How to harden soft cookies

The cookies are so easy to make and a joy to eat. With a range of flavor options, everyone has a cookie variation they like best.

The texture of the cookies is also a matter of preference. Some people like them soft and chewy and others enjoy them hard and crunchy.

But what if you like your cookies crunchy and they come out soft every time you bake them?

How to harden soft cookies? To firm up soft cookies, whether freshly baked or a few days old, pop them into a preheated 300-50°F oven and bake a few more minutes. You can also adjust your cookie recipe and choose the right cookie sheet to get crispy cookies every time. 

Stay with us to learn why cookies come out soft, how to store them to keep them crisp, and what steps to take to get crispier results.

Why are my cookies soft and chewy?

Despite its simplicity, there are a number of problems that you can find with cookies. One of the most common problems is cookies that are too soft. Luckily, you can save the situation by knowing a few simple tricks.

While many people like their cookies soft and chewy, others prefer these desserts to be crunchier.

There are many reasons why your cookies may have the wrong texture. Before attempting to fix the cookies, it’s important to first understand why they came out soggy.

Understanding the problem instead of jumping in to find a solution will help you avoid making the same mistake the next time.

What makes cookies too soft and rubbery? In most cases, the problem is with the ingredients or the equipment you use to bake them.

consider the recipe

For the most part, the softness of baked cookies is determined by the recipe and the ingredients in it.

First of all, the texture of the cookies largely depends on the amount of flour you use to make them. When it comes to harder cookies, the more flour the better. Of course, do not cross the line, or you will be crunching a cookie with your jaw.

Second, the more sugar you use to make the cookies, the softer they will be. And lastly, the chewiness and softness of the cookies depends in part on the amount of fat you use to make the cookie dough.

You will need to reduce the amount of wet ingredients you use to keep your cookies crunchy. We’ll talk more about that in a bit.

If all else fails, you can always follow our Crunchy Salted Caramel Cookies recipe.

Consider the team

Aside from the recipe, it’s important to make sure that the soft cookie problem doesn’t lie with your computer.

You may be cooking according to your favorite crispy cookie recipe, but somehow your cookies turn out soft and rubbery anyway. This may be the result of the oven not being very powerful.

Not using the correct cookie sheet is another reason why cookies can come out softer than they should.

How to harden soft cookies

If you’re baking cookies and want to make sure they turn out crispy, there are a few things you can do.

1. Adjust the recipe

As already stated, the crunchiness of the biscuits largely depends on the recipe. To make sure the cookies turn out crispy, tackle the recipe first.

Here’s what you can do to get crispier cookies:

• Reduce ingredients that have a lot of moisture, such as fat, eggs, milk, etc. You may have to experiment a bit with the proportions of your particular recipe.
• Add more flour. Doing this is a key step that will give your cookies a firmer texture. We recommend that you use ordinary flour, since it contains more protein. The protein helps to achieve a firmer texture.
• Reduces the amount of fat in the recipe by 25-50%. Also, try using butter instead of oil. Since butter melts at a lower temperature, it makes the cookies spread more. This makes the cookies thinner and crispier.
• Use white sugar instead of brown sugar. The latter retains moisture, making the cookies softer and chewier.

Making a few adjustments to the recipe will help you get crispier cookies. Don’t make too many changes though, as many things can go wrong quickly and you may end up with cookies of the wrong texture and flavor.

After a few tries, you’re sure to find the perfect cookie recipe for your favorite crunchy desserts.

2. Choose the right baking tray

The baking sheet may be the reason why your cookies are soft and rubbery. For crispy cookies, use aluminum baking sheets. Insulated cookie sheets make cookies softer.

3. Set the lowest temperature

For crispier cookies, set the oven temperature lower than indicated in the baking instructions and allow the cookies to bake a little longer.

Before you put the cookies in the oven, be sure to preheat it. For crispy cookies, preheat oven to 350°F.

4. Put the cookies back in the oven

If you take the cookies out of the oven and realize they aren’t as crispy as you’d like, pop them back in the oven for a few more minutes.

Leave the cookies in the oven until they reach the desired degree of crunchiness. If you choose this method, keep an eye on the cookies, as they can burn easily.

How to store cookies so they stay crisp

Storing cookies properly is essential if you want to maintain their initial texture and slow the process of cookies becoming stale or soggy.

Here’s how to store cookies so they stay fresh and crisp: 

1. Let the cookies cool completely before transferring them to another container. Even if you’ve baked the crispiest cookies, they’ll get soggy if you cover or stack them on top of each other while they’re hot.
2. Put the cookies in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
3. If you have baked cookies of different flavors, store them in separate containers. Cookies made with ingredients like ginger or cinnamon will transfer their aroma to other cookies.
4. To prevent the cookies from getting soggy, put a piece of white bread in the container. The bread will absorb moisture that would otherwise make the cookies soft.
5. Store the cookies at room temperature. Keep the container away from heat sources and direct sunlight. Cookies stored at room temperature have a shelf life of up to 14 days. If you want them to last longer, store the container with the cookies in the fridge or freezer. The refrigerator extends the shelf life of cookies up to 21 days. The freezer, on the other hand, makes the cookies last up to 2 months.

When you store the cookies in the freezer , be sure to keep the container tightly closed and wrapped. This will prevent the cookies from drying out and absorbing odors.

How to Crisp Leftover Soft Cookies

To make leftover soft cookies crisp, just put them in the oven for a few minutes.

If you like pastries, surely you know what a biscotti is . Simply put, biscotti is a cookie baked twice. You can rebake your leftover cookies, taking inspiration from these Italian baked goods.

Here’s how to transform your chewy, soft leftover cookies into quick desserts in a matter of minutes.

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Place the cookies on a baking sheet.
3. Put the cookies in the oven and bake them for 10-15 minutes. The heat will remove the moisture from the cookies, making them crisp again.
4. Let the cookies cool and store them in an airtight container.

That’s it! Now you can enjoy your crunchy cookies again.

Bonus: Leftover Cookie Pie Crust

Another thing you can do with leftover soft cookies is turn them into a pie crust.

Follow these steps for a delicious pie crust made from leftover cookies:

1. Put the cookies in a blender or in a food processor.
2. Turn the cookies into fine crumbs using the pulse function.
3. If the cookies are so soft that they don’t turn into crumbs, bake them for 15 minutes in a preheated 200°F oven. In this way, the cookies will be crunchier and it will be easier to turn them into fine crumbs.
4. Combine the crumbs with the melted butter. Add about 3 tablespoons of melted butter for every cup of cookie crumbs.
5. Mix so that the butter is distributed evenly by the crumbs.
6. Transfer the mixture to your tart pan. Spread it evenly in the pan, pushing the mixture against the sides of the pan.
7. Fill the dough with your favorite fillings.

If making a pie crust from leftover cookies seems too much of a hassle, you can turn leftover cookies into a hearty ice cream topping .

To do this, you just have to put the cookies in a blender or food processor and pulse until you get the desired texture and sprinkle them over the ice cream.