When ready to bake, I preheat my oven to 375°F (190°C) and line my baking sheets with parchment paper. I work with one disc of dough at a time, keeping the other cold. On a lightly floured surface, I roll the dough to about ¼-inch thickness. I dip my cookie cutters in flour to prevent sticking and cut out shapes close together. Using a flat spatula, I transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheets. I bake for 7-9 minutes, just until the edges are set and very lightly colored. The centers should still look soft. They firm up as they cool, which is the secret to their soft texture.
Pro Tips for Best Results
I tested the chilling time three different ways: no chill (spread horribly), 1 hour (better but still spread a bit), and the full 2+ hours (perfect shape). Trust me, patience with the chill works better. For the cleanest shapes, re-roll your dough scraps only once. After that, the dough becomes overworked and tough. I bake the first re-roll, but any leftover after that, I simply press into a thick disc, chill, and slice for rustic “icebox” cookies.
For cookies of even thickness, I use two thin wooden dowels or “rolling pin guides” on either side of my dough. Rolling until the pin rests on the guides guarantees every cookie is the same ¼-inch thickness, which means they all bake in the same amount of time. I’ve tried eyeballing it, and this tool is a game-changer for consistency.
To prevent the dreaded “foot” or spread on the bottom of your cookies, double up your baking sheets. Place one empty sheet on the oven rack, then put your parchment-lined sheet with cookies on top of it. This extra layer of insulation prevents the bottom from baking (and spreading) too quickly, giving you a cleaner, sharper edge.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
My biggest first-time mistake was using warm dough. I was excited and rolled it out right after mixing. The cookies spread into each other, creating a cookie-sheet-sized gingerbread man blob. Don’t do what I did! That chill is mandatory. If the dough gets too soft while you’re working, just pop it back in the fridge for 15 minutes.(See the next page below to continue…)