How to revive stale cookies (2024)

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If you don’t enjoy the hard and dry texture of stale cookies, then your best bet is to go for the softer ones, but that doesn’t mean you have to discard the hard ones. There are ways to get them soft, and we explore some of them in this short brief.

By Cookist

How to revive stale cookies (1)

Bringing hard, dry cookies back to their delicious, chewy state may sound like a magic trick that fails, but there is no doubt about it; it is possible.

Before we examine how to soften them up, let's examine why they get so dry in the first place.

Why Cookies Get Hard

Cookies harden when the moisture in them evaporates. This can happen if you leave them out in the air for too long, baking them for too long, or storing them improperly. The lack of moisture makes the cookies hard and dry, thereby making them difficult to enjoy.

Softening Hard Cookies Without Bread

How to revive stale cookies (2)

There are a few well-known methods for softening cookies. Some include microwaving them, heating them in the oven, and placing them in an airtight container with a slice of bread. However, not all of these methods work equally well.

For example, microwaving or steaming cookies can cause them to become too soft. If you’re using a microwave or oven to soften your stale cookies, here’s what to do:

How to Soften Cookies in the Microwave:

  • Place the stale cookies on a microwave-safe plate and cover them with a damp paper towel.
  • Microwave them in short bursts of 10-15 seconds until they become soft. Be careful not to overdo it; the cookies can become too soft or lose their texture.

How to Soften Cookies in the Oven:

  • Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Wrap the stale cookies in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet. Heat them in the oven for about 5-10 minutes. Check them regularly to avoid overheating or burning.

How To Soften Cookies Using Bread

How to revive stale cookies (3)

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.

Other Ways To Soften Cookies

How to revive stale cookies (4)

Another great way to soften cookies is by putting them 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.

If you don’t want to do that, you can place the cookies in a plastic bag with a slice of apple or a damp tea towel. Both methods work well to rehydrate cookies without the risk of making them too soft.

Conclusion

There are many ways to soften your cookies. Whether you prefer to use bread, tea towels, or fruit, one method is sure to work for you.

How to revive stale cookies (2024)

FAQs

How to revive stale cookies? ›

simply put the cookies inside a dish that you can seal with a lid. then add a slice of bread to the dish for simplicity purposes. I just added one cookie and half a slice of bread here. let it sit overnight.

What should I do with stale cookies? ›

By incorporating finely crumbled cookie pieces into a frosting, you give a whole new world of texture and flavor to the cake you're about to assemble. You can go with your favorite buttercream frosting recipe or use your cookie crumbs to upgrade a can of store-bought frosting.

What makes cookies stale? ›

Why Do Cookies Get Stale? First, you'll need to become familiar with the main adversary to any cookie's freshness: air. Prolonged exposure to open air makes starchy foods stale. Air exposes these foods to greater evaporation (even if through just a slit in a plastic bag), making them dry.

How to refresh cookies baking? ›

Is it possible to refresh them and recapture that fresh cookie taste? Yes, it is. All you need to do is put your cookies on a baking sheet (with or without parchment) and put them in the oven for 3-5 minutes at 350F.

How do you freshen hard cookies? ›

Microwave with a Damp Paper Towel

Place the paper towel on a microwave-safe plate and add the cookies. Microwave the cookies on high for 10 seconds. Check the cookies to see if they have softened. If not, repeat for another 5-10 seconds.

How do you make stale cookies crisp? ›

Place the sheet on the middle rack of a 225-degree oven for 15 to 25 minutes (the timing will vary, depending on the item), until the food is crisp again, stirring (or flipping, in the case of cookies) halfway through baking.

Can stale cookies be refreshed? ›

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.

Is it OK to eat stale cookies? ›

It is alright as long as they were made within a reasonable time frame from now. If they were contaminated or had the chance of being contaminated, DO NOT EAT THEM. If they are just hard, it would help to microwave them for about 15–30 seconds to help make them softer.

Will cookies go stale if left out overnight? ›

Cookies made with ingredients like butter, eggs, and milk tend to have a shorter shelf life compared to those without perishable components. Moisture content is another crucial factor. Cookies with high moisture content, such as soft and chewy varieties, are more susceptible to spoilage when left out overnight.

Do homemade cookies go stale? ›

Bakery or homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature two to three weeks or two months in the refrigerator. Cookies retain their quality when stored in the freezer for eight to 12 months. Moist bars, such as cheesecake and lemon bars, can be refrigerated for seven days.

How to stop cookies from getting stale? ›

If you are planning to eat the cookies within a few days, place them in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag. You can also place a slice of sandwich bread inside the container, which will absorb excess moisture and help keep the cookies soft.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

Light corn syrup is another ingredient that you can add to cookie dough that will help it stay softer longer. The corn syrup you buy at the grocery store is not the high-fructose corn syrup that soft drinks are made with; it's a sugar that is liquid at room temperature and helps other sugars say liquid at high heat.

How to revive a stale cookie? ›

How to Soften Cookies in the Oven: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Wrap the stale cookies in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet. Heat them in the oven for about 5-10 minutes. Check them regularly to avoid overheating or burning.

How to fix dry cookies? ›

If you leave your cookies out or they start to get stale and harden, you can fix it with a slice of bread! Add your cookies into an airtight container with a soft slice of bread and let it sit for 12-24 hours. When you open up the container, the bread will be hard and the cookie will be soft!

How do you freshen up stale biscuits? ›

Microwaving them. If you cover your cookies with a wet paper towel and nuke them for a few seconds, they should soften up enough to eat. How can you soften stale biscuits? If you have stale biscuits, you can try to soften them by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving them for 10–15 seconds.

How do you reheat cookies to make them soft again? ›

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!

How long does it take for cookies to go stale? ›

Bakery or homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature two to three weeks or two months in the refrigerator. Cookies retain their quality when stored in the freezer for eight to 12 months. Moist bars, such as cheesecake and lemon bars, can be refrigerated for seven days.

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