Name: Exactly How To Reheat Cookies
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 portion cookies; 1 portion water (optional)

Table of Contents

Not much comes close to a warm, gooey cookie.

But what’s the best way to turn a cold, slightly tough cookie into a soft delight?

I experimented with five different reheating methods to find out.

I also give you some tips on storing and freezing your cookies so they last longer.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best way to reheat cookies is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Next, put your cookies on a wire rack with a tray of water underneath. Reheat the cookies for 5 to 10 minutes. You can also spritz the cookies with water and cover them with foil to keep them moist. Serve immediately.

A note on my experiment

5 cookies reheated in different ways side by side

I made a big batch of cookies and left them in an airtight container on the counter overnight.

The next day, I tested 5 different reheating methods to see which one worked best.

I tested:

In the microwave (good for a single, soft cookie)
In the oven or the broiler (consistent results)
In a skillet (surprisingly effective)
In the air fryer (adds a nice crunch)
In a toaster (best for thinner cookies)

The microwave, the air fryer, and the toaster are all great for quick, on-the-go snacks.

But the best way to get that gooey, chewy cookie is in the oven.

The skillet also worked pretty well but is slightly more effort than the other methods.

Reheating cookies in the microwave

To reheat cookies in the microwave, put one cookie on a plate and cover it with a damp paper towel. Heat in 5-second intervals until warm. If you don’t have a paper towel, you can put a glass of water in the microwave instead.

How to reheat cookies in the microwave:

Put your cookie on a microwave-safe plate.
Cover with a damp paper towel, or put a glass of water in the microwave alongside the cookies.
Heat in 5-second intervals until warm.
Enjoy right away!

Stick to 1 or 2 cookies at a time. This will ensure they heat evenly.

Five seconds might not seem like long, but it protects you from overheating the cookie and drying it out.

Eat your cookie straight out of the microwave (but don’t burn yourself).

If you wait too long, the cookie will be crazy stale!

All the moisture you add with the paper towel will disappear once the cookie cools down.

My verdict

While there wasn’t any real crunch to the cookie, the chocolate turned out melty, and the cookie was soft.

Like, really soft.

The microwave works well for a quick snack but isn’t suitable for a crowd of people.

Reheating cookies in the oven or broiler

To reheat cookies in the oven, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Next, put your cookies on a wire rack with a tray of water underneath. Heat the cookies for 5 to 10 minutes. You can also spritz the cookies with water and cover them with foil to keep them moist.

For a more crunchy texture, pop the cookies under the broiler.

If you’re using a toaster oven, simply put the cookies in and heat them for 2-3 minutes.

How to reheat cookies in the oven:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Spread your cookies out on a wire rack.
Place a tray of water underneath the rack or spray the cookies with water and cover them with foil. Skip this step if you have a toaster oven.
Heat for 5 to 10 minutes, less in a toaster oven.

The added water will help soften your cookies if they’re a bit stale.

If you want to dry your cookies out, avoid using any water.

The wire rack ensures that the cookie heats evenly all the way around, and you don’t get a greasy bottom.

Tip: if you don’t have a toaster oven but still want a quick method, use your oven’s broiler function.

Just keep a close eye on the cookies, so the top doesn’t burn.

My verdict

The oven is great for reheating lots of cookies at once.

It’s consistent, and the cookies were nice and soft.

Bigger ovens are a little slow, but it can be worth it if you’re not in a hurry.

I would use this method again.

Reheating cookies in a skillet

To reheat cookies in a skillet, put one or two cookies in a non-stick pan and heat on medium-low. Sprinkle your cookie with water and cover with a lid. Heat for 4 to 5 minutes for a gooey cookie with a crisp edge.

How to reheat cookies in a skillet:

Put your cookies in a non-stick pan.
Spray the top of the cookie with water, then cover the pan.
Heat on medium-low for 4 to 5 minutes.

The water in the pan makes it steamy, resulting in a soft, delicious cookie,

If you don’t have a lid, don’t worry.

