Instructions

1. Prepare the dough according to the recipe you are using. Roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper.

2. Place the dough, still on the parchment paper, in the freezer for 5 minutes. You can skip this step if the dough was chilled prior to rolling it out. Cold dough is easier to cut than warm dough because it does not stick as easily to the cookie cutter, so repeat this process every time the dough starts to warm up.

3. Choose your cookie cutters. Metal cookie cutters are sharper than plastic ones and make more precise cuts.

4. Prevent your dough from sticking to your cookie cutters by lightly dipping the cutting side of the cookie cutter in vegetable oil and then blotting on a paper towel before you cut the cookie dough. This is particularly effective with plastic cutters.

5. Press the cutter into the cookie dough. Start near the outside edge of the dough, and then continue toward the center. Transfer the cut cookie shapes to the baking sheet with a spatula or carefully with your fingers. Bake as directed.