As Cute As Cookie Jars Are, You Shouldn't Store Baked Goods In Them

When we were kids, the question of who took the cookie from the cookie jar was a cute way to learn how to accuse others of doing something without any evidence. Now when we ask the same thing, it's an accusation worth making. Unquestionably, the image of a cookie jar on the counter full of freshly baked goodies evokes feelings of happiness and hunger. However, the truth is that storing freshly baked cookies in a jar is one of the surest and fastest ways to make sure they turn stale.

Why does this happen? The main enemy of most fresh baked goods is air, which causes starch molecules to take water from the surrounding environment and then crystalize. The result is a loaf of bread, tray of muffins, or batch of cookies that's become hard and dried out. Few cookies jars are designed to be completely airtight.

No matter how adorable your favorite jar might be, the best way to keep your cookies fresh for a couple of days is to keep them in an airtight plastic bag with as much air taken out of it before sealing. Moreover, cookies of different types should not be stored together. Cookies with more moisture that are stored with crispy ones will share some of their water and make the others stale or soggy.

Read more: Mistakes Everyone Makes When Baking Cookies

Other Cookie Storage Hacks You Need To Know

Similar to how storing moist cookies with crispy ones might result in unwanted mushiness, there is an easy cookie storage hack you can try at home using readily available items. Believe it or not, this secret comes from the Amish. It involves taking a single slice of white bread and placing it in the bag with your cookies. Only do this with cookies that you'd like to keep moist, such as chewy chocolate chip ones or cookies stuffed with peanut butter.

If you're a fan of store-bought cookies and you end up getting more than you can reasonably eat in a couple of days, there is another easy way to keep them fresh for longer. Remove the cookies from their original packaging and transfer them to an airtight plastic bag or container. From there, place the extra cookies in the freezer. Tightly sealed, they will stay good for up to a month. To reheat them, place the frozen cookies on a baking sheet and let them warm up in the oven for three to four minutes at 350 degrees. Whatever you do, just make sure not to store those reheated cookies in a cookie jar.

Read the original article on Mashed.