How to Soften Hard Cookies

Co-authored by Kyle Hall

Last Updated: March 4, 2021 References Tested

Are you tired of eating rock-hard cookies? Do you want to have melt-in-your-mouth cookies? There are a couple of tricks you can try to get hard cookies soft and chewy again.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using a Piece of Bread

1
Obtain a cookie jar or a container that has a lid. Then make sure you like cookies!^{[1]
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2
Put a piece of fresh white bread on the bottom of the container. Then, put the cookies on top of the bread.^{[2]
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- If you don’t have a piece of white bread, you can use a damp paper towel instead. Just wrap the paper towel in aluminum foil, poke some holes in the foil, and place the foil in the container with the cookies.
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3
Close the container and keep it closed for at least 24 hours. This will give the cookies enough time to absorb moisture from the bread so they soften.^{[3]
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4
Try the cookies later. When you open the container the next day the cookies will be soft and chewy.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Reheating the Cookies

1
Wet a paper towel and squeeze out the excess water. Make sure the paper towel is damp but not soaking wet so your cookies don’t end up too soggy.^{[4]
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2
Wrap the cookies you want to soften in the paper towel. If you’re reheating a lot of cookies, you may need to use more than one paper towel.^{[5]
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- You can also place the cookies on a plate and then cover them with the damp paper towel. Either way will work!
3
Microwave the cookies for 15-20 seconds. The cookies will absorb some of the moisture from the damp paper towel and become softer as they heat up.^{[6]
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4
Unwrap the cookies and try one. If they’re still not soft enough, try re-wrapping them with another damp paper towel and microwaving them again.^{[7]
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Community Q&A

Question

What makes cookies hard and tough?

MrExpert

Community Answer

Over-baking, not enough moist ingredients, and over-mixing.
Question

How do I soften hard cookies?

Community Answer

Dampen a paper towel and place it under the cookies. Place them in the microwave.
Question

What can I use when the batter is really dry?

Community Answer

Use water or milk to help soften the dough.