Using cookie cutters with store-bought cookie dough is a great way to create fun shaped cookies with minimal effort. While most store-bought doughs will work fine with cutters, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Quick Answer
Yes, you can use store-bought cookie dough with cookie cutters. The soft, pliable texture of refrigerated dough makes it easy to cut shapes using metal or plastic cookie cutters. However, the dough may need to be chilled again after shaping to prevent shapes from losing their form while baking.
Can Any Store-Bought Cookie Dough Be Used?
Most refrigerated cookie doughs sold in tubes or tubs can be successfully cut into shapes with cookie cutters. This includes:
- Refrigerated sugar cookie dough
- Chocolate chip cookie dough
- Peanut butter cookie dough
- Oatmeal raisin cookie dough
- Snickerdoodle cookie dough
Slice-and-bake cookie doughs are not well suited for cutters as they are designed to be sliced. However, some slice-and-bake varieties may still work if the dough is soft enough.
Homemade cookie dough and ready-to-bake portioned dough balls can also be used with cutters. When working with homemade doughs, make sure the dough is chilled before cutting shapes.
Chilling the Dough
For best results when cutting shapes, cookie dough should be chilled and firm. If the dough is too warm and sticky, the cut shapes may lose their form when baking.
Here are some tips for properly chilling cookie dough for cutters:
- Refrigerate store-bought tube or tub dough for at least 2 hours before cutting shapes. Longer chilling produces cleaner cuts.
- For slice-and-bake dough, refrigerate the logs for the time specified on the package, then chill dough again after slicing.
- Homemade dough and dough balls should chill for at least 2 hours before using cutters.
- If dough becomes too soft when cutting, return to refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to re-chill.
Cutting Shapes
A few tips for cleanly cutting shapes from chilled cookie dough:
- Avoid overworking the dough when rolling it out, which can cause cookies to bake up tough.
- Lightly flour the work surface to prevent sticking, but don’t over-flour.
- Dip cutters in flour between cuts to prevent sticking.
- Press cutters straight down through the dough without twisting for clean edges.
- Aim to cut shapes close together to minimize excess dough.
- Gently lift cutter straight up to remove cut shapes.
Baking Cut Shapes
To help maintain the shape integrity when baking cut cookie dough:
- Chill cut shapes for 10-15 minutes before baking if dough gets too soft.
- Place shapes at least 1-inch apart on baking sheets.
- Avoid overcrowding baking sheets which can cause uneven baking.
- Bake at recommended package temperature, adding 1-2 minutes extra baking time if needed.
- Cool cookies completely before removing from baking sheets.
Tips for Problem-Free Cutting
Follow these tips to prevent common cookie cutting issues:
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Dough sticks to cutter | Dip cutter in flour between cuts |
| Shapes losing form | Chill dough before cutting and shape after cutting |
| Messy edge details | Press cutter straight down without twisting |
| Warped or melted shapes | Leave enough space between shapes on baking sheet |
Decorating Cut Cookie Shapes
Decorating cutout cookies takes them to the next level. Here are easy ways to decorate your cookie creations:
- Icing: Outline shapes with royal icing or flood the whole cookie with frosting.
- Sprinkles: While icing is still wet, add sprinkles, sanding sugar or other decorations.
- Glaze: Drizzle thinned icing, chocolate, caramel or other glazes.
- Chocolate: Dip part or all of baked cookies into melted chocolate or chocolate coating.
- Paint: Brush food coloring, thinned food gels or melted chocolate onto cookies.
Let icing and chocolate decorations set up before stacking or storing decorated cookies.
Best Cookie Cutters for Store-Bought Dough
You can find cookie cutters in all sorts of fun shapes and themes. Here are some of the best cookie cutters to use with store-bought dough:
- Metal cutters: Durable and cuts cleanly through dough.
- Plastic cutters: Budget-friendly but may dull over time.
- 3D shape cutters: Makes dimensional shapes like flowers, animals.
- Multiple shape cutters: Cuts different shapes in one press.
- Large or small cutters: Scale matters, so have a range of sizes.
Look for cookie cutters with sharp edges for clean cutting action and easy release from dough. Avoid cutters with a lot of fine details, which can be tricky for soft dough to capture.
Storing Cut Cookie Dough Shapes
If not baking cookies right away after cutting shapes, proper storage is important:
- Place cut shapes on a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- Store chilled, unbaked shapes up to 2 days for best results.
- The dough may need reshaped slightly after storing.
- Freeze for longer storage up to 3 months.
Frozen shapes can be transferred to airtight containers or resealable plastic bags. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
Creative Uses for Leftover Cookie Dough
Don’t let leftover bits of dough go to waste after cutting shapes. Here are smart ways to use up scraps of store-bought cookie dough:
- Roll into balls and bake as is for round cookies.
- Press into a mini tart or muffin pan for molded shapes.
- Add to milkshake, ice cream or yogurt for cookie dough pieces.
- Layer scraps in a mason jar for an edible cookie dough treat.
- Freeze to add to another batch of cookie dough.
Fun Cookie Cutter Ideas
Cookie cutters come in every shape imaginable, so get creative with your designs. Here are ideas to inspire your cookie cutting adventures:
Holiday and Seasonal
- Pumpkins, bats, ghosts for Halloween
- Trees, stockings, reindeer for Christmas
- Hearts, lips, arrows for Valentine’s Day
- Leprechaun hats, rainbows, coins for St. Patrick’s Day
- Eggs, chicks, bunnies, tulips for Easter
- Turkeys, autumn leaves for Thanksgiving
Animals and Nature
- Dog, cat, forest animals
- Butterflies, ladybugs, bees
- Whales, sharks, fish
- Flowers, plants, succulents
Geometric and Icon Shapes
- Circles, stars, diamonds
- Hearts, bows
- Houses, castles
- Cars, airplanes, rockets
People, Faces and Letters
- Gingerbread people
- Hands, feet
- Emoji faces
- Block letters or initials
Let your creativity guide you when selecting cookie cutter shapes. The options are endless!
Troubleshooting Cookie Cutter Problems
Having some issues getting perfect shapes from your cookie cutters? Here are some troubleshooting tips:
Problem: Dough sticks in cutter
- Solution: Chill dough before cutting and make sure dough is firm. Dip cutter in flour between presses.
- Solution: Tap cutter gently on work surface to release shape. Don’t twist cutter.
Problem: Shapes spread or lose form
- Solution: Dough is too warm – chill thoroughly before cutting shapes.
- Solution: Let cut shapes chill again briefly before baking to firm up.
- Solution: Don’t overcrowd baking sheet which can cause spreading.
Problem: Details of cutter don’t show up
- Solution: Press cutter firmly and evenly through dough.
- Solution: Avoid cutters with fine details that dough may have trouble capturing.
- Solution: Use a simpler shaped cutter.
Problem: Cutter edges dull
- Solution: Avoid twisting cutter when pressing into dough which can dull edges.
- Solution: Store cutters properly without cramming together so edges don’t get damaged.
- Solution: Replace dull cutters so you can achieve clean cuts.
Conclusion
It’s easy to create colorful custom cookies by using cookie cutters with store-bought doughs. Refrigerated cookie doughs provide the right soft, pliable texture for cleanly cutting shapes with metal or plastic cutters. Chilling the dough properly before and after cutting helps maintain the cut shapes. A few simple tricks go a long way to creating picture-perfect cutout cookies. With themed cutters and creative decorating, you can take your homemade cookies to the next level.