Baking great cookies often takes practice and I’m not only sharing with you my tips and tricks that baking thousands and thousands of cut-out cookies taught me, I am also sharing the items I use to create such great cookies that all look consistent.
If you would have told me about 10 years ago that I would bake thousands of cut-out cookies I would have told you, you’re nuts!
Cut-out cookies, rolled cookies, cookie-cutter cookies, decorated cookies, cookie baking, no matter what you call them, I have lots of resources listed to help you perfect your cookie baking.
Simply because I didn’t always love baking them, they seemed fussy and with little kids, I was always fussing with so many other things that I gave away all my cookie cutters. A huge tub, some I had for years, some were from my grandmother, I had alphabet letters, numbers, and at least 100 others.
It took me time to collect new cookie cutters, they are readily available. Keep your eyes open.
I typically sort my cutters by type or holiday and put them into gallon plastic bags and put the bags into a tub. That way they are all in one place and it’s easy to find what I’m looking for and they don’t get bent or stuck somewhere.
After many batches of cookies, I learned what worked and what doesn’t.
There are many items I use and really wouldn’t know how to bake great cookies without them.
-I like when all my cookies look the same…
-I look for my cookies to be all the same thickness
-light in color (no brown edges)
-and that the shape of the cookies are “clean” meaning they are not distorted, puffy, shapeless edges.
I created a list of my must-have items, and even when I go to my mom’s to bake, I make sure I bring them with me. It certainly makes baking lots of cookies easier. No matter if they are drop cookies or cut-out cookies.
If you’d like more tips on drop cookies click here!
These are my MUST-Have Baking items!!!
Here is my recipe for Sugar Cookies This recipe will create delicious cookies that hold their shape when cut with a cookie cutter, you can alternatively roll the cookie dough into balls and bake them too.
This is my Italian Cut Out Cookie Recipe: this recipe is different because it’s more cake-like. The cookies are firm, yet tender. There are a lot of eggs in this recipe and that is what gives them a cake-like quality. These cookies also hold their shape when cut and baked. These cookies freeze well.
Be sure to follow recipe instructions. Each cookie recipe will have different ingredients and steps. It’s best if you start baking by having ALL the ingredients you need in front of you. You can measure them into separate bowls if that helps you to be more organized. Be sure you are using fresh ingredients, If you have baking powder from a year ago…. buy new baking powder it’s the one thing that can mess up any good cookie recipe.
Freezing Cookies: Both cookie recipes freeze well. Be sure to double wrap the cookies. An example of double wrapping would be to put the cookies in a zipper freezer bag and then into a plastic container, or wrapped in plastic wrap and then put into a zipper freezer bag. Be sure all the air is removed. Use a straw and suck out the air, so the cookies will be really fresh tasting when they are thawed out. You can freeze un-iced cookies really well. I do freeze iced cookies, I find it works best with white icing and I wait two days to freeze them so all the moisture in the cookie and icing will have had a chance to “dry” so the cookies won’t get freezer burn, I’ve frozen iced cookies wrapped individually for 3 months and they tasted just like freshly iced cookies.
Baking Sheets: I use thick 16×20″ baking sheets that have a rolled edge. They are 1/2 sheets. They are used by bakeries. They produce even heat and even baking. Thin sheets tend to flex with the heat and bake the cookies quickly on the bottom. This results in dryer cookies and dark bottoms, depending on the cookie recipe, the butter can also spread the cookie really quickly and the result will be flatter cookies with a crisp edge but really no rise in the center and the cookies can even fall apart easily.
Parchment Paper Sheets: Parchment sheets prevent cookies from sticking to the baking sheet. Butter or shortening used to be a typical way for people to “grease” a cookie sheet, but that results in darker bottom cookies and darker equals over baked and dryer cookies and sometimes they have a greasy bottom because of it.
Parchment can be used multiple times, how many times depends on the brand you purchase. The thicker the parchment, the more uses you’ll get out of it.
Rolling cookie dough in between wax paper sheets with dowels to be sure cookie dough is even.
