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What are Some Different Kinds of Cookie Cutters?

Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders

Cookie cutters, tools used to shape cookie dough, are a necessity for any baker. Whether you’re making cookies for your cousin’s baby shower or planning a Christmas cookie swap, there is a cookie cutter available that fits your needs. Cookie cutters can generally be purchased wherever kitchen tools are sold.

Plastic cookie cutters are typically the most affordable option for the baker on a budget. These cookie cutters are available individually or in thematic sets that include a variety of seasonal designs. Both small and large cookie cutters are available.

Sugar cookies are a great holiday favorite as they can be shaped into almost anything.
Sugar cookies are a great holiday favorite as they can be shaped into almost anything.

Metal cookie cutters, although significantly more expensive than plastic cookie cutters, tend to be a good option for the serious baker. When made from stainless steel or copper, metal cookie cutters are rust-free and extremely durable. As an added bonus, metal cookie cutters are fun to display in your kitchen. In fact, many people like to hang their metal cookie cutters from a pretty ribbon when not in use.

Cookie cutters can be used to make special shapes for Christmas.
Cookie cutters can be used to make special shapes for Christmas.

Most cookie cutters make flat cookies, but 3-D cookie cutters let you create cookies that can double as table centerpieces for almost any occasion. When making cookies with 3-D cookie cutters, you must cut several pieces for the final design and assemble using a thick frosting as an adhesive to keep the various parts of the cookie together. It’s a fairly time-consuming process, but the results are quite impressive.

Most cookie cutters are designed to make flat cookies.
Most cookie cutters are designed to make flat cookies.

Regardless of which type of cookie cutter you decide to use, developing a proper baking technique is the key to creating cookies that look and taste like they came from your favorite neighborhood bakery. Your dough should be fairly stiff and rolled to about a ¼ inch (6.35 mm) thickness using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Then, you’ll need to carefully transfer the cut cookies with a plastic spatula to an ungreased cookie sheet before baking. After the cookies have baked and cooled, you’ll want to decorate them using icing made specifically for sugar cookies. If you use regular cake frosting, it won’t set correctly and you’ll be left with a gooey mess to clean up.

Cookie cutters can be used to cut out cake decorations.
Cookie cutters can be used to cut out cake decorations.

Although cookie cutters are traditionally used for making decorated sugar cookies, these versatile kitchen tools have a number of other applications. You can use cookie cutters to cut peanut butter sandwiches, pancakes, and even pizza. Children also enjoy using cookie cutters as templates for clay modeling or paper crafting projects. For this reason, a set of cookie cutters can be considered a wise investment for any baker.

Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders

Dana holds a B.A. in journalism and mass communication from the University of Iowa. She has loved being part of the WiseGEEK team ever since discovering the joys of freelance writing after her son was born. Dana also hones her writing skills by contributing articles to various blogs, as well as creating sales copy and content for e-courses.

Learn more...
Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders

Dana holds a B.A. in journalism and mass communication from the University of Iowa. She has loved being part of the WiseGEEK team ever since discovering the joys of freelance writing after her son was born. Dana also hones her writing skills by contributing articles to various blogs, as well as creating sales copy and content for e-courses.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

wavy58

I like using round cookie cutters to make biscuits. For years, I followed in my mother’s footsteps and used the rim of a glass to cut the dough, but it really wasn’t sharp enough to make a clean cut. One day, a big cookie cutter caught my eye as I was reaching for a glass to cut out biscuits, and I decided to give it a try.

The cookie cutter made a much cleaner cut. Also, it had scalloped edges, so the dough was much easier to grab and place in the pan.

Once the biscuits were done, I saw that the edges were browner and more crispy than before. I like this method much better than my old one.

What are some other uses for cookie cutters? Does anyone have any unique suggestions?

seag47

My mother is proud of her metal cookie cutters. She hangs them on the Christmas tree with white satin ribbon until she is ready to use them. After she uses and washes them, they go back on the tree.

Her favorite is the gingerbread cookie cutter. This little guy has a place near the top of the tree, where he is highly visible.

She is all about tradition, and somehow, the gingerbread man is a big part of her idea of Christmas. She even bought some miniature gingerbread cookie cutters and tied them to the stem of our guests’ wine glasses as a party favor.

Oceana

@kylee07drg - I have some heart shaped cookie cutters that I use for the same thing you do with the linzer cookies. I make mine around Valentine’s day and for my husband’s birthday, and instead of jam, I fill them with chocolate truffles.

My husband is crazy about chocolate and peanut butter, so I make heart shaped peanut butter cookies. I cut them out with a big plastic cutter, and then I use a miniature version to cut the centers out.

I have a recipe for chocolate truffles, and I make the stuff that goes in the center of the truffles to use in between the cookies. I use heavy whipping cream, chocolate chips, and orange extract, and I beat it until it’s stiff.

These cookies are one of my best creations. The cookie cutters help me make them look good, and I handle the rest.

kylee07drg

I have some linzer cookie cutters I use each year around Christmas. Linzer cookies have to have a section cut out of the middle for the jam inside to show through, so I selected a pair that would allow for this.

I use the larger cutter first to get the outline of the cookie. Both cutters have scalloped edges that make the cookies appealing. I use the big cutter across all of the dough.

Next, I use the smaller cutter, which has the same design as the first one, to cut out the centers of half of the cookies. I knead and re-roll the extra dough and cut until all the dough is gone.

Then, I bake them. After they have cooled, and spread raspberry jam on all the solid cookies. I place the cookies with the centers missing on top of these, and the little window displays the red jam.

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    • Sugar cookies are a great holiday favorite as they can be shaped into almost anything.
      By: cobraphoto
      Sugar cookies are a great holiday favorite as they can be shaped into almost anything.
    • Cookie cutters can be used to make special shapes for Christmas.
      By: Brent Hofacker
      Cookie cutters can be used to make special shapes for Christmas.
    • Most cookie cutters are designed to make flat cookies.
      By: 0635925410
      Most cookie cutters are designed to make flat cookies.
    • Cookie cutters can be used to cut out cake decorations.
      By: arinahabich
      Cookie cutters can be used to cut out cake decorations.