kind of dumb question regarding baking ...sugar cookies

[wildernesslodgelover]

How do you make the dough so that you can do cut out shapes??

I need to make 4 dozen heart shaped sugar cookies, to be decorated in classes at my DD's school. I have a heart shaped cookie cutter...pretty big, probably 3-4 inches at the widest part (top of heart)...so I need 48 of THAT sized cookie.
I bought a package of Betty Crocker Sugar cookie mix and followed the instructions for making cut out cookies (basically use less butter, and add some flour to the mix) but the cookies that were in the heart shape, they just turned into BLOBS, did not retain their shape.

I fancy myself an accomplished home cook, but I am NOT a baker. I can read a recipe, though, so please share! If there is something I could do to a tube of refrigerated dough or cookie mix, I am ok with that, although I usually would like to do thing from scratch...I am getting down to the wire, and I need to just get this done!

Thanks, DISers!

 

[dawson5]

start from scratch. Did you chill the dough? I know whenever we make roll-out cookies, we have to chill the dough for about an hour. We always make from scratch. I can dig out the recipe that seems to work best for us if you want.

Also, did you use butter/margarine? You didn't use a "less fat" kind did you? Those substitute water and aren't good for baking cookies.

 

[Mommee]

Use real butter, not margarine. Chill the dough in the fridge before using it (take out only a portion at a time), and cool the cookie sheet between uses. Also, make sure the dough is about 1/4 inch thick.
My favorite from-scratch recipe uses powdered sugar and real butter with no shortening.

 

[laurie31]

The amount of time you save by using the mix won't be worth it. I've tried to make cut-out cookies from that same mix you did, with the same results. I like the taste of the mix, but only for drop cookies. You have to add LOTS more flour than it says to get the dough stiff enough for cut out cookies to hold their shape. Then they look okay, but don't taste right.

It will not take long at all to make the dough from scratch, I promise. Then, when you're rolling out the dough, use confectioner's sugar instead of flour on the surface where you're rolling it out.

 

[daisyduck123]

I made the exact same cookies myself yesterday, using my snowman cookie cutter.

Even the directions on the Betty Crocker mix don't tell you to...you need to chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour - 1 hour...and you will be fine. I promise.

Before Betty Crocker changed their packging, a couple of years ago, the directions DID say to chill the dough for one hour. When they changed their packaging, the directions no longer said to chill the dough...but you need to. It's the only way you can manipulate the dough.

**And I always use regular margarine with that recipe...no butter needed.
You will also need more than one bag of the Betty Crocker mix..you won't get 48 large cookies from just one bag. Get two or three.

 

[RN2012]

Gordon Foods has premade heart shaped cookie that you just need to bake. They are great, we made the Christmas ones. My kids loved them! They are about $10 for 60 cookies. Good Luck!

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Wow, you guys are awesome. I DID use real butter, but I did NOT chill the dough. As daisy just said, it is NOT on the package directions! So THANK YOU for letting me know! That makes perfect sense. I like the tip about confectioners sugar instead of flour, too. Thanks Laurie.

 

[laurie31]

You're welcome

And I'll have to try chilling the mix and see what happens! *facepalm* that I didn't think of that last time!

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Gordon Foods has premade heart shaped cookie that you just need to bake. They are great, we made the Christmas ones. My kids loved them! They are about $10 for 60 cookies. Good Luck!

oooh, where the heck can I find these??? I am in south FL...off to google!

yeah, laurie, they do have an awfully good flavor...to me there is almost a hint of coconut in the BC dough. I really like eating the dough more than the cookies!

 

[laurie31]

oooh, where the heck can I find these??? I am in south FL...off to google!

yeah, laurie, they do have an awfully good flavor...to me there is almost a hint of coconut in the BC dough. I really like eating the dough more than the cookies![/QUOTE]


LOL! Us too. Maybe this is why we've never made it to the chilling stage. Between me and the girls, I'm lucky to have any dough left to roll out - lol.

