It seems so simple, but without a few key hints on making rolled or cut out cookies, a fun activity can turn into a frustrating one. I’ve put my top suggestions together here for you in the hope that you find them helpful too.
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Cut Out Cookie Tips
Rolling Out Dough
1. Roll between 2 sheets of parchment paper – it’s easier to handle and avoids the issue of dough sticking to the rolling pin or work surface. You’ll also avoid adding more flour to the dough, which can dry and harden the cookies.
Chill Cookie Dough
2. Working with a cold dough is important – Stack rolled sheets of cookie dough between parchment paper on a baking sheet and leave in the fridge at least 2 hours before using. I generally leave mine a minimum of 6 hours in the fridge before I use it.
3. Roll out manageable amounts at a time, and keep the rest in the fridge.
4. Once you’ve cut your shapes out, chill them again for about an hour before you bake them. Chilling the cookies helps prevent spreading. Check out more tips on stopping spreading here.
So, to summarize – Mix the cookie dough until it just comes together, roll it, chill it well, cut, chill, bake and decorate.
Flour Cutters
5. Dip cutters in flour before cutting out each shape to avoid sticking.
6. Use a pastry brush to lightly dust off the excess flour.
Cutting Cookie Dough
7. Cut out cookies as close together as possible to avoid re-rolling the scraps as much as possible. Dough which is a bit overworked tends to spread more, no matter how many tips you follow, and the cookies tend to be tougher when baked.
8. Colder dough is better to work with, as it won’t tear or break as easily.
9. To help keep its shape, use a spatula larger than the cookie cutout to transfer to the baking sheet.
10. Fun tip – To turn cut out cookies into hanging decorations, use a skewer or toothpick to make a hole in each cookie before baking. If you forget to (like I did here), you can adhere your ribbon with royal icing and let dry before hanging.
These are just a few of my favorite tips which would have helped alleviate some frustration had I known them when I first began making rolled cookies. If you have any tips which you’d like to share you’re welcome to leave a comment below.
If you’d like more info. on cut out cookies, I have a complete guide here.
Happy baking!
xo,
Marian
These are some great tips and I absolutely love the little snowflake and mitten, so cute!
After reading this and looking at the pictures, I am really in the mood to make some sugar cookies! 🙂
Where did you find the adorable elephant cutter? I want one SO bad!!!
Hi Rebecca,
The cookie cutter is from CopperGifts.com
Here’s a post on the cookies if you like: https://sweetopia.net/2011/08/elephant-baby-shower-cookies/
Thank you! This is very helpful!
Wonderful! Also, use rolling pin rings or slats to roll the dough to an even thickness. This avoids over and under done cookie!
I do on occasion too! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the tips. I tend to rush the process at times. I see by your perfect cookies I have to add a few steps but it will be worth it in the end! I so love your work!
These tips, and your site, are wonderful! Thanks for sharing what you do, Marian. You are an inspiration 🙂
Great tips, Marian! 🙂
Great toss indeed. Wondering about how you manage the same thickness for your cookies. Do you use a tool to help you roll them out the same thickness everytime?
Most of the time I just eyeball it and try and roll the dough evenly, however you can buy perfection strips (specifically made to roll dough out), or pieces of wood or dowels, to put on either side of the dough so that the whole dough turns out perfectly.
I like to leave the cookies on the parchment after I cut them out, particularly for delicate shapes. That way I can avoid potential damage. It means I can’t cut the shapes quite as close as I would if I were transferring them to a baking but it’s often worth it. Especially since you aren’t adding flour each time you reroll.
Super tip, Amy! Forgot to mention that one!
Fabulous tips, Marian! Thank you for sharing. Pinning!
I use 2 wooden dowels between my rolling pin to keep thickness even, you can also use rolling pin rings. I like to roll my dough out on parchment on an upside down sheet tray to avoid having to transfer cookies…
Good idea, Lisa, thanks for sharing!
Great tips and I will definetly chill my dough more to stop spreading but I was wondering what is the best thickness for a sugar cookie cut out?
Thanks.
Hi Katherine,
I roll mine different thicknesses (per batch) – really, I just roll them out how thick or thin I feel like – between 3/4 of a cm to just over a cm thick. Whatever thickness you decide on, keep them about the same per batch.
Thankyou for your site and tips. Question…the hanging snowflake shows the ribbon only on the backside. If it was fed through a hole in cookie, would it not show on the front too?
Hi Desiree,
Thanks for pointing that out! Forgot to write that in! I just went and updated the post with my explanation.
Every post makes me want to run in the kitchen and get baking!
I’ll be printing this all out to have at hand for when I attempt to do these beautiful cookies. Thanks for the tips, this has been a great help.
Thanks Marian, this confirms and greatly improves the technique I use to cut and bake my cookies especially the time in the fridge. Definitely, patience is the key.
You are such an inspiration. I love your photos and your creativity. Can you tell me what hanger you used to put the ribbon through on the back of your snowflake cookie? It doesn’t look like you used a hole at the top which would be the typical way one would make an ornament cookie. Thanks for sharing. You posts are such a delight.
HI Sandra,
Thanks for mentioning that! I just went and updated the post with my explanation.
thank you 🙂 very helpful.
would love to get tips on how your royal icing stays shine 🙂
great tips! thanks so much for sharing. this year might be the year i FINALLY try to tackle cutouts with royal icing… i’m so scared! 🙂
Great tips! Your cookies are always perfect!
Awesome tips. Definitely sharing this with my readers!
Thanks for all of the amazing tips!
Thanks for the comments everyone!
When do you put the sticks in the cookie? Before or after baking? I’ve tried before and the sticks get discolored and I’ve tried after and they don’t stay in the cookie properly…what am I doing wrong?
Hi Lori,
Here is a post for you:
https://sweetopia.net/2011/04/video-how-to-make-cookie-pops/
So many great cookie tips for the busy holiday season!
Thank you so much! I just had a horrible gingerbread experience 17 years after my first horrible gingerbread experience when I swore to myself I’d never make it again and was about to just go buy pre-made houses. I think I’m ready to give it another try!
Good post. I use all of these tips 🙂
Tell me about your rolling pin? (Not really related, I know…LOL!)
I have a standard size, non stick coated pin with handles, and though I’m happy with it, and have used it since 1996, I can feel that it’s going to snap any day now. I think I’d like a longer pin, but am curious about your preference!
xo
There are times my cookies has some bubbles. I just flatten it by spatula while it’s still hot and that solves the problem.
I love your cookies!
Excited to give these a shot when making gifts this Christmas. Not sure I would have enough time on quicker things, but definitely going to try for the Christmas cookies this year! These cookies look beautiful!
such great tips, Marian! I need a day with you to learn some of these even more! 🙂
I love these tips, Marian. Your work is so gorgeous and inspiring–now I just need a quarter of your skills to turn out some cookies 🙂
great,helpful tips… I love your ideas and work. I love your site.
ML
What wonderful tips! Maybe my cookies will look better this year!! thank yoU!
Hi Marian! I love your work! My cookie dough does not look nice and smooth like yours, will that change the texture of my baked cookies? When I roll the dough between the parchment papers it comes out with holes in it. Please help.
Marian CookieQueenExtraordinaire,
LOVE the tips, thanks so much! I am so excited for Christmas cookies this year. Cannot wait to make something special thanks to your inspiration.
Hugs,Patti
Marian, Love these cookies and thanks for the tips. Would love to see in the future the post on how your husband made the oven cookie cutter. Thank you.
Thanks, thanks, thanks!
Thanks a lot for sharing!
I will follow all your “rules” 😉
Thanks for these beautiful pics, Cannot wait Christmas time:)
I like to roll the dough between two sheets of lightly floured plastic wrap.Some cooks like to roll the dough between two sheets of wax paper or foil on the bottom and plastic wrap or wax paper on top.
Hi Marian,
How do you store your cookies? I tried everything but nothing seems to work for me. Please help! Thanks!
Hi Linn,
Do you mean once the cookies are decorated? I like to put mine individually in pretty cellophane bags. If it’s before decorating I put them in a large tupperware container between layers of parchment paper.
My husband and I created this product for rolling dough evenly called DoStix. He’s a food stylist but I’m no wizard in the kitchen and these work for me every time! My dough turns out perfectly even so no more burned edges and doughy middles in the same batch.
Great tips, any tip on the thickness? How do roll them out in a way that you can get the thickness you have in elephant cookies?
Thanks
Hi Lorie,
It’s been a while, but I believe I used the thickest of the perfections strips for those (link in post above to them).
xo
Thank you so much for all the info. I have learned so much from you. Your cookies are great!
Marian, what is the best way to package them to optimise the freshness of the cookie? If I make them as christmas gifts, would a cellophane bag and ribbon keep it fresh enough (to say, last a few weeks), or would it be better to seal the cellophane bag rather? Just worried about it going soggy if I seal it but don’t want it to go stale.
Hi Kirsty,
As long as the icing is fully dry before you package them, and you store them in a cool, dry environment, the cookies won’t get soggy. Here’s a post on shelf life if you like, and I just use ribbon if it’s a few weeks, yes.
https://sweetopia.net/2012/02/how-long-do-decorated-cookies-stay-fresh-what-is-the-shelf-life-of-decorated-cookies/
Oh, how lucky I am to have found your site! Yippee! I was looking for ideas for a gingerbread house (too late to enter this year’s competition in my town), but I will definitely do it next year and probably take all year to find all the tools, candies, etc. to make it perfect! Thank you sooooo much! We have a family gathering for Christmas and I am going to try and make some personalized snowflakes for everybody! Have a wonderful holiday season, too! cheers, nancy
Hello: It is normal that a frosted cookie get soggy, cakey? Everytime I decorate mine, gets soft as a cake. 🙁
Hi Margie,
I’m wondering if you live in a humid area?
Yes! In the caribbean.
Ahhh – Humidity – use a dehumidifier in the room you’re decorating and drying them in. Here’s a video for you:
https://sweetopia.net/2012/01/video-how-to-dry-cookies-decorated-with-royal-icing/
xo
Perfect! Thanks a lot!! 🙂