I have made NFSC a couple of times now, and I like the way the dough works ai no spreading and good flavour. But I find that the cookies I have made break very easily. Both times I have made them it has been as party favours to compliment the birthday cake, but find that when it comes to giving them out some have broken. The last ones were Mickey cookies and the ears kept breaking off. Am I doing something wrong? I roll between parchment so I do not add any extra flour during rolling, and I guess I am not handling the cookie dough much. Just straight from KA bowl, roll out between parchment then fridge, then cut and freeze before baking. Just wondering if I am "under-handling" the cookie dough so that the gluten is not activated enough, or is it just the way the cookie is?

Is it possible that you are over-baking the cookies or maybe you could be rolling them out too thinly? I roll mine out to 1/8 inch and normally slightly underbake my NFSC because they continue to cook a little after they come out of the oven.

Hopefully someone else can give you some answers.

I would guess too thin as well. I roll mine out to 3/8" and they puff up to about 1/2". Even with that thickness, I find that things like MM ears and dragonfly tails would be brittle. Bake them a tad longer and see how that works. Mine are firm, but soft, not brittle at all, at least for most cookies.

Thanks to both of you for your replies. I have just checked my dough thickness rings that I use on my rolling pin, and I use the 3/8 inch to roll my cookies. My idea of a cookie is a thin crispy gingerbread cookie, Scandinavian style, so it has taken me a bit of getting used to thick cookies. Maybe I am over baking a bit. I tend to wait to the edges are starting to brown, again because I feel that makes them taste good. I don't like the idea of set dough, it needs to be baked if you know what I mean. Maybe I will try to reduce the cooking time by a minute next time.

I bake longer than that (right when they start to turn brown) since the cookies are so thick. I love thick, soft cookies. Not a fan of thin, crisp ones. LOL!

I'm thinking that they might be a little thin for the cutter you are using.

I had that problem with the Foose flamingo cutter. The neck kept breaking(especially when it was all decorated and ready to bag). I rolled it a little thicker the next time and it was better.

Some cutters just yield a more delicate cookie and I try not to handle it too much.