What is the secret to cut-out cookies?

Pull off the top sheet of parchment, then slide the sheet of dough onto a baking sheet, then pop it in the freezer. (You can stack as many sheets of dough onto one baking sheet as you'd like.) Sandwich your dough between two sheets of parchment, roll, then freeze ; it makes cut-out cookies a breeze!

Why won't my cut-out cookies hold their shape?

Different fats will affect the shape of your cookies , as will the temperature of the dough when it goes into the oven. Softer fat like shortening and margarine will spread more than butter, and cookies with butter in them, if refrigerated before baking, will hold their shape, even when quite thick.

Do you use cookie cutters before or after baking?

Should I Use A Cookie Cutter Before Or After Baking? Forming cookies before putting them in the oven is the most common practice . Many shape their cookies before baking to ensure cookies come out properly shaped and to make the most of their dough.

Should you refrigerate cut out cookies before baking?

Refrigerating the dough allows the flour to fully hydrate and helps to make the cookie dough firmer. Firm dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much, which is why chilling the dough is a crucial step for cut-out and rolled cookies .

What keeps cut out cookies from spreading?

Chilling cookie dough helps prevent spreading. The colder the dough, the less the cookies will over-spread into greasy puddles. You'll have thicker, sturdier, and more solid cookies. Whenever I make cookies, I plan ahead and chill the cookie dough overnight.

Why are my cutout cookies puffy?

Q: Why are my cookies so puffy and cakey? Whipping too much air into the dough . That fluffy texture you want in a cake results from beating a lot of air into the room temperature butter and sugar, and it does the same for cookies. So don't overdo it when you're creaming together the butter and sugar.

Why are my cut-out cookies dry?

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process . This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

How do you use store bought sugar cookie dough for cutouts?

Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on work surface. Cut out desired shapes using floured 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.

Do you chill cookie dough for cookie cutters?

After preparing your cookie dough, refrigerate it for at least 1 hour . This will make the dough easier to cut with cookie cutters (especially intricate ones) and may help prevent your cookies from spreading in the oven. Once the dough is chilled, roll it out on a cool, lightly floured surface.

Can you use store bought cookie dough with cookie cutters?

Simple metal cookie cutters can transform store-bought slice-and-bake dough into the most festive holiday dessert . For these Christmas cut-outs, all you need is a 16.5-ounce roll of Pillsbury sugar-cookie dough, some flour, and an oven (elbow grease not included).

Can you bake cut out cookies on parchment paper?

Absolutely. We recommend baking sugar cookies (or any cookies!) on parchment paper.

What does baking powder do in cutout cookies?

In simple terms, the alkali and acid work together to provide air and lift within baked goods but contain it to the structure. Cookies with baking powder will be lighter , whereas a cookie without baking powder will be denser. The more baking powder a cookie has, the more cake-like texture it will have.

Eggnog Cut-Out Cookie Recipe (2024)

November 21, 2019 By marian 24 Comments

A little twist on the traditional holiday cookies, these Eggnog Cut Out Cookies are my new favorite roll out cookie. So simple to make, and if you make the eggnog from scratch, you’ll have plenty leftover to sip, bake and decorate!

For the eggnog within the recipe, I made it from scratch and used my BlendTec blender, so it really was quick and easy. The BlendTec heats up the eggnog due to the speed it’s mixed at, so you may want to use your own or a different recipe if you don’t have access to a high powered mixer. Generally making eggnog involves tempering eggs for safety considerations. You can of course buy eggnog already made at the grocery store as well. Note that it may only be available during Christmas holiday season.

If you’re interested in the blender eggnog recipe I used, it’s by The Chunky Chef and you can find it here.

If you like the family of gingerbread cutters, you can find them in How Sweet is That?’s shop here.

I really enjoyed these cookies by themselves, but if decorating with royal icing, I would likely use my classic vanilla recipe.

Eggnog Cut Out Cookie Recipe

Print Recipe

Eggnog Cut Out Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups sugar, granulated
2 cups butter, salted
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup eggnog
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnammon
1 tsp nutmeg

Instructions

Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed, using the paddle attachment. Mix until incorporated – for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula and mix again for a few seconds more. Over mixing the butter and sugar in this step will cause too much air to be incorporated into the dough. If you'd like a light and fluffy cookie, that's ideal, however the dough will spread more during baking; not ideal if you'd like the cookie to hold its shape.
Add eggs, vanilla, extract and eggnog slowly and mix. Scrape down the bowl with your spatula if needed and mix again.
Whisk the flour, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a separate bowl. Add all of the flour mixture to the mixer bowl. Place a large tea towel between the edge of the bowl and the electric mixer so that the flour won't escape. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Remove the tea towel and observe the dough mixing; the dough should peel away from the sides of the mixer and clump around the paddle attachment. You can also test the dough by pinching it between your thumb and index finger. If it’s soft but not sticky, it’s just right. If it’s too sticky when you pinch it between your fingers, add flour, ¼ cup at a time, and mix until you’re happy with the texture. There are various reasons why a dough can be too dry or too sticky, ranging from humidity in the environment, to what kind of flour you use, the fat content of the butter etc., however, there are ways to fix the issues if you run into them. Already mentioned, add flour if your dough is too sticky, and if it’s too dry, make sure you’ve mixed it as best as you can first, and if it’s still too dry, add a little water or milk until your dough comes together.
Roll the dough out between 2 large pieces of parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and into the fridge or freezer for a minimum of 1 hour.
Cut out cookie shapes. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Re-roll scraps and repeat. If your dough gets too soft to work with, place in the fridge or freezer periodically to firm up again.
Once all cut out, put cookie dough shapes back into the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes to 1 hour to chill again. They will then hold their shape better when baked.
Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C.
Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes or until the edges become golden brown. The baking time will depend on the size of your cookie.
Let cookies cool to room temperature and decorate if you like! If you’re new to decorating cookies,here is a cookie decorating tutorialwith everything you’ll need to know to begin!