When I use a cookie cutter and bake my cookies the shape doesn't stay. I have tried thin cookie dough and thick and they just plump up. It's hard to tell what they are supposed to be. Any ideas from the cookie experts? Thanks.

If you use the NFSC (no fail sugar cookie recipe) you shouldn't have any problems with the cookies spreading. You can find it in the recipe section. Good luck.

Hey there! Are you using chilled cookie dough? Before you roll the dough put it in the fridge for at least an hour and then after you cut your cookies put them in the fridge or you can use the freezer for a shorther period of time....I just leave mine on the baking sheet and pop them in the freezer for about 10-15 mins and then put them in the oven....they will keep there shape if they bake from being cold.

Ditto Spoonfulofsugar!

I pop my cookie sheets in the freezer prior to baking and never have a problem with spreading.(NFSC,chocolate rollouts and others)

I get nice sharp edges.

What recipe are you using?

You guys, I've been doing cookies for a while now, and I picked up some new cookie sheets couple of weeks ago, got one of those huge wilton flat with one lip, and two large (I think alumimum) from Sams. My cookies are turning out horrible, flattening out and edges getting done before the middle. They are too big to fit into my fridge, so I am skipping that step now, and maybe my pans are too hot when I put on the next batch? And, weird, the two big ones from Sams, they make cracking and popping sounds while they are cooking off. I have a big chest freezer in my garage, should I take the time to pop the cookies in there for a few minutes before putting into the oven? I was even thinking, since I still have my old pans, keep using those as well so as to give the pans time to cool off between batches??

Hi shiney

Yes...I would make sure to put those pans in the freezer and use the old pans too...I always wait for my pans to cool in between batches...I also use parchment paper to keep them from sticking and it keeps the pan clean so I don't have to clean any left over cookie between the batches

ya know if your new pans don't fit in the fridge you could cut your cookies and layer them between parchment paper and put something sturdy below them...like a cake bored...that should probably fit in your fridge...then you don't have to go out to the garage every 10 mins

Spoonful, that's a great suggestion! I think I could rig something up in the frig! I do use parchment, so I'm good there! I dont' think my old pans stayed hot as long as these new ones.
THANKS!!

Are the pans you got from Sam's a commercial grade pan? If so, they shouldn't be popping and cracking. That describes what a 'cheap' pan would do.

Do you use parchment paper? To me, this is the big secret to great cookies.

Indydebi: The pans were $5 each at Sams. Ya think they may be part of my problem? What about the big Wilton? it was $20 bucks at Michaels! I was trying to get big pans to help speed up the backing process.

To cool the pans down I dunk them in cold water before placing the next batch of cookies on.

I also like to try and find pans that fit the unused shelf rungs in my fridge. That way I can slide the pans in and out in the fridge without having to move a lot things around!

Shiney you should starting chilling the cookies again on the new pans and then if they still come out bad then you will know for sure it's the pans and not that you have stopped doing a step that you used to! I use cheap pans well most cost under 10 Euro which is about $12 and never have any problems!

It's a good idea to check oven temps every now and then to make sure it's not the actual oven.

I also had awful trouble baking NFSC in my fan oven and now just use my normal oven instead and they come out pretty good everytime!

Banba, thanks for the advice. I got a new convection (fan) oven thinking it would help with my cookies. When I lived in UK we had a fan oven and I really missed it. I will try all the tips, and see how I get on.

Shiney do you cook NFSC in the fan oven? They just never work for me in the fan oven. I have a Rangemaster and just can't get the temp right so I gave up.

I would love to know what temp you cook cookies at in the fan oven. I tinkered about with degrees for days and nearly lost the plot!

The second oven is not a fan oven and my cookies work out fine in this one and I have even started doing my cakes in it too! Fan oven is just great for roasts etc.

Exactly, Banba, my new oven makes a mean roast! My cookie recipe is very similar to the NFSC. I cook in non-fan oven at 375, but with convection 350 (somewhere I read to lower 25 degrees with convection. My thought was to do four racks at one time with the new oven, thinking the air is circulating, I coudl put that many in the oven. BUT, with this oven the bottom two racks burns the bottom before baking the cookies. So, that's why I bought the new bigger pans.