How to Use Cookie Cutters

Making fun shaped cookies turns any dessert time into fun time. Whether you are baking by yourself or having fun decorating cookies with your kids, starting with the right cookie cutters is a good first step. Shopping for cookie cutters online helps you to find durable ones in the shape you want. Just as important as finding the right tools is to know how to use them so your cookies come out the way you want them to.

Get Your Dough Ready

The first step in using cookie cutters is to get your dough ready. Most people use the tools for simple sugar cookies and then decorate them after, but you can use them on any dough you want. It is best to work with chilled dough, although you can start right away if you do not have time. You do want to minimize how much you work the dough, so it is best to roll out just a bit of the dough at a time and keep the rest in covered in the fridge until needed.

Roll Out the Dough

Next, you want to take the dough and make it uniformly flat before you bring in the cookie cutters. It is best to choose about an eighth of an inch, but if you want thinner or thicker cookies you can roll it to the size you want, or as the recipe dictates. The best surface to work on is a countertop or a cutting board. Using cutting boards make it easier to clean, and it is easier to transport the cut cookies to the fridge, freezer or cookie sheet as needed. One important point to remember is not to use a surface that is warm, such as one that is next to your oven. To prevent sticking, use some flour on the cutting board and the rolling pin. You can also use waxed paper over and under the dough to prevent it from sticking when you roll it out.

Make Fun Shapes

Now that you have a flat sheet of dough, it is time to start using the cookie cutters. You want to dip the tools in flour to avoid getting the dough stuck in them. When you start making the cuts, it is best to start in the middle and then work out. Avoid washing the cutters until you are done, although you can wipe them off. Press the tool straight down into the dough rather than going from one corner to the next, jiggling it or otherwise moving it. It helps to transfer the cut cookie by using a floured spatula underneath the cutter until it is on the cookie sheet. Any remaining dough after you have cut out all the shapes can be brought together and re-rolled to be used in the future.

Once you have all your fun shapes created from the cookie cutters, it is time to put them in the oven and cook them according to the recipe directions. Then, the fun part really begins. You can start decorating the cookies using icing, sprinkles and other materials. The final step is to enjoy eating them and sharing them with friends and family.

James Anderson has only one mission: to help inform people. When he first started writing, he was fascinated with his ability to help people understand things. Since then, he has been writing to help educate people that want to learn more.