I can make a pretty decent cookie, but I seem to have trouble keeping the cookies soft. For example, my Chocolate Chip are crunchy and I want a soft-tasting cookie. How do I go about making them softer? Cut back on baking time?

By the way, I keep them in a tupperwear container and out of the fridge.

I add a 3 oz. box of instant vanilla pudding in my dough and they turn our really great. If you like the taste of your recipe, try putting a slice of bread in the tupperware container when you store your cookies. It always sounded gross to me but IT WORKS!!! (and no one has to know!)


kos

Great idea Kos, I never thought of that! I too keep my cookies in a tupperware out on the counter and out of the fridge.

well, the crunchy part might jsut be the recipe...you can look for a recipe for a chewy cookie and that would probably change your results...you can also decrease the baking time a bit...or lower your temp

Alton Browns Chewy choc chip recipe is awesome..
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_13617,00.html

Thanks for sharing on how to make chewy or softer cookies. My son has braces and cannot eat the hard cookies so this will really make him happy.

check out baking911.com they explain the difference in crispy, chewy and thick cookies along with recipes

Kos --

Do you add the pudding only to your Chocolate Chip cookies, or do you do you add pudding to other cookies you bake?

Theresa

There could be a couple reasons why your cookies are coming out like that.

1. You're baking them too long. You might need to check to make sure your oven is at the correct tempurature. Buy an oven thermomiter (sp?) and adjust the tempurature if needed. Check the cookies at the minimum baking time. You want the cookies to have a nice light brown color to them. Another way to check is to take a spatchula and check the bottoms of the cookies and if they are light brown, then you're cookies are done. Make sure you take them off the cookie sheet and transfer them to a cooling rack because if you leave them on the cookie sheet too long, it'll make your cookies cook longer.

2. You have too much flour in your cookies. When measuring your flour, make sure to stir it first in the bag/container. Lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup (make sure not to tap or shake the measuring cup because that'll pack the flour). And gently take a knife and level the flour. If you don't do this, you might have risk adding more flour then needed in your recipe and they'll be harder and not soft.

Ditto the suggestion about baking time/temps.

For chocolate chip cookies, I always use all brown sugar and add a tablespoon of corn syrup during the creaming process. The cookies will stay soft for days and the flavor is much more rich.