I'm trying to make some cut-out cookies using storebought cookie
dough, using the instructions on the container, but whenever I roll
the dough out on a floured surface, flatted it, and press the cookie
cutter down to make the cookie shapes, the cut-out shape won't lift up
with the cookie cutter, making it too soggy and flexible to transport
to the cookie sheet. Strangely, the first two cookies seem to come up
properly, but any ones after that are impossible to get. Is it
because the dough becomes too moist after being handled for a bit? Is
the solution then to just keep mixing in more flour, not just enough
flour to keep it from sticking to the surface where I'm rolling them
out? Or what else?

wrote:
> I'm trying to make some cut-out cookies using storebought cookie
> dough, using the instructions on the container, but whenever I roll
> the dough out on a floured surface, flatted it, and press the cookie
> cutter down to make the cookie shapes, the cut-out shape won't lift up
> with the cookie cutter, making it too soggy and flexible to transport
> to the cookie sheet. Strangely, the first two cookies seem to come up
> properly, but any ones after that are impossible to get. Is it
> because the dough becomes too moist after being handled for a bit? Is
> the solution then to just keep mixing in more flour, not just enough
> flour to keep it from sticking to the surface where I'm rolling them
> out? Or what else?
>


More flour will make them tough. Try chilling the dough more.

gloria p

On Mar 14, 8:12 am, wrote:
> I'm trying to make some cut-out cookies using storebought cookie
> dough, using the instructions on the container, but whenever I roll
> the dough out on a floured surface, flatted it, and press the cookie
> cutter down to make the cookie shapes, the cut-out shape won't lift up
> with the cookie cutter, making it too soggy and flexible to transport
> to the cookie sheet. Strangely, the first two cookies seem to come up
> properly, but any ones after that are impossible to get. Is it
> because the dough becomes too moist after being handled for a bit? Is
> the solution then to just keep mixing in more flour, not just enough
> flour to keep it from sticking to the surface where I'm rolling them
> out? Or what else?

Roll and chill first- the fat is too warm

wrote:
> I'm trying to make some cut-out cookies using storebought cookie
> dough, using the instructions on the container, but whenever I roll
> the dough out on a floured surface, flatted it, and press the cookie
> cutter down to make the cookie shapes, the cut-out shape won't lift up
> with the cookie cutter, making it too soggy and flexible to transport
> to the cookie sheet. Strangely, the first two cookies seem to come up
> properly, but any ones after that are impossible to get. Is it
> because the dough becomes too moist after being handled for a bit? Is
> the solution then to just keep mixing in more flour, not just enough
> flour to keep it from sticking to the surface where I'm rolling them
> out? Or what else?
>

First the dough needs to be COLD. I usually take just a little bit of
the whole at a time and keep the rest in the fridge. Second, dip the
cutter in flour before each cut and the dough won't stick to the cutter.

On Mar 14, 10:12 am, wrote:
> I'm trying to make some cut-out cookies using storebought cookie
> dough, using the instructions on the container, but whenever I roll
> the dough out on a floured surface, flatted it, and press the cookie
> cutter down to make the cookie shapes, the cut-out shape won't lift up
> with the cookie cutter, making it too soggy and flexible to transport
> to the cookie sheet. Strangely, the first two cookies seem to come up
> properly, but any ones after that are impossible to get. Is it
> because the dough becomes too moist after being handled for a bit? Is
> the solution then to just keep mixing in more flour, not just enough
> flour to keep it from sticking to the surface where I'm rolling them
> out? Or what else?

Dip your cutter into a shallow dish of flour before each cut, and make
sure you have enough flour underneath the rolled-out dough that they
don't stick to the board. I like it best when the cookie dough is
cut, but stays put - then I use an icing (offset) spatula to transfer
them to the cookie sheet. As far as I'm concerned, they should never
stick to the cookie cutter.

N.