Dowels: the thin wood dowels are used to roll the cookie dough out evenly. Evenly cut cookies result in even baked cookies. I prefer 1/4 inch. Dowels come in round and square.
Wax Paper: Roll the cookie dough between wax paper. This avoids using excess flour and drying out the cookie dough. Dry cookie dough results in tougher, drier, more crumbly cookies.
Mixing Bowls: I prefer metal bowls on my mixer and off. They are lightweight, and they don’t chip or break like glass. They clean easily in hot soapy water and when filled the hot water helps remove sticky items quickly.
Having extra Kitchen Aid Mixer bowls has made baking days WAY easier than it was with one bowl.
Cooling Rack: This item is so great, I can’t rave about it enough. I have two of them. This allows you to free up counter space, cool cookies without having to move the trays multiple times when you are baking. They are great for any baking project and crafts too.
Rolling Pin: a long even rolling pin will glide over the dowels smoothly and evenly to create great cookies.
Small Offset Spatula: Using a spatula that is thin and close to the size of the cookie is best for transferring cookies from work area to baking sheet without messing up their shape.
Mini “Brownie” Spatula for 2 1/5 inch cookies
My cookie recipes listed above bake up cookies that are the same size and shape of the cookie cutters, no distortion. You can see by the photo above that the wavy edge on the cookie is still there when the cookies are baked and that the cookie is the same size as the cutter even after baked.
Be sure to evenly roll out the cookie dough, as I’ve shown you above. You will end up with great cookies.
THIS is the cookie cutter show above Crinkle Heart Cookie Cutter.
cookie cutters: You will find cookie cutters in lots of places, Amazon, Walmart, baking supply stores, and antique shops always have fun shapes you don’t see everywhere.
Icing: I have two ways to ice cookies, one is How to Ice Cookies WITH a Piping Bag the second way is How to Ice Cookies without a Piping Bag. The posts include recipes for icing as well as how to apply icing to cookies.
If you have a specific question on baking cookies feel free to leave it in the comments. I do read all comments personally.
LOTS of info on baking cookies here:
- cookie tips guide- get my free guide on baking cookies
- How to bake perfect Cut Out Cookies
- Easy Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Soft Sugar Cookies and Frosting
- How to ice cookies with a piping bag
- Brush on glaze icing
- Cookie Dough Recipe that holds its shape
- resources, recipes, items, and instructions for baking perfect cookies
- royal icing recipe
STILL looking for more, below you will find a delicious list of sugar cookie recipes lots of great flavors perfect for your next baking adventure!
- Red Velvet Cut Out Cookies
- Thai Tea Cut Out Cookies
- Pink Peppermint Cut Out Cookies
- Chocolate Cherry Cut Out Cookies
- Pistachio Cut Out Cookies
- Oatmeal Cut Out Cookies
- Lemon Poppy Cookies
- Banana Cut Out Cookies
- Maple Walnut Cut Out Cookie
- Confetti Sprinkle Cookies
- Strawberry Cut Out Cookies
- Chocolate Cut Out Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cut Out Cookies more like traditional chocolate chip cookies than sugar cookies but a great recipe and you can cut them into any shape you like.
If you like this or any other recipe at 
Diane says
Canyou show à picture of rolling the dough including the dowels. Please. I really cannot picture this in my head.
Thank you
Diane says
the 5th photo in the post shows rolling dough out between wax paper with the dowels on each side
Rachel says
These cookies look amazing
Glenda says
Great tips..thanks.
Glenda says
How long do you leave the cookies on the sheet pan before putting them on the cooling rack? And do you pick them up one by one or slid the parchment paper with the cookies onto the cooling rack?
Diane says
After cutting the cookies out, I pick up each cookie with a small spatula or offset spatula if they are really small cookies, and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Once the cookies are baked I do not transfer the cookies to a cooling rack, I keep them on the baking sheets. This avoids the cookies from breaking, and it much cleaner without all those crumbs everywhere too.
Sallie says
I am excited to try these recipes. Thank you
Sallie says
What’s the recipe for the glaze for the cookies.
