Tip Friday Slice and Bake Cookie Dough

Slice and Bake Cookies

Slice and Bake Cookies can be a fun way to make all kinds of cookies. The final product is a firm chewy cookie that doesn’t crumble in your hands. The cookies can be made in any shape you desire.

 

Slice and Bake Cookies can be a fun way to make all kinds of cookies. The final product is a firm chewy cookie that doesn’t crumble in your hands. The cookies can be made in any shape you desire.

You can make cutout cookies as well drop cookies. Here are the tips that will help you With a perfect batch!

Make The Dough

Start with butter that’s softened at room temperature, but still firm.

Starting with butter that’s too soft results in softer dough. They are sticky and harder to shape into logs.

If you’re using a stand mixer, the butter should be soft enough so pressing with your fingertips will leave a slight impression.

If you’re using a hand held mixer or mixing by hand, the butter should be just a little softer, so that pressing with your fingertips leaves a deep impression.

Mix just long enough to insure the ingredients are blended. Less mixing is definitely better than more so you don’t end up with cookies that are less than tender.

How to Cut & Roll Cookies – Dough Disks

Place the mixed dough in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes or until it’s firm enough to handle. If it becomes too firm just let it stand at room temperature until it’s soft enough to shape. You can also do what I did and stick it in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

The single biggest thing to keep in mind when making cut out cookies is to chill the dough and keep it chilled throughout the rolling and cutting process.

After mixing your cookie dough, the first step is to give the dough its first chill. But rather than just sticking the mixing bowl with a big lump of dough in the fridge, first use your hands to press the dough into two equal-size discs.

Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and place the disks in the refrigerator to chill for about 15 minutes.

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Why disks? Disks chill more evenly than a big lump of dough, plus they’re partially on their way to their rolled out shape. This means less handling of the dough, which equals less warmth introduced to the dough.

How to Cut & Roll Cookies – Floured Surface

Next take the disks, one at a time, out of the fridge and roll to the thickness specified in your recipe.

When it comes to the rolling, there are a couple of ways to go. The dough can be rolled out on a floured work surface or a non-floured surface.

For a floured surface, use as little flour on the surface and rolling pin as possible. Introducing extra flour can toughen the dough and affect the texture of the finished cookies. Consider using confectioner’s sugar instead, as it won’t toughen the dough like flour can.

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Regardless of method, roll your dough with short, light pressure sweeps from the dough’s center to the edge. Short, light sweeps help get an even thickness and don’t overwork the dough. Take care to keep from running the rolling pin off the edges of the dough, as the edges will get too thin.

How to Cut & Roll Cookies – Cut Shapes

One thing to remember when cutting cookies: Be sure to cut the shapes close together to minimize dough scraps. While scraps can be rerolled, they should be rerolled only once. Rolling dough over and over creates overworked dough, leading to tough baked cookies.

To cut, lay a cookie cutter on the dough, firmly press straight down and lift straight back up without twisting or sliding the cutter. When lifting the cutter, use your finger or a chopstick to gently press on smaller or more detailed areas to help release the dough. If the cutter is sticking, dip the edges in confectioners’ sugar before cutting.

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Metal or plastic cutters? It doesn’t really matter. The biggest difference is that metal and copper cutters are a bit sturdier and may give a just slightly cleaner cut.

Shaping Into Logs

When shaping dough into logs sprinkle a thin dusting of flour no more than a teaspoon on the rolling surface. This will help make the logs easier to handle.

Moistening your hands ever so slightly can make keep the dough from sticking.

Cutting The Logs

Put the cylinders of dough on plastic wrap at least 6 inches longer than the length of the log.

Take care not to roll the logs any longer than 10 inches. Recipes requiring rolling in nuts or other coatings will lengthen when coated. So start them off slightly shorter.

As you wrap the log in plastic, roll tightly and tug on the ends to tighten the plastic and to smooth any creases.

To secure the plastic twist the ends well. Roll the dough back and forth to eliminate any air pockets.

To compact the log push the ends firmly toward the center.

Cutting the Logs

To cut even slices of cookie dough, lay a ruler alongside the log of dough. Use your sharpest thin-bladed knife and a continuous slicing motion if the log is uncoated. If it’s coated with nuts or other garnishes, use a small serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion for the cleanest cut.

Clever Solutions For Keeping Your Logs Round

Shaped cookie doughs are frequently rolled into a log shape, and sliced before baking.

Any sturdy drop cookie batter can be treated the same way. Thick slices of dough will make a chewier cookie, and thin slices will create crisper ones.

Spoon drop cookie dough in a log in the center of a piece of parchment.

Most of your cookie dough recipes can be spooned onto plastic wrap or waxed paper, rolled tight, then refrigerated and used as you need it. I love the approach because you can just slice off as many cookies as you need and they bake up really neat and tidy. And in most cases, you can freeze the rolls of dough if they’re wrapped/protected enough.

Take a straight edge and place it on the top piece of parchment. Hold the edge in place as you pull the bottom edge of the parchment toward you. This will cause the dough to form a smooth, round shape.

Now, stretch out one long (or two shorter, which will fit more easily in your fridge) piece of plastic wrap and spoon the dough into a line.

Carefully roll up the dough inside the plastic wrap (and by the way, waxed paper also works wonderfully. I was just out of waxed paper)…

And try to pull the wrap tight so that the dough is packed and firm in there.

To keep your perfectly shaped round log from flattening out on the bottom while it chills, try these ideas:

To keep cookies round as you slice them, roll the log away from you as your knife goes through it.

To keep cookies round as you slice them, roll the log away from you as your knife goes through it.

To keep cookies round as you slice them, roll the log away from you as your knife goes through it.

Turn Frequently.

Put the logs on a level shelf or flat baking sheet in the refrigerator or freezer and turn each log every 15 minutes for the first hour. As the logs chill, the bottoms will flatten from the weight of the dough. To correct this, remold the logs by rolling them back and forth a few times on the ­countertop.

Use a Cradle

If you happen to have a baguette pan, it makes a perfect cradle for chilling logs of dough. If you don’t, save a few empty paper towel rolls, cut each in half lengthwise to make two cardboard troughs with rounded ­bottoms, and then place a log in each half for chilling.

For both of these methods, after the logs have chilled for 15 to 20minutes, turn them over once and chill until firm.

How far ahead can I make the cookie dough? How should I store it?

Logs of cookie dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. For longer storage put the logs in a airtight, ziplock bags and freeze for up to three months. To thaw the logs put them in the refrigerator overnight. Any unused dough may be frozen again.

Here are two posts to get you started. Grandma Lydia’s Ice Box Cookies and my tip for Baking In Batches or Slice and Bake Cookie Dough

This article is part of the Tips That Help in the Kitchen Series, Tip Friday.

Research Pioneer Woman, Food.com, Fine Cooking