On Mar 14, 9:25 am, "Nancy2" > wrote:
> On Mar 14, 10:12 am, wrote:
>
> > I'm trying to make some cut-out cookies using storebought cookie
> > dough, using the instructions on the container, but whenever I roll
> > the dough out on a floured surface, flatted it, and press the cookie
> > cutter down to make the cookie shapes, the cut-out shape won't lift up
> > with the cookie cutter, making it too soggy and flexible to transport
> > to the cookie sheet. Strangely, the first two cookies seem to come up
> > properly, but any ones after that are impossible to get. Is it
> > because the dough becomes too moist after being handled for a bit? Is
> > the solution then to just keep mixing in more flour, not just enough
> > flour to keep it from sticking to the surface where I'm rolling them
> > out? Or what else?
>
> Dip your cutter into a shallow dish of flour before each cut, and make
> sure you have enough flour underneath the rolled-out dough that they
> don't stick to the board. I like it best when the cookie dough is
> cut, but stays put - then I use an icing (offset) spatula to transfer
> them to the cookie sheet. As far as I'm concerned, they should never
> stick to the cookie cutter.
>
> N.

Thanks Nancy.

If the cookie shapes don't stick to the cookie cutter, how do you
separate them from the rest of the dough? Lift the rest of the sheet
of dough up and away from the cut-out cookie shapes? But when I use
the dough (even if it's chilled), it barely holds together when I lift
out the small cookie shape. If I tried to lift up and away the sheet
of surrounding dough, it feels like it would fall apart.

Also, when I tried baking the ones that I was able to cut out
correctly, the dough expands on the cookie sheet and destroys the
shapes I've made. Is there any kind of dough that doesn't do this?

wrote:
>
> If the cookie shapes don't stick to the cookie cutter, how do you
> separate them from the rest of the dough? Lift the rest of the sheet
> of dough up and away from the cut-out cookie shapes? But when I use
> the dough (even if it's chilled), it barely holds together when I lift
> out the small cookie shape. If I tried to lift up and away the sheet
> of surrounding dough, it feels like it would fall apart.
>
> Also, when I tried baking the ones that I was able to cut out
> correctly, the dough expands on the cookie sheet and destroys the
> shapes I've made. Is there any kind of dough that doesn't do this?
>


Another piece of advice is don't roll the dough too thin.

Melba/Barb posted a very good sugar/cutout cookie recipe a while back.
It's one of the first that has worked well for me. Google for it.

Never mind, here it is:

Sugar Cookies

Recipe By : Posted yet again to r.f.cooking by Barb Schaller, 6-7-05
Serving Size : 66 Preparation Time :12:00
Categories : Cookies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 cups sifted cake flour (14 oz.)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup soft shortening (5 oz.)
1 1/2 cups sugar (11-1/2 oz.)
2 eggs -- unbeaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
4 tsp. milk

Sift dry ingredients together; set aside. Mix shortening with sugar,
eggs, and vanilla until very light and fluffy. Mix in flour mixture
alternately with milk. Refrigerate dough until easy to handle (several
hours or overnight). Roll on floured board, cut, and bake at 400
degrees until delicate brown, about 9 minutes.

This is the only sugar cookie recipe I've had much luck with!! The
dough handles beautifully! Design imprints from a cookie cutter remain
on the cookie, making decorating very easy. 11/25/89: ~5-1/2 dozen
cookies.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : Source: Good Housekeeping Cookbook, page 657. First made in
the late 70s.


gloria p

On Mar 14, 2:01 pm, Puester > wrote:
> wrote:
>
> > If the cookie shapes don't stick to the cookie cutter, how do you
> > separate them from the rest of the dough? Lift the rest of the sheet
> > of dough up and away from the cut-out cookie shapes? But when I use
> > the dough (even if it's chilled), it barely holds together when I lift
> > out the small cookie shape. If I tried to lift up and away the sheet
> > of surrounding dough, it feels like it would fall apart.
>
> > Also, when I tried baking the ones that I was able to cut out
> > correctly, the dough expands on the cookie sheet and destroys the
> > shapes I've made. Is there any kind of dough that doesn't do this?
>
> Another piece of advice is don't roll the dough too thin.
>
> Melba/Barb posted a very good sugar/cutout cookie recipe a while back.
> It's one of the first that has worked well for me. Google for it.
>
> Never mind, here it is:
>
> Sugar Cookies
>
> Recipe By : Posted yet again to r.f.cooking by Barb Schaller, 6-7-05
> Serving Size : 66 Preparation Time :12:00
> Categories : Cookies
>
> Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
> -------- ------------ --------------------------------
> 4 cups sifted cake flour (14 oz.)
> 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
> 1/2 tsp. salt
> 2/3 cup soft shortening (5 oz.)
> 1 1/2 cups sugar (11-1/2 oz.)
> 2 eggs -- unbeaten
> 1 tsp. vanilla extract
> 1/2 tsp. almond extract
> 4 tsp. milk
>
> Sift dry ingredients together; set aside. Mix shortening with sugar,
> eggs, and vanilla until very light and fluffy. Mix in flour mixture
> alternately with milk. Refrigerate dough until easy to handle (several
> hours or overnight). Roll on floured board, cut, and bake at 400
> degrees until delicate brown, about 9 minutes.
>
> This is the only sugar cookie recipe I've had much luck with!! The
> dough handles beautifully! Design imprints from a cookie cutter remain
> on the cookie, making decorating very easy. 11/25/89: ~5-1/2 dozen
> cookies.
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
> NOTES : Source: Good Housekeeping Cookbook, page 657. First made in
> the late 70s.
>
> gloria p

