HOw to Get Perfect Cut Out Cookies

Cut-out cookies should have crisp, clean edges and hold their shape from the rolling pin to the oven. But getting there can be surprisingly tricky. If your cookies spread, puff up, stick to the cutters, or lose their sharp edges, a few simple changes to your dough rolling, chilling, and baking technique can make all the difference. I'm going to show you how to get perfect cut-out cookies every time, with practical tips that take the guesswork out of making beautifully shaped cookies.

Red and White glazed heart shaped Viennese Lemon Valentines Cookies on a white plate with blue edges. — *Viennese Lemon Valentines Cookies*

Cut out cookies are always the most time consuming to make but they are most often, the prettiest. They can be challenging depending upon the dough used and how the cookies are rolled and cut. But they needn't be if you use the technique below.

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Parchment Paper
Plastic Bags or Plastic Wrap
Wax Paper
The Biggest Problems with Cut Out Cookies and How to Solve them
Why You'll Love this technique
Step by Step Instructions

Parchment Paper

Rolling dough between parchment paper is recommended a lot online. While I couldn't bake without this kitchen staple, I never use it for rolling cut out cookies. Parchment paper is a chemically treated, cellulose-based paper that is non-stick making it perfect for lining baking sheets and pans for easy removal. It's a durable paper that is heat and water-resistant. It also used for the French cooking technique called "en papilliote" where food is enclosed in parchment and baked. The term "en papilliote" means to cook in paper.

But I don't use it for cut out cookies. I find the very strength and thickness of the paper and the fact it is not translucent makes it difficult to roll the cookies without excessive wrinkling of the bottom sheet or being able to see how the rolling is going.

Parchment paper can be found in grocery stores in rolls. Kitchen shops and online sell it cut in half sheets and various size parchment circles used to line cake pans.

Plastic Bags or Plastic Wrap

This is a photo of a box of plastic bags and a box of plastic wrap

The problem with plastic bags is they are usually too small to be effective. The problem with plastic wrap is it is hard to get it and keep it straight without severe wrinkling.

Wax Paper

So that brings us to wax paper. Wax paper is coated with a very thin layer of paraffin. It is water-resistant, but not heat-proof, so it should never be used as a liner for baking sheets and pans. But it is the perfect vehicle for rolling the dough for cut out cookies because it is translucent and flexible. Placing the dough between two sheets of wax paper enables you to see what is going on when you are rolling. Is one side too thick or one end too thin?

A box of waxed paper with some of it unrolled.

In addition, because the paper is thin and flexible, running your hand over the top piece of paper allows you to feel for thick or thin spots and correct them. But there is a definite technique for the perfect cut out cookies.

The same pieces of paper can be used as long as there are no tears in it. If it is wrinkled when itis turned over, just smooth out the wrinkles whe the paper is replaced over the dough. If there are, the paper needs to be replaced.

One thing that can happen when rolling between paper, is the dough stalls and refuses to move out when rolling. The chances of that happening are reduced if the steps below are followed.

One of the other things I find wax paper is perfect for is rolling dough to a certain size or shape. Simply draw a pattern on the wax paper, preferably with a heavy marker such as a black sharpie. Keep this side of the paper up so it doesn't touch the dough. You can now see where you need to roll to keep it within that shape.

This photo shows a round of dough being marked on waxed paper

Wax paper can be found on the shelves of grocery stores. It comes in a roll.

The Biggest Problems with Cut Out Cookies and How to Solve them

The recipe for the dough isn't good for cut-out cookies. See my posts for Best Spiced Shortbread Cookies, Viennese Lemon Valentine's Cookie (pictured above), Painted Cookies, the very special European cookie Murteig, and Very Lemon Butter Crisps for good recipes that will hold their shapes when baked.
Cut-Out cookies need a firm dough - think shortbread, sugar cookies or gingerbread.
Flouring the work surface is always suggested but this method, especially if a lot of flour is used, is something I don't recommend. The unincorporated flour stays on the bottom of the cookie when baked. Additionally, if the cookie dough is soft, it can be problematic to get the cookies onto the baking sheet without distorting the shapes.
They are hard to transfer to the baking pan
Roll the cookie dough between waxed paper and not parchment paper. Waxed paper is more pliable and see through so you can see what is going on.
Cut the cookies out but do not remove them from the dough yet - freeze them hard first.
Just push them out after freezing and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Double pan if necessary and the recipe calls for it to prevent over browning or burning the bottoms.
Always bake them chilled or frozen first.

Why You'll Love this technique

It's foolproof and easy.
It will make cut-out cookies so much easier for you.
Cutting the cookies out will go much faster.
No more out of shape cookies.
They'll look like they came from the best bakery.

Step by Step Instructions

This is a technique used for whatever cut-out dough you use. Just be sure it is one that will ultimately hold its shape when baked

The first collages for How to Get Perfect Cut-Out Cookies shows the dough between waxed paper and dented, the dough rolled out and the top paper partially pulled back.

Step 1. If it he dough is soft after making, chill it to firm up but it should not be hard. Place the dough between two pieces of waxed paper. With a rolling pin, dent the dough in several places to make it easier to initially roll it out. Step 2. You can see the waxed paper is wrinkled underneath. That is normal. But stop rolling at this point and keep the dough between the waxed paper. I removed the top piece to show you the wrinkling. Step 3. You will notice that at some point, the wrinkled paper prevents the dough from being rolled out any further. With the dough between the paper, flip it over. You can see how the paper has wrinkled. Step 4. Remove the paper, keeping it low to the dough as shown or you might pull some of the dough up with the paper and that is not what you want. Use the same piece of waxed paper unless it is torn. Just replace it and smooth it out.

This collage shows the dough rolled again and flipped, placed on a sheet pan to chill and the cookies cut out.

Step 5. Continue to roll, flip, remove the paper, replace it as necessary. Step 6. Roll the dough until the desired depth is reached. Step 7. If the dough is soft and it may be at this point, chill or freeze briefly just to firm it up. You don't want it to become hard. Step 8. Remove the top paper and place the cookie cutters on the dough touching each other. This way you don't have so much dough to roll out again. After the cookies are cut, carefully remove the cutters. Again, chill or freeze if the dough has become soft. After the cutters are removed, freeze the dough until rock hard. When they are frozen, simply push the cookies out and place the on a parchment lined baking sheet. If the cookies are made with a dark dough or one containing a lot of honey or molasses (such as as gingerbread), double pan before putting them in the oven to prevent the bottoms from over browning or burning. Bake as directed.

Let the remains of the dough thaw out, push it together and re-roll as necessary.

Amd that's it. An easy, foolproof way to perfect cut out cookies every time.