Cookies crack on top when baking due to the outer layer such as the sugar crust that sets and hardens before the cookie has risen fully and expanded which causes the cookies to crack as the inside of the cookies continue to expand.
Sugar plays a role in the cookies cracking as sugar which is a key ingredient in most cookie recipes forms a crust on the cookies surface and as the cookie bakes the leavening agents such as baking powder and baking soda cause the cookie dough to rise and expand and then it eventually cracks.
If the outer crust of the cookie sets too quickly, the expanding cookie dough can't stretch evenly like it should and cause cracks on the surface of the cookies.
Too high of a temperature in the oven can cause the outer layer of the cookie to set too quickly and lead to cracking.
Too low of a temperature can also cause the cookies to bake slowly and cause the cookies to crack as the cookies rise.
Warm cookie dough can also lead to less expansion and cracking and over mixing of the dough can incorporate too much air into the cookie dough and cause the top of the cookies to crack as the air bubbles burst.
Using expired baking powder or baking sod can also reduce the rising power of the dough and cause cracking or if there's not enough fat in the cookies the dough starts to crumble and crack.
To make cookies softer you can add some heavy cream or an extra egg and use brown sugar instead of white sugar or use half white sugar and half brown sugar.
Cornstarch can also make the cookies soft and thick and baking the cookies quickly at 375 F as opposed to a lower temperature will also make for soft cookies.
Crisco also makes cookies softer than butter does although butter results in a better flavor to the cookies but you can also use half butter and half Crisco or half butter and half oil in cookies.
Crisco is better than butter for cookies if you want a softer and less spread out texture.
However if you want your cookies to have a richer and more flavorful taste then butter is better for the cookies.
To keep cookies moist bake the cookies so they're slightly underdone and store the cookies in an airtight container along with a slice of white bread or an apple slice.
You can also use melted butter or corn syrup in the recipe and use brown sugar with retains more moisture in the cookies than white sugar does.
You can also switch some of the white sugar in any cookie recipe for more brown sugar and or a couple of tablespoons of corn syrup.
What makes cookies soft is ingredients like brown sugar and syrup that help retain moisture and also slightly under baking the cookies.
Brown sugar retains more moisture in the cookies than white sugar does and will lead to a softer texture and softer cookie.
The best flour for cookies is all purpose flour which is the best choice when it comes to making cookies.
All purpose flour offers a balance of protein content for good texture, whether you want soft and chewy cookies or slight crispy cookies.
The secret to chewy cookies is to use an extra egg yolk and cornstarch and more brown sugar than white sugar.
Using more brown sugar than white sugar when making cookies results in a softer, chewy and moisture cookie.
Using an extra egg yolk increases the chewiness of the cookies.
Also rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth will give your cookies the bakery style textured thickness.
To make cookies chewy without cornstarch.
Go heavy on brown sugar. It has more moisture than its granulated counterpart, which means the cookie comes out less crispy.
Choose margarine or shortening instead of butter.
Use baking powder instead of baking soda.
Rest your dough.
Shorten baking time.
The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy.
The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.
Cookies that are dense and chewy incorporate more moisture into the batter.
This can be achieved by making substitutions with wet and dry ingredients, or even just changing the way you incorporate certain ingredients.