Flatten My Cookies and Not My Hair!
When I started decorating cookies I would get frustrated because sometimes my cookies were not flat. As they baked, they would get little bumps or bubbles that would leave me frustrated when it was time to decorate. It was hard to make the icing smooth because some of the bumps were so tall. The edges were also a little rounded and if I didn’t have my icing just right, the icing would run off the edge. That drove me crazy!! I know all recipes are different so some of you may not experience this problem but if you do there is a way to make nice flat cookies.
First, bake your cookie.
Next, take this handy dandy Wilton Easy Glide Fondant Smoother, place it on your warm fresh from the oven cookies, and gently glide it across the top of each cookie!
Just glide it across the tops applying even pressure. If your press to hard it will make the cookies lose their shape a little.
Be gentle and you will end up with flat cookies like this!
That is all you have to do to have a flat smooth cookies that are ready to decorate. No bumps to