The Best Butter Cookie Recipe For Cookie Cutters (2024)

FAQs

What type of cookie dough is best for cookie cutters? ›

(In general, you're looking for a smooth dough that can be rolled thin, cuts cleanly and contains little or no baking powder.) If the dough gets too warm, refrigerate or freeze it until it becomes firm again. Your leaf shapes should do just fine.

The best butter for your baked goods depends on what type of recipe you're whipping up. Unsalted, American-style butter works well in goods like cookies, pound cakes and pancakes that require the high-fat content of conventional butter and more flexibility with salt and flavor content.

Sandwich your dough between two sheets of parchment, roll, then freeze; it makes cut-out cookies a breeze! If you plan to store it for only a few hours or days, there's no need to overwrap the baking sheet; for longer storage, wrap the entire baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap before freezing.

Using Warm Cookie Baking Trays

Ideally you want to cut your cookies and then chill them with the baking sheet. that way the tray is still cool when it goes in the oven and the cookies have no time to spread before they are baked through.

Once it has been rolled to the thickness you're going for, chill the dough for the requisite time. Once the dough has chilled, peel off the top layer of parchment and cut the cookies out of the rolled sheet. But instead of removing the cut-out cookies, simply remove the scraps from around the cut-outs.

The single biggest thing to keep in mind when making cut-out cookies is to chill the dough and keep it chilled throughout the rolling and cutting process. After mixing your cookie dough, the first step is to give the dough its first chill.

Adding too little butter can cause the cookies to be tough and crumbly. You should use unsalted butter to control the salt content, but if you only have salted on hand, reduce the amount of added salt accordingly. Sugar sweetens the cookies and makes them an enticing golden brown.

Mixing Butter & Sugar

If your butter is under mixed, it won't have the air pockets to hold it's shape. If it's over-mixed, the air pockets decrease in size and are unable to hold their shape in the oven—causing your cookies to spread. It's best to cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

“The best cookie cutters have a small rolled lip of metal or plastic around the top to protect my hands and give me an edge to grab onto to pull the cutter back up,” Bushman says. “I also look for a nice seam where the metal of the cookie cutter joins together so I don't have a weird shape on one edge of my cookie.”

It should also be rolled slightly thicker than normal so the design is clearly embossed onto the cookie dough. The exact thickness will vary depending on the cookie cutter you are using. And finally, to prevent sticking, the entire inside of the cutter should be dusted with flour before each cookie is cut out.

What is the secret to thick cookies? ›

A low proportion of sugar relative to flour reduces spread, keeping the cookies thick. A high proportion of mix-ins helps thicken the dough. Blending chocolate chip styles creates a more dynamic flavor. Overnight refrigeration hydrates the flour, again helping the cookies stay thick.

Room temperature butter is just the right consistency to incorporate air when it's creamed with sugar. These trapped air pockets result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise.

Simple metal cookie cutters can transform store-bought slice-and-bake dough into the most festive holiday dessert. For these Christmas cut-outs, all you need is a 16.5-ounce roll of Pillsbury sugar-cookie dough, some flour, and an oven (elbow grease not included).

The short answer to the question in your title is no. For cookie cutters to work, the dough needs to be able to be rolled and needs to hold its shape in the oven. Many recipes involve scooping the dough into balls. That usually means that they will spread too much if you were to roll the dough instead of scooping it.

You can use any cookie dough recipe you choose. But for best results, use one for soft cookies rather than crunchy ones. Step 2: Flour your work surface to roll out your dough. You can roll your dough on a floured countertop or floured parchment paper.

Simple metal cookie cutters can transform store-bought slice-and-bake dough into the most festive holiday dessert. For these Christmas cut-outs, all you need is a 16.5-ounce roll of Pillsbury sugar-cookie dough, some flour, and an oven (elbow grease not included).

The stainless steel cutters are oven-safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, which should cover even the crispiest cookies. Lopez recommends these because “they're metal and the different sizes nest and stack easily, taking up less space in your kitchen cupboard.”