Resuscitate Day-Old Cookies By Popping Them Back Into The Oven
Nothing beats homemade soft and chewy cookies or those of the crispy, crunchy variety. Even if you are a fan of your grandma's chocolate chunk cookies from scratch, her classic peanut butter cookies, or oatmeal raisin cookies, it's fun to take a whack at making them yourself from time to time. Per SWNS, a survey conducted by OnePoll revealed 82% of Americans like to make their own cookies. Of course, it's difficult to just eat one, and sometimes a freshly baked batch of cookies can disappear in a day. But what happens to leftover cookies?
Whisked by Jenna explains that cookies can go stale just like bread and other baked goods. It may be ever so slowly, but cookies start to become stale as they absorb moisture from simply setting out on the counter or in the cookie jar. If you've ever taken a bite of an Oreo hoping for a beautiful crunch, only to be disappointed by a soft, limp wafer, you've experienced this phenomenon: They don't quite taste the same. In fact, it may have you thinking the best way to avoid this pitfall altogether is to eat your homemade cookies the day you make them. However, if that first line of defense fails, there's another way to resuscitate day-old cookies by popping them back into the oven the next day.
You just need 5 minutes
According to Kitchn, when you encounter day-old cookies, don't cry. Simply break out the baking sheet and parchment paper just like you would if you were baking a fresh cookie recipe. Place the cookies on the baking sheet and pop them in the oven. Southern Living says you want to preheat your oven to 300 degrees and it shouldn't take more than five minutes for them to crisp up. They will taste as good as they did the day you first baked them.
Southern Living goes on to explain when storing your crunchy cookies, skip the airtight container. It will lock in moisture. Instead, keep them in a Ziplock bag that is left slightly open. The site says your crunchy cookies will stay fresh for a couple of days this way. However, if you are a fan of softer cookies, those airtight containers are your friend and can help keep the dessert soft and chewy. Additionally, if you want to prolong the life of your soft and chewy cookies, you can freeze and defrost them when you are ready to eat.