Expert: Elyse Grau - 12/21/2010

Question
QUESTION: I follow the directions to make cookies ...When they come out there soft and great ... But after 20 mins they are hard as rocks???? Now I've had friends make the same cookies and there's stay soft for days.???? What's going on there??Please help....
Thanks....

ANSWER: Pete:
It would help if I had the recipe, or at least knew what kind of cookie you are making. Cookies are always softer when they are warm, though if other's cookies stay soft...

Elyse

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QUESTION: Elyse thanks for the quick response.. I've Try just the simple recipes Like sugar cookies chocolate chip and butter cookies .All the recipes I got off the foodnetwork web site....

Answer
I would expect all the recipes you mention to be crisp, not soft. Except the chocolate chip, which could go either way, depending on the recipe.

One answer might be that your oven is too hot. You may be setting it correctly, but it may be hotter than you think. Get an oven thermometer and test it. Or just try setting it 25 degrees below the recipe temp and see how it works.

Another possibility might be over-working the dough - especially a rolled cookie like the sugar cookies. Are you using all-purpose flour? If not, that could also be the problem. Bread flours have a higher protein content, which make a tougher dough.

If you want the cookies to be softer, you could also underbake them slightly. Take them out one or two minutes before the stated time, and remove them from the cookie sheet immediately.

Let me know if these suggestions still don't help.

Elyse