I would like everyone's detailed process description of how you actually get the cookie from the rolled out dough to the shape you want on the cookie sheet when the cookie cutter you are using has narrow spaces or has small details. I have a heck of a time punching the dough out of the cutter if it happens to lift it or transferring the cookie dough shape to the cookie sheet (usually with spatula) without distorting the shape. For instance - I made sleigh cookies for x'mas and the tracks on the sleigh were very narrow and would break off every single time I cut a cookie and so I literally had to repair every single sleigh track before baking them. I also have a crown cutter that has very ornate detailing and I just gave up on using that cutter. Even something as basic as a champagne flute cookie cutter. The stem is so long narrow and delicate. HOW do y'all do it with out breaking it? Help! I have so many beautiful cutters that I avoid using because of this issue.

I think a lot of people roll their dough directly on the baking sheet and then cut the dough. You don't have to transfer it over to the sheet if you do it that way.

HTH

Good suggestion Luby!

Hey, why isn't anyone else responding??? I need help on this and since most likely everyone who is reading this is a cookie decorator then I KNOW you have a routine for cutting your cookies. let me know what it is! Everything from how you roll it, to temp of dough, how you transfer, or do you transfer? let me know!

I always bake my cutout cookies on parchment paper, and for the very detailed cutters, I have a method that works, although my friends laugh at me, LOL!

I cut squares of parchment a bit larger than the cookie cutter, and roll out a small piece of dough on each one. I DO NOT chill the dough before cutting, as that IMO makes it more likely to get stuck in the cutter. I press the cutter into the dough, then lift straight up and the dough all stays on the parchment. I then use a spatula to lift away the excess dough, and use a toothpick or skewer for the tiny parts, leaving the cutout on the parchment. I then take the parchment squares and transfer them to my cookie sheet using a spatula. Bake them, and let them cool completely before carefully peeling the parchment from the back of the cookie.

I roll my dough about 3/8 inch thick, and this works well for me.

The advantage to doing the cookies on individual squares of parchment, for me, is that if I mess one up, I can re-roll the dough without risk of damaging the one next to it, which could be a problem if I rolled out the dough on a large piece of parchment and did multiple cookies. Also, I find it very easy to remove the excess dough from my cutout when I can access all sides, again without worrying about running into the next cookie.

hth!
Laura.

oops, forgot to mention that after cutting, I do put the cookies in the fridge to firm up.

I also have found that if I use a bit more flour than I think I need, my cookie dough is much easier to handle.

Antonia74 posted once that she uses 150g of flour for each cup called for in the NFSC recipe. I weighed a cup of flour that I had been using, and it was only about 125 g. Adding the extra flour makes the dough firmer, easier to cut and work with, and (GASP!) I often don't refrigerate it at all, and still have minimal spreading. If I'm doing a very detailed shape, I do refrigerate, but find that it's MUCH faster to skip that step. It holds up to cutting (and since it's not cold, doesn't stick in the cutter) and is firm enough that I can transfer it to the parchment on the cookie sheet with a spatula, and it doesn't distort or stretch the shape of the cookie.

I roll the dough between sheets of parchment, using the rings on my rolling pin.

I used to roll all the dough out between multiple sheets of parchment, but the last time I just rolled out a small amount, cut and transferred the cookies, then rolled out more between the same 2 pieces of parchment, and repeated that process until I had used the whole batch of dough. It's much easier for me to roll a small amount of dough, more times, than to roll a large amount of dough each time, but not roll as many batches. Does that make sense? LOL!

Any more questions, just ask - I'm feeling very chatty tonight, ROFL!

Laura.

Wow! That sounds like a good method slejdick. Sounds time consuming but it would be totally worth it. I might have to print this off so I can have your words handy when I bake next. thank you.

I just very soft sable brushs I use to push the dough out. It doesn't leave a mark and works perfectly. I also let my dough get just a little soft. For cutters that have a back, I start in the middle, but my finger inbetween the dough and the cutter, and work my way toward the small "fingers and toes".

Another option to consider: Cut out circle cookies and use the shaped cutter to leave a slight imprint on that. I do this when the shaped cutter has irregular, thin parts (like my Dala Horse cutter). The thinner areas always cook faster than the main part of the cookie, and I don't like that.