 

[nolagirl]

Here are a couple of a good video tutorials. She gives her recipe in the first video. I wouldn't use a mix. Sugar cookie dough is really easy to make. And I would not use margarine. Sugar cookie dough has few ingredients. The cookies taste like butter and whatever flavoring you choose to use (pure vanilla extract usually). You don't want them to taste like margarine. Yuck.

A couple of notes...The recipe calls for softened butter. Softened butter should be soft but still cool to the touch. You do not want it to be overly softened and greasy. For faster chilling, flatten the dough into a disk shape and wrap in plastic. I typically just flavor my cookies with pure vanilla extract. This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon lemon extract. If just using vanilla, I would increase the vanilla to 4 teaspoons (1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons).

making cookie dough:
http://www.youtube.com/user/SignatureSweetShoppe#p/u/20/B5moVhLL0LA

in this one she shows how she briefly kneads the dough to warm it a bit, rolling the dough and cutting the cookies:
http://www.youtube.com/user/SignatureSweetShoppe#p/u/19/ZVu-Z6vtFlQ

 

[overlyspoiled4sure]

This is our favorite cut out cookie dough, from Betty Crocker Cookbook.

SUGAR COOKIES

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened (I'd use butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract & egg. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover & refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Divide dough into halves. Roll each half 3/16 inch thick on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Cut into desired shapes with 2 to 2 1/2 inch cookie cutters; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet & bake until edges are light brown, 7 to 8 minutes.


When we make these, we leave the sugar off & then frost the cookies with a butter cream frosting in various colors depending on the Holiday we're baking for. If you don't want to frost the cookies, then you could use colored sugar in place of the regular granulated sugar. They'd be crispier cookies if you don't frost them. Have fun. Hmmmmmmmmm. Now I'm thinking I should bake on this cold snowy morning...

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

laurie-your daughters are beautiful! And yeah...I make VERY few cookies after gobbling up the dough.

nolagirl-(BTW...judging from your name, I bet you are happy w/the superbowl results??? WHO DAT?)-thank you, I LOVE a good youtube tutorial. I will check it out now.

overly-Thanks for the recipe...hmm, I may just try it instead of the mix. We are decorating them in class (frosting/sprinkles/etc) so they will be crisp! I will say (and the way some DISers are, I may get flamed) that I don't think kids these days necessarily discern between GOOD sugar cookies and "eh" sugar cookies. I know, I know, that is awful to lower the bar just cuz they are kids...but just sayin'!!!

Still..your recipe looks pretty straight forward, so I may give it a go! I will report back on this thread when I make them.

Thanks again, everyone!

 

[MM27]

If you use the Betty Crocker package of cookie mix, read the directions carefully. The regular directions are for regular sugar cookies. If you look further down on the package it says 'for rolled cut-out cookies, decrease the amount of butter to 1/3 of a cup' Too much butter causes the spread.


For future reference, if you belong to BJs or COSTCO they sell big tubs of Pillsbury Sugar Cookie mix so all you need to do is scoop it, roll it and cut.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

If you use the Betty Crocker package of cookie mix, read the directions carefully. The regular directions are for regular sugar cookies. If you look further down on the package it says 'for rolled cut-out cookies, decrease the amount of butter to 1/3 of a cup' Too much butter causes the spread.


For future reference, if you belong to BJs or COSTCO they sell big tubs of Pillsbury Sugar Cookie mix so all you need to do is scoop it, roll it and cut.

Yes, please see my 3rd paragraph of my original post...I did indeed follow the directions for cut out cookies! That's why i was extra frustrated.

I will investigate the tubs of dough...i was just afraid those were for drop cookies only. But thanks for the siggestion!

Oh, and I also investogated the Gordons place...there is actually one near my house! I called, and they know all about those heart shaped cookies in dough form...but they are sold out!!!