How do I stop cut-out cookies from spreading?
Chill the cut shapes before baking, measure flour carefully, and use a dough with little or no leavening.
Chill your shapes, measure your flour, and choose a dough made for cutting. Spreading usually comes from warm butter, too little flour or too much raising agent.
The fixes
- Chill twice. Rest the dough before rolling, then chill the cut shapes on the tray for 10 to 15 minutes before they go in the oven.
- Weigh the flour. Scooping can give you too little or too much. A scale removes the guesswork.
- Skip or cut the leavening. Baking powder makes cookies puff and lose sharp edges.
- Don’t over-cream. Beating butter and sugar until very fluffy adds air that makes shapes spread.
- Use cool trays. Putting dough on a hot tray starts melting the butter early.
Roll evenly
Roll between two sheets of baking paper to an even thickness. Thin edges brown and spread faster than thick middles. Rolling guides or two wooden strips either side of the dough help.
Our cut-out sugar cookie is on the cookie recipes page. Next, get your icing right.