Thanks, that could come in handy. Unfortunately though I'm usually
trying to save time by using store-bought dough. You'd mentioned that
rolling the dough too thin could make the shapes more distorted? I'll
try that... oddly though, I think it was the times that I used thicker
pieces of dough, that the cookies seemed to expand the most.

So otherwise there's no cooking tip to prevent the dough expanding and
distorting when you cook it -- it's just a property of the dough
itself?

Are there any flavors that are less prone to this? Someone told me
that gingerbread dough kept its shape, but I tried some (from the
store) and it seemed to expand the same as the others.

writes:
>On Mar 14, 2:01 pm, Puester > wrote:
>> wrote:
>>
>> > If the cookie shapes don't stick to the cookie cutter, how do you
>> > separate them from the rest of the dough? Lift the rest of the sheet
>> > of dough up and away from the cut-out cookie shapes? But when I use
>> > the dough (even if it's chilled), it barely holds together when I lift
>> > out the small cookie shape. If I tried to lift up and away the sheet
>> > of surrounding dough, it feels like it would fall apart.
>>
>> > Also, when I tried baking the ones that I was able to cut out
>> > correctly, the dough expands on the cookie sheet and destroys the
>> > shapes I've made. Is there any kind of dough that doesn't do this?
>>
>> Another piece of advice is don't roll the dough too thin.
>>
>> Melba/Barb posted a very good sugar/cutout cookie recipe a while back.
>> It's one of the first that has worked well for me. Google for it.
>>
>> Never mind, here it is:
>>
>> Sugar Cookies
>>
>> Recipe By : Posted yet again to r.f.cooking by Barb Schaller, 6-7-05
>> Serving Size : 66 Preparation Time :12:00
>> Categories : Cookies
>>
>> Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
>> -------- ------------ --------------------------------
>> 4 cups sifted cake flour (14 oz.)
>> 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
>> 1/2 tsp. salt
>> 2/3 cup soft shortening (5 oz.)
>> 1 1/2 cups sugar (11-1/2 oz.)
>> 2 eggs -- unbeaten
>> 1 tsp. vanilla extract
>> 1/2 tsp. almond extract
>> 4 tsp. milk
>>
>> Sift dry ingredients together; set aside. Mix shortening with sugar,
>> eggs, and vanilla until very light and fluffy. Mix in flour mixture
>> alternately with milk. Refrigerate dough until easy to handle (several
>> hours or overnight). Roll on floured board, cut, and bake at 400
>> degrees until delicate brown, about 9 minutes.
>>
>> This is the only sugar cookie recipe I've had much luck with!! The
>> dough handles beautifully! Design imprints from a cookie cutter remain
>> on the cookie, making decorating very easy. 11/25/89: ~5-1/2 dozen
>> cookies.
>> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>>
>> NOTES : Source: Good Housekeeping Cookbook, page 657. First made in
>> the late 70s.
>>
>> gloria p
>
>Thanks, that could come in handy. Unfortunately though I'm usually
>trying to save time by using store-bought dough. You'd mentioned that

doesn't seem like this approach is working

how about making a big batch & freezing what you don't use for next
time(s)??