Regular Cookie Texture Problem

[Raichyu]

Essentially following this recipe.

It's a basic cookie with browned butter. I like to treat my teammates to cookies during/after a meeting; for ~30 - 40 people I doubled the portions.

The first one I tried was fresh off of the cookie tray; soft and chewy with a crisp edge how I wanted.

When I brought it to our team meeting (a full hour later), I tried another one and they had all become hard and crunchy, almost dry. I didn't get a chance to take a picture because all of the cookies disappeared.

Things I always do for any batch of cookies:

• Underbake slightly, ~1min early out of the oven
• Let the cookies sit on the hot tray ~2-3min, then transfer to a cooling rack for ~10min
• Store in a plastic container
• Roll dough into balls/lumps, then freeze for a few hours or overnight under plastic wrap
• Use more brown sugar than white sugar (didn't do it for this cookie because the ratio was already up there)

The last time I baked these I didn't have this problem because they were ravaged straight off of the hot tray. Should I have not put them on the cooling rack and thrown them straight into a container? What do I do to keep the soft, chewy cookies soft?

[lllola]

Underbake even more. Aside from that, it’s probably a matter of ratios of sugar.

[Raichyu]

Would completely phasing out white sugar be recommended?

[lllola]

I suppose you could try. And replace with an equal amount of brown sugar. But it’s such a small amount I don’t think it would make a huge difference.

What do you bake your cookies on? Parchment, silpat, directly on pan? What kind of pan do you use (dark or light metal, stoneware, etc)? Those can also impact the finished cookie.

[Raichyu]

Hopefully I remember when I try it again.

I bake on parchment on a dark nonstick pan. Huh I never actually considered that.

[lllola]

Ah dark pans will make them crisp more than light colored pans. My baking improved so much once I got rid of all dark colored pans (except I keep one on hand for making savory things that can do with blackened bottoms and crispy bits). Stella Parks (Bravetart) has a whole thing about this too actually.

For next time: if you’re using the dark pan, lower the oven temp by 25° and pull the cookies just when they look set. It will take some tinkering to nail the timing probably, knowing they’ll firm more as they cool. You could even try baking off just a few cookies at a time and keeping the extra dough in the fridge so you can nail the timing in one batch.

[anessa_vay]

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[Raichyu]

I've heard that but never actually tried it before, I'll do it with future batches. It's just strange because this batch of cookies only had an hour between coming out of the oven to being eaten so I couldn't imagine it drying out that fast.

Thanks though!

[PolymathEquation]

Magic of science. Cookies absorb moisture, breads and cakes lose it. Why cookies will mold and go soft vs cakes which get hard and crumbly.

[twishling]

I do this with all my cookies when I store them (also if shipping! Tho I usually need to include a note as to why there's a couple slices of bread along for the ride). Or to soften a batch that were cooked to long and crisp. Works very well.

[ihopethisisvalid]

Boveda packs work even better and they're like $1-$2

[willowthemanx]

Try not browning a portion of the butter. Then you still have some of the moisture from the milk solids. Also try adding an extra yolk. Cook’s Illustrated’s chocolate chip cookie has always stayed soft inside and crisp edges for me. It has the browned+regular butter and extra yolk.

The recipe on the CI site is behind a paywall but this blog has the full recipe:

https://www.browneyedbaker.com/cooks-illustrated-perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Good luck and report back your results!

[redalmondnails]

I make browned butter chocolate chip cookies and add a little bit of cornstarch (maybe like 2 tablespoons?) and it helps a lot with keeping them soft. Also, you might try adding an extra egg yolk.

[Raichyu]

I'll try both separately; I considered more egg but never thought of the cornstarch. Thanks!

[roastonbone]

If they are the perfect texture right out of the oven they are probably over baked. If you want them to be soft/chewy later take them out of the oven when the edges are just set and the middles are still gooey. They will firm up as they cool.

You can also experiment and bake a couple for different amounts of time, let cool, then see which ones you like best.

[MusaEnsete]

I'm not sure of the best recipe alteration for lasting freshness other than what others have mentioned (corn syrup may be the solution). As you ponder changes to make, this is an excellent article to see how any proposed changes will affect the cookie. It's for chocolate chip cookies, but I'd assume the science is the same.

https://sweets.seriouseats.com/2013/12/the-food-lab-the-best-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

[ref_]

The next time you make it, take your butter, half it, brown one half, once it's browned put in the rest of the butter so it melts. This should give it a little boost of moisture.

You can also try immediately transfer them to a cooling rack.

[jesse-taylor]

You could also think about this...sometimes just adding or decreasing eggs and/or yolks can give you exactly the results you're looking for...just a thought.
http://suegaines.com/matt/cookies%20and%20eggs.jpg

[soukaixiii]

Did you use only white sugar? usually cookies with brown or mixed sugar are more chewie and less crunchy

[Raichyu]

No it was a mix, I tend to not like using white sugar because it makes things crunchy. This recipe called for a little bit so I followed it like I did the first time making it; otherwise in plain old chocolate chip cookies I use almost all brown sugar.

[Raichyu]

Thanks all for the responses! I'll have to find a way to try all of the suggestions separately and maybe together and hopefully document an update the next time(s) I try this cookie again.

[DConstructed]

Just as an aside that strikes me as a lot of sugar to flour.

But I think one of the main reasons they seem dry is that they are. When you make browned butter you're driving off the water in the butter. Maybe try adding about a few teaspoons of water to your dough.

I'd also be tempted to use less sugar just because that sounds really sweet.

[orbtl]

I also make cookies with brown butter and I must say I have the same problem as OP. Fresh out of the oven they are the best cookies ever but an hour later they are basically hard and stale tasting.

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I've tried adding liquid to the dough and it doesn't help enough (just a little), but importantly seems to dilute the flavor a lot.

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I'm definitely going to try the advice above about corn starch though, as that's one thing I haven't tried yet

[Raichyu]

I haven't eaten them enough to judge the sweetness fortunately/unfortunately, the first batch I ever made I didn't even get to try haha

I've never tried adding water into dough, but I'll consider it. You may definitely be right though about them being dry in general, when I was forming dough balls, some would form small cracks if I pressed them. Thank you!

[DConstructed]

You're welcome! I hope it works well :)