how do I make cookies soft and chewy?

[bakemaster]

I like 'soft and chewy' chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies. Mine turn out hard and crisp. How do I make them soft?

[Kitchen Witch]

Are you measuring accurately? Too much flour or overmixing is a problem.
Don't bake them too long - bake the minimum amount of time - they may even look a bit underbaked; leave on baking sheet on wire rack for a few minutes to finish the baking process.

Use shiny cookie sheets, not the dark ones.
Dark sheets cause overbrowning.

You can try this recipe:

2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts


Heat oven to 400 degrees.* Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, baking soda and salt until creamy. Beat in eggs until fluffy. Beat in flour until blended. Stir in chocolate and nuts. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 min. or until golden. Cool cookies.

If the recipe calls for butter - don't substitute shortening - shortening will make a drier cookie.

another:

4 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 pkgs. (3.4 oz. each) instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350* F. Sift together flour and baking soda, set aside. In large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat in instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden brown.

[Kitchen Witch]

you can try these:

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Combine margarine, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Blend together very well.
Add flour, baking soda and salt with mixer. Chill dough 15 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll into balls by hand.
Place on sprayed cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven until edges very lightly browning (about 7 to 10 minutes). Don't overcook.

[lvdkeyes]

You can soften your cookies by putting them in a plastic ziplock bag with a piece of apple. They will soften up nicely.