Last Updated on August 15, 2022
Did your cookies overbake? You don’t have to toss them! We have the ultimate guide on how to moisten cookies that will save your entire batch!
Why Do You Need To Moisten Cookies?
You would be surprised as to how many reasons there are to learn how to moisten cookies. But first, you need to understand what exactly that means.
Naturally, you cannot really “moisten” your cookies. But, you can soften their texture to make the cookies less dry and crumbly. So, the terms “moist” and “soften” are almost interchangeably used when it comes to making cookies.
This moistening can be done at three different stages. The first is when you make the cookie dough, the second is when you shape it, and the third is after it has been baked.
How to moisten cookies when making the dough
The reason you likely have to moisten your cookie dough when making it is that you’ve already tried the recipe and it failed. Or, you may immediately see that the dough is going to turn out extremely dry.
The easiest way to do this is to add more eggs. Don’t add drastic amounts, but do add more. If you would have added liquid (like milk, water, oil, or cream) it would just turn the dough into a batter. The eggs add moisture while still binding the ingredients together.
You can add liquid ingredients, but it really should be a lot. Even if you add eggs, only add one yolk or white at a time.
How to moisten cookies during rolling
So, you’ve made the dough and rested it as the recipe said, but when it comes to rolling, it crumbles apart! What now? Well, it’s easy. In this case, you don’t have to add moisture to make the cookies moist. Instead, you can just reheat the dough so the solid fat makes the dough more pliable and moist.
To do this, you can either leave the dough at room temperature, thaw it slightly in the microwave on low heat, or place it in the sun. But don’t soften them too much.
These cookie dough recipes often spread a lot during baking, which is why they are rested in the fridge. But, if you rest them too long, they can’t be shaped.
How to moisten cookies after baking
And finally, you made the dough, shaped the cookies, baked them, and they still came out hard and dry. This is the problem we will specifically focus on today and how to solve it.
There are three methods you can use to moisten cookies after they have been baked. let’s have a look at them.
Method 1: How To Moisten Cookies In The Microwave
Step 1: Wrap the cookies
Wrap each cookie individually in a piece of damp paper towel. Don’t worry, paper towels won’t catch alight inside a microwave especially not if they are damp. Once they are all wrapped, place them on a plate in a single layer.
Step 2: Reheat them in the microwave
Next, put the microwave on a medium setting. Then, heat the cookies for 15-20 seconds. The cookies will soak up the moistness from the paper towel that covers them. In turn, this will soften their texture and make them moist.
Step 3: Heat some more if needed
If your cookies haven’t softened enough yet, place them back into the microwave (wrapped of course) for another 10 seconds.
Don’t overheat the cookies as this could make them mushy, not soft.
Method 2: How To Moisten Cookies That Are Overbaked Using Plastic Wrap
Step 1: Wrap the cookies with plastic wrap
Wrap each cookie individually with plastic or saran wrap. These plastics are heat-proof and won’t melt – even if it looks like they are. You don’t have to wrap the cookie extremely tightly. Just make sure no steam escapes.
The wrapping will help enclose the steam the warm cookie releases. The steam will turn into condensation (aka moisture). The cookie will reabsorb the moisture and soften immediately.
Step 2: Leave the cookies to rest
After they have all been wrapped, place them on a cooling rack so they can cool as they steam the cookies inside.
Step 3: Unwrap the cookies
Once the cookies are all completely cooled, you can unwrap them and serve them immediately.
Method 3: How To Moisten Cookies With White Bread
Step 1: Add the ingredients together
Add a slice of fresh white bread to the bottom of an airtight container or cookie jar. Place all of the cookies on top and close the container.
Step 2: Leave the cookies to soften
Leave the cookies inside the container (closed) for at least a day. The cookies will absorb the moisture from the soft bread and become moist themselves.
Tips For How To Moisten Cookies After They Have Been Baked
- Always immediately evaluate the cookies once they come out of the oven. Here you will already be able to tell whether or not they are too hard or will set hard. This will determine which method will be best to use. If they come out of the oven hard, use the plastic wrap method. But, if they only get hard later, the other two will work better.
- When soft cookies are perfectly baked, they are still soft in the middle. Cookies rarely come out hard once they are baked. If they do, they are likely overbaked. So, always follow the instructions of a recipe perfectly and check your oven for hot spots.
- Never place cookies back inside the oven to soften or become moister. An oven dries out items, especially cookies. So this is not the way to go.
- Don’t heat the cookies in the microwave without covering them. And you have to cover them with a damp paper towel. Otherwise, they will just stay dry.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, hard dry cookies are salvageable. By using our in-depth tutorial on how to moisten cookies, you can effectively save your batch.
Let us know which method worked best for you and how your cookies came out!
FAQs
How do you make cookies moister?
It depends on what stage in the process you are at. If you need to make the dough softer, you can add more eggs or liquid ingredients. If you need a softer dough to roll, heat it slightly. And, if you need to moisten overbaked cookies, you can warp them in plastic to soften. read our article for the 3 best ways to save overbaked cookies.
What is used to moisten ingredients in a cookie?
Any liquid ingredients add moisture ina. cookie dough recipe. If you need to add more moisture, the best way to go is by adding more eggs. They will add moisture and help bind together the ingredients. If you add a liquid ingredient like milk, don't add a lot. It will just make the dough runny and unworkable.
How do you bring a stale cookie back to life?
You can place the cookies inside a container on top of a slice of fresh white bread. They will absorb the moisture from the slice and become soft again. Otherwise, you can also wrap the cookie in a damp paper towel. Reheat it on medium in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
What's the secret to soft cookies?
Baking cookies at a hot temperature for a short amount of time is usually the best way to ensure you get soft cookies. This will cook the ingredients quickly without drying them out. Furthermore, you need a recipe with working ratios of dry to wet ingredients.
Lindy Van Schalkwyk is a culinary specialist with a background in Advanced Cooking, Advanced Pâtisserie, Media Communications and Nutrition. She has gained invaluable experience in the culinary industry having worked in some of the top restaurants in Africa in 2016 and 2017. Her expertise in nutrition has enabled her to develop recipes for special dietary needs. In 2018, Lindy began working in the Food Media industry, focusing on recipe development, recipe writing, food writing and food styling.
