timidbaker
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2010
- Messages
- 2
For some reason I have this desire to make really pretty cut out cookies. I want to be able to make delicious, pretty cookies to share - with friends, family, coworkers, etc. But I feel like such a LOSER!! I've tried different recipes, I've spent hours reading tips, watching videos, shopping in the fancy baking section of craft stores . . .
I'm really hoping someone can help me! I'd really appreciate any tips. I'm thinking it would be useful if I first tell what I'm doing and also tell what problems I'm having:
My first issue was sticky dough and trouble rolling it out. I'm no good a "light dusting of flour" (HOW DO YOU DO THAT EVENLY??) so then I tried rolling the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper.
That helped, but then my issue was getting the cookies OFF the paper onto the cookie sheet.
THEN I tried leaving the dough on the sheet where they were cut and just removing the excess dough. This didn't work very well either and the dough was still sticky. (Oh I also chilled the dough prior to all this)
I've have the most success with a method I saw in a video online:
Make the dough and then immediately roll it out between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4" thick. Then chill the dough.
Then I would use the cookie cutter, and when I lift the cutter, the dough sticks to the cutter. So I then do my best to press the dough out of the cutter on to the parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
So far, not too bad . . . except the cookies don't hold their shape all that well after my struggle to get them out of the cutter.
The next issue is the cookies getting all puffy and losing their shape when they bake. AUGH! All that work and now they don't even look like the cookie cutter shape any more!!
Any suggestions?? Why can other people do this and I can't?? I'm normally a pretty darn good baker. Maybe that's why this bothers me so much!!
PS, the recipe I've been using has the following ingredients, and I live at 5300 feet.
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
Maybe this isn't the best recipe??
Thank you so much!!
I'm really hoping someone can help me! I'd really appreciate any tips. I'm thinking it would be useful if I first tell what I'm doing and also tell what problems I'm having:
My first issue was sticky dough and trouble rolling it out. I'm no good a "light dusting of flour" (HOW DO YOU DO THAT EVENLY??) so then I tried rolling the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper.
That helped, but then my issue was getting the cookies OFF the paper onto the cookie sheet.
THEN I tried leaving the dough on the sheet where they were cut and just removing the excess dough. This didn't work very well either and the dough was still sticky. (Oh I also chilled the dough prior to all this)
I've have the most success with a method I saw in a video online:
Make the dough and then immediately roll it out between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4" thick. Then chill the dough.
Then I would use the cookie cutter, and when I lift the cutter, the dough sticks to the cutter. So I then do my best to press the dough out of the cutter on to the parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
So far, not too bad . . . except the cookies don't hold their shape all that well after my struggle to get them out of the cutter.
The next issue is the cookies getting all puffy and losing their shape when they bake. AUGH! All that work and now they don't even look like the cookie cutter shape any more!!
Any suggestions?? Why can other people do this and I can't?? I'm normally a pretty darn good baker. Maybe that's why this bothers me so much!!
PS, the recipe I've been using has the following ingredients, and I live at 5300 feet.
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
Maybe this isn't the best recipe??
Thank you so much!!