How do you make soft cookies?

i love crispy cookies, but my BF likes them softer, so i've figured a few things out. First of all, if you'd like them soft, pull them out of the oven when they still have a little jiggle in the middle. give the sheet pan a little shake and see if the cookies are still soft enough in the middle to do a slight ripple. if they are, pull them out and then let them sit on the pan for two minutes, then remove to a rack and cool. once they are cool immediately remove them to a sealable container lined with paper towels -- i have a big tin that i use, but you could use tupperware or even a big freezer bag. I do this for his cookies and they are soft like he likes, but for mine i leave them in until there is no jiggle and then pull them out. there is also a "good eats" episode about cookies -- just do a search on foodtv.com for chocolate chip cookies and pick the recipe by alton brown. he goes into the science of cookies a little more, like how someone had previously mentioned shortening instead of butter. good luck! i hope you get your cookies just right next time!

Have you tried shortening the time they are in the oven Maybe you are overcooking them and they are drying out. If the DOUGH is not moist before you cook them, then you have too much flour or oats in your recipe. Especially oatmeal cookies, try reducing the amount of oats in the recipe, and then try taking them out of the oven EARLIER.