall mounds instead of flattening them on the baking sheet. They’ll bake up with a softer center where the dough is thicker, which will keep them chewy for longer.

5. Use Corn Syrup

Before you freak out! Corn syrup (and not the high fructose kind) is kind of a baking miracle. It’s what’s called an invert sugar, meaning it’s liquid at room temperature. Why does that matter? Because if you add just a tablespoon to your recipe, it will give you a cookie with a crisp edge and chewy center—that will stay that way for longer.

6. Store Them In an Airtight Container

This is critical. Whether you’re keeping your little masterpieces in a zippy bag or a reusable container, it’s got to be completely air-tight. Remember, air is the enemy and will draw out any moisture it can find.

Katherine Gillen

Senior Food Editor

Katherine Gillenis PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City...

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Greetings, cookie enthusiasts! As someone deeply immersed in the art and science of baking, I can assure you that achieving the perfect cookie is a nuanced endeavor. Now, let's delve into the wisdom shared in the article to make those delightful homemade chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, or rocky road treats last beyond the initial euphoria.

Understanding Softness: The Science of Baking

The article rightly asserts that baking is a science, and the softness of cookies is a result of careful ingredient selection. Moisture plays a pivotal role in determining the texture—soft, snappy, cake-y, or crunchy. Ingredients such as butter, brown sugar, or egg yolks contribute to the retention of moisture, resulting in soft and chewy cookies. Conversely, cookies lacking these moisture-retaining elements, like shortbread or biscotti, tend towards a firmer texture.

The Peril of Drying Out

The analogy drawn between cookies and your skin on an airplane is spot-on. Cookies undergo a similar dehydration process, turning from soft to hard as moisture evaporates and sugars and starches solidify. The challenge is to extend the lifespan of the cookie's softness.

Preserving Cookie Softness: Tricks of the Trade

Brown Sugar Magic: Incorporating two tablespoons of light or dark brown sugar into your recipe enhances moisture retention. The hygroscopic nature of glucose and fructose in brown sugar ensures that the cookies stay soft and chewy.
Bread Guardian: Adopting a time-tested trick, storing cookies with a piece of bread in the container helps maintain softness. The bread acts as a moisture source, preventing cookies from becoming hard. Exercise caution not to overdo it to avoid undesired mushiness.
Under-Baking Brilliance: Timing is crucial. Pulling cookies out of the oven a minute or two early, while the center is still gooey, ensures a moist and chewy outcome. Once they've cooled a bit, store them in an airtight container.
Dough Mound Technique: Instead of flattening cookie dough on the baking sheet, try scooping it into tall mounds. This results in a thicker center, keeping the cookies chewy for an extended period.
Corn Syrup Wonder: Fear not, for corn syrup (the non-high fructose kind) is a baking miracle. Adding a tablespoon to your recipe creates a cookie with a crisp edge and a chewy center that perseveres over time.
Airtight Container Fortress: The crucial final step is storing your cookies in a completely airtight container. Air is the nemesis, drawing out any available moisture and turning your culinary masterpieces into dry delights.

Armed with these insights, you can now elevate your cookie game and savor the soft, gooey goodness for days on end. Happy baking!