I really need help. I just started making cut out sugar cookies. I have tried 2 different recipes and chilled them beyond belief. They still spread and the shape of the cookie looks a little distorted. Should I use a recipe without eggs? Maybe then they wouldn't spread.
Please help!!
Have you tried this?
http://cakecentral.com/recipes/2055/no-fail-sugar-cookies
I use the NFSC mentioned above and cut the baking powder to 1/2 tsp. After you cut out your shapes, put them on a parchment lined cookie sheet and chill well. Put them into a well preheated oven. This is what I do and it works well for me. Hope this helps!
I use the NFSC mentioned above and cut the baking powder to 1/2 tsp. After you cut out your shapes, put them on a parchment lined cookie sheet and chill well. Put them into a well preheated oven. This is what I do and it works well for me. Hope this helps!
I do exactly the same thing!
I'm a "until it looks right cook" so I view all recipes as a suggestion of measurements. If the dough looks too gooey or thin, add more flour. Don't be afraid to alter the recipe so that it works.
If your cookies are really distorted, a way to salvage them is to recut them as soon as they come out of the oven. Here's a thread with directions and photo-examples: http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-654832-recut.html
Bonnie - It really makes a difference, doesn't it?
absolutely!
And if I'm making a shape that's hand-cut, instead of using a cookie cutter, I also refrigerate the dough at least 3 hours before cutting out the shape so my edges are neater.
if I'm making a shape that's hand-cut, instead of using a cookie cutter, I also refrigerate the dough at least 3 hours before cutting out the shape so my edges are neater.
Oh, I agree fully! Many of mine are handcut and very chilled dough is the only way to go! I learned that one quickly! 
I don't know, which recipe you used, but my guess would be that you mixed the butter and sugar too much so that too much air was included.
To make cookies that do not "grow" or distort in the oven, I mix the ingredients just using a dough scraper. But you could also use a food processor (not electric mixer).
Maybe this helps. 
The only way the No-Fail recipe works (for me) is to eliminate the baking powder. Once I did that, everything was fine. I also am a fan of chilling the dough big time before cooking but honestly, it doesn't matter how much you chill them if you have one of those darn 'spready' recipes. That dough just goes everywhere 
Cookies spread largely due to the butter content. The very low melting point of the butter melts before the starches in the flour gelatinize. (That's what heat does to starches.) If the starches haven't had time to gelatinize (set), there's no structure to the cookie, so it spreads.
Sub 1/2 butter and 1/2 veg shortening. You'll still have butter flavor, but get better performance. For even less spreading, use 1/2 margarine and 1/2 veg shortening.
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