Diane says
Here you will find the recipe https://www.createdby-diane.com/2013/11/italian-cut-out-cookies.html
Here you will find my video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgvDhLFc1Mg
You’ll also see more info here https://www.createdby-diane.com/2017/07/how-to-ice-cookies-with-a-piping-bag.html
Maria Pignone says
Hello Diane
I’m late to your party. But, I new to baking sugar cookies. I can’t seem to fine your cookie recipe for your perfect cookies. Would you be so kind to advise me where I can find it.
Sincerely,
Maria Pignone
Diane says
Sure, here’s the link to the post on sugar cookies https://www.createdby-diane.com/2011/07/sugar-cookie-recipe.html
Lauren K says
Would you make any adjustments for cooking at 5280 ft? I’m in Denver now after living in Houston, and I have trouble baking at altitude :/
Thanks!
Diane says
I’m in Southern California at 1100 feet. I do know many who are at elevation adjust things for baking but since I have no experience at an elevation above mine I’d suggest googling it. Sorry, I can’t be more helpful. If you are going to test cookies. I’d bake 2 cookies at a time if you are adjusting the temperature. I’d say try the recipe as written and then you can message me with the results and we can discuss what you can do if it needs adjustments. I’m hoping it will be fine 🙂
Mar says
HI
Are these cookies a soft sugar cookie or do they “crumble” when you bite into them
I’m looking for a recipe for cut out sugar cookies that remain soft when you bite into
them, but not cake like as in your italian recipe
thanks much
Mar
Diane says
These have a medium firmness, they don’t crumble like a dry sugar cookie, and they aren’t moist like a drop cookie. They are not cake-like. They have a nice bite when you bite into them, but don’t make a complete mess. If you want to give them a making a smaller batch by halving the recipe (you can use 1 large egg or use 1 1/2 tablespoons of an egg that is mixed to test them out, without making a lot of cookies) A soft sugar cookie that is almost flexible, in my opinion, would be more of a butter cookie. But this is a true sugar cookie without being overly sweet and sugary and great with icing.
Happy Baking!
wings io says
I don’t think that I can make it like this anyway in my lifetime 🙁 it is saddening but I will do try all my best. thank you for teaching.
Betts says
I just LOVE this and can’t wait to perfect my cookies so they look just like yours. I’ve tried a few times to make cut out cookies, but thanks to your tips I really think I’ll have better success next time.
June says
I just love this post, I always need tips on how to make my cookies look more even.
Edward Taylor says
Hi Diane,
I would like to speak with you by phone or on Skype at your convenience about a business idea. I am currently in Central Mexico, and if you wish I’d be happy to call you or you can call me. This is primarily creating nut-based, fruit-based and savory new lines, with additional new features, and being impressed with your background and repertoire I think this might be of interest to you. You can reach me at egtaylor1 on Skype or via my email address (I could not locate you in Southern California). The plan is for the entire continent gradually and later who knows, both from here and from the North…We have the facilities, experts here, but not in the North. I hope that you will contact me soon.
Ashiyah Garcia says
Diane,
Do you have any tips or recommendations for a red velvet cookie recipe that I can use for cookie cutting? Is there a specific ingredient that can reduce the fluffiness of a red velvet recipe? I’m using a cookie cutter it many lines and I don’t want the cookie to get so fluffy that i will look like a blob. I hope you can help!
Thank you!
Diane says
Here is my recipe for Red Velvet Cut Out Cookies https://www.createdby-diane.com/2012/05/red-velvet-cut-out-cookies-with-red-velvet-icing.html along with a red velvet icing too if you need it. These cookies come out great, they are not “fluffy”. Happy Baking!!
J says
How to keep the shine in the icing after everything has dried?
Diane says
Glaze icing has more of a shine to it when it’s dry (it has some corn syrup in it which I feel adds to the glossier finish, like in the red cookies in the post) royal icing dries with a matte finish. Both recipes are linked in the post, let me know if I can help you with anything else.