Dry, hard, or crumbly cookies?

The secret to cravably soft, chewy cookies is hardly a secret at all, but common sense when it comes right down to it. Bake your cookies for less time, and allow them to sit on the hot baking sheet longer to finish cooking at a slower, gentler pace. When I pull mine out of the oven, they tend to look like they’re not quite done, and perhaps even still raw in the center. It depends on the exact cookie and with practice, you’ll get a better feel for when exactly to take them out, but always start by baking them for the lesser amount of time suggested in a recipe. For example, if the recipe recommends 8–12 minutes, start by baking them for only 8, and check your results. If worse comes to worst, underbaked cookies can always take a second round in the oven.