Buzz
Photo: Anne DEL SOCORRO/Getty ImagesNobody wants their cookies to go stale. Thankfully, with a few tweaks to your baking and storage methods, you can keep your cookies soft and fresh for days—and even preserve them for months by freezing them.
Check out these expert tips from Pam Weekes, founder of Levain Bakery in New York City, to ensure your cookies stay irresistibly soft and fresh long after baking.
Modify your cookie recipe
For softer cookies, begin by adjusting your cookie recipe to change the texture. Weekes suggests replacing all-purpose flour with cake flour for a softer, more delicate crumb. (Cake flour contains less protein than regular flour, which leads to a lighter texture.) Another tip is to swap two egg yolks for every egg, as the extra fat in the yolks makes for a softer, moister cookie.
The dry, hot air in the oven often causes cookies to become crispier than intended—especially if they're overbaked. To combat this, try baking your cookies at a slightly higher temperature and for a shorter time than the recipe recommends, like 375°F instead of 350°F. If you stick to the original baking temperature, consider underbaking the cookies a little to keep them moist.
Keep the air out to lock in the moisture
Air is the enemy of fresh cookies. Leaving them out on the counter or in subpar storage conditions will result in dry, hard cookies. To keep them soft, Weekes suggests using an airtight container. For extra freshness, wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap before placing them in an airtight container or resealable bag.
Your adorable cookie jar might add a charming, vintage touch to your kitchen, but it's not the best place for keeping cookies fresh. Most cookie jars lack an airtight seal and do little to keep moisture out, which leads to dry, stale cookies quickly.
When you buy cookies from a bakery, it's best to remove them from the cardboard box and transfer them into a proper airtight container as soon as possible, so they stay fresh for longer.
Store your extra cookies in the freezer, not the fridge
Though it may seem logical to refrigerate leftover cookies, Weekes advises against it. "Refrigerating baked goods is a big no-no—it dries them out and makes them tough."
For cookies you won't be eating in the next few days, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe resealable bag—be sure to squeeze out as much air as you can. Well-wrapped cookies can stay in the freezer from three months to a year, depending on the cookie type. (More delicate cookies should be eaten sooner.)
To thaw frozen cookies, simply place them on the counter for a few hours, or heat them in a 325-degree oven for five to ten minutes to bring them back to life.
A solution for hard or stale cookies
If your cookies turned out stale, there are a few tricks to revive their softness. One popular method is to place a fresh slice of bread in an airtight container with the cookies overnight. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, leaving the bread hard and the cookies soft again.
If you’re too impatient to wait for the bread method to work, you can microwave your cookies immediately. Just wrap them in a damp paper towel and heat for 15 seconds to soften them up.
If the softening methods don’t work, don't throw away your cookies. You can repurpose them by putting them in a food processor and turning them into crumbs, perfect for a pie crust or mixed into ice cream.