Cover your pan with foil to keep that moisture trapped inside.

Don’t add any grease unless you want to be a little bit naughty and use a tasty pad of butter.

You don’t need it to keep the cookie from sticking. It’s only for flavor if you decide to use it.

My verdict

I was surprised by how well this method worked.

It’s relatively fast and good for cookies that have gotten slightly soggy on the bottom.

The only downside (besides having to do small portions) is that the chocolate chips on the bottom of the cookie melt and can potentially burn.

Reheating cookies in the air fryer

To reheat cookies in the air fryer, heat your unit to 300°F (150°C). Spread your cookies out inside the basket and heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t dry out or burn.

How to reheat cookies in the air fryer:

Heat your air fryer to 300°F (150°C).
Put your cookies onto the rack, spreading them out with minimal overlap.
Heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

The air fryer heats via hot air, which circulates around your food.

Stacking too many cookies up in your air fryer will reduce airflow and mean the cookies don’t heat as effectively.

Air fryers are meant to make your food crispy.

If you don’t like cookies with a slight bite, don’t use this method.

My verdict

Using the air fryer was super fast and easy.

I was really happy with the results.

The cookie was warm but not falling apart like it was from the microwave.

Reheating cookies in a toaster

To reheat cookies in a toaster, put your cookie in a toaster pocket or inside a folded piece of parchment paper. Put them in the toaster for 1 or 2 minutes. If you’re worried about the chocolate burning, pop them out every 30 seconds, then put them back in.

How to reheat cookies in a toaster:

Cover your cookie in a toaster pocket or folded piece of parchment paper.
Put it in the toaster for 1 to 2 minutes.
Try popping them out every 30 seconds to avoid burning the cookie.
Enjoy your crispy-edged cookies!

I don’t recommend using the toaster without a liner.

If that chocolate drips down and burns inside the toaster, it will not smell good.

If you decide to put the cookie in bare, tap it on the counter first to get rid of any loose crumbs.

My verdict

If you’re in the office and the microwave is taken, the toaster will work perfectly.

The cookie came out refreshed and tasted great.

cookies in different reheating equipment: air fryer, microwave, skillet, and oven

How to store cookies

The best way to store cookies is on the counter in an airtight container with a piece of fresh white bread. The cookies will stay good for 3-4 days. But I recommend freezing them if you plan to keep them for longer than 2 days.

Why bread?

The bread helps keep the cookies soft by providing them with a source of moisture but won’t impart any smell or taste.

You can also use fresh orange peel or a slice of apple, but these might flavor the cookies slightly.

Avoid keeping your cookies in the fridge because they will dry out quicker and start to taste bland.

If you’re storing multiple kinds of cookies, store like cookies together, e.g. store dry with dry and moist with moist.

I would also keep any strongly flavored cookies separate.

Can you freeze cookies?

Cookies freeze really well. If you think you might need to freeze your cookies, don’t wait. Freezing the cookies immediately will keep them at their maximum freshness. Store the cookies in an airtight freezer bag with as much air removed as possible to avoid freezer burn.

How to freeze cookies:

Let the cookies cool to room temperature.
Spread the cookies out on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.
Freeze for about an hour.
Take out the cookies and put them in an airtight freezer bag, removing as much air as possible.
Use the cookies within 3 months.

Flash freezing the cookies first means they won’t stick together in the freezer bag, so you can easily take one out at a time.

You can also separate the cookies with parchment paper in the freezer bag or wrap each one individually in plastic wrap.

To remove the air from the freezer bag, you can use a vacuum sealer, suck it out with a straw, or use water to force the air out.

Bonus tip: Put a glob of ice cream in between two cookies, wrap in plastic wrap, and store for around 2 months.

The ice cream will keep the cookies moist, and you’ll have a ready-to-go dessert at your fingertips.

How to thaw and reheat cookies

To thaw frozen cookies, leave them out on a plate or cooling rack at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. You can also microwave them straight from frozen for about 30 seconds. Or simply heat the cookies in the oven until they’re soft and gooey.