How to Make Hard Cookies Soft Again (2024)

FAQs

How to Make Hard Cookies Soft Again? ›

The easiest way to do this is to place the cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread and leave them for a few hours. The bread will release moisture, rehydrating the cookies, and making them soft and chewy once again. Be sure to monitor the cookies closely to avoid over-softening them.

The easiest way to do this is to place the cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread and leave them for a few hours. The bread will release moisture, rehydrating the cookies, and making them soft and chewy once again. Be sure to monitor the cookies closely to avoid over-softening them.

Take it out of the fridge and let it soften at room temperature for while, perhaps 30 minutes to an hour. If you are in a particular hurry, divide the dough into smaller parts; a small amount of dough will warm more quickly than a large lump. Do not put it in the microwave oven. Do not put it in a conventional oven.

Steam: This method is great for single cookies that may have gotten a little hard. The steam from the paper towel will help to soften and warm the cookies in seconds. All you have to do is wrap the cookies in a damp paper towel and microwave them for 10-15 seconds. Voila!

White Bread

It's so simple to make hard cookies soft again with bread. All you need is a container or jar with a tight-fitting lid and a fresh slice of white bread. It's important to use white bread so that the cookies don't absorb other flavors.

Once it's clear that you do have limp cookies or less-than-crispy crackers, put them back into a preheated 300° F or 325° F oven, regardless of the original (presumably higher) baking temperature. I tend to use 300° F for items that can't afford to get darker, and 325° if a little extra color won't hurt.

Another way to soften cookies is by placing the cookies in an airtight container with a damp paper towel. The paper towel will release moisture and help to soften the cookies without making them too soft or mushy. Another way is to place the cookies in a plastic bag with a slice of apple or a damp tea towel.

Keep those cookies crisp by storing them in an airtight container. Some people toss a piece of bread in with the cookies to help absorb any excess moisture. You could also re-crisp them by baking on a wire rack in a 300 degree F oven for a few minutes.

the more you mix cookie dough. the more the gluten develops and they become hard and dry and an unfavorable texture.

How do you firm up soft cookies? ›

If you used something sticky like butter, peanut butter, melted marshmallows or melted chocolate I would pop them in the fridge, so they firm up. If that doesn't help, I would completely dip them in melted chocolate and let them harden in the fridge. A chocolate coating never hurts a cookie!

Add Molasses or Honey Another way to add more moisture to your cookies is incorporate a tablespoon of molasses into a standard-sized cookie recipe. Don't use any more than a tablespoon, because it will make your cookies very sweet and runny. One tablespoon is just enough.

Corn Syrup (Light)

Light corn syrup is sometimes used in specialist cakes and confectioneries to help keep baked products soft and doughy for longer. Use just a tablespoon for a regular batch of tasty cookies.

How to Soften Hard Cookies. You see, the only thing that you need to soften up a batch of day-old cookies is a slice of bread. This is a trick I learned from my mom after she saw me turn up my nose one too many times at a slightly crispy chocolate chipper (self-proclaimed gooey, chewy cookie fiend here!).

“Cornstarch is a game changer for cookie baking,” confirms Brian Hart Hoffman, editor in chief of Bake from Scratch. “You can count on [it for] a softer and more tender crumb.”

Here's what you need to do: Snuggle ¼ slice of bread per dozen cookies into the bottom of the container (use plain white bread, since it won't transmit any flavors). Allow to let sit covered for 24 hours, and replace the bread as needed, every time it starts to get stale.

There are several reasons why the cookies may have become dry and crumbly but the two most likely are that either the cookies were baked for too long or too much flour was added to the dough. The cookie should be baked only until the edges are slightly golden and the top looks a little wrinkled.

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Add brown sugar

Adding it to the pre-made dough will give it more sweetness, a chewier texture, moisture and that homemade flavor you're craving. You can also melt butter with brown sugar and incorporate it into the dough for extra tender, chewier cookies.