Tis the season for cookies. Everybody I know is making cookies of one kind or another. Many people are participating in cookie exchanges and giving cookies as gifts. Some cookies last nicely, others are best eaten fresh.

I’m not going to argue that the best time to eat cookies is …. straight out of the oven. Because I can hardly wait for cookies to cool enough to eat before I’m pouring a glass of milk and deciding which cookie I’m going to eat first.

I usually manage to stop eating about halfway through the first dozen and start packing the cookies into containers. There are a couple of tips I’ve learned to keep cookies soft and fresh.

1. Air Tight Containers. Zip top bags, snap closed containers, cookie jars with a seal. These are all good choices. Make sure you’ve got an air tight seal.

2. A Slice of Bread. Mom always told us to put a slice of bread in the cookie jar at home. I now use half slices based on the size of my container. Cookies stay fresh baked soft.

3. Eat them. I keep cookies for eating in plain sight. This encourages folks to help themselves to a cookie along with their cup of coffee. Also, I pass along gift plates of cookies as quickly as possible. The better for gift eating!

Cookies are best eaten fresh, so dig in. If you get a cookie that’s a bit stale, I suggest dunking it in your coffee and eat it anyway!

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