I have several hundred shaped cookies to bake using a cookie cutter.  I would love to be able to bake the round cookies first, wait a couple of minutes once they are out of the oven -- THEN use the cookie cutter on them.  But wondering if this could dry them out.  And suggestion for storing them until serving?

Please help!  thank you

I would think that by doing it that way, you would take off the perfect edge on the cookie leaving rough and crumbly looking edges. 

Why do you want to do it that way?  It's twice as much work with a less than perfect look and a lot of waste.  The cookies might look jagged and possibly break when you cut them?

you definitely want to cut out before baking as has been already advised -- what you can do is trim while the cookie is hot right out of the oven -- use a microplane to neaten edges or a nice sharp paring knife for taking out a chunk --

and of course i don't know what is prompting your inquiry  but you can cut out and freeze the dough or the baked cookie too if that might be a factor for you -- and you can make your own cookie cutters which is one of my favorite things -- tons of tutorials online for a google

best cookies and all things baking to you

When I first started making cookies, my cookies would spread out & lose their shape so I would re-cut them after they were baked which resulted in rough/jagged, crumbly edges. If you get a good recipe & you follow the instructions on keeping the cookie dough cold & use real butter, you shouldn't need to cut your cookies after they are baked.

Here is a really good YouTube video tutorial on making cut out sugar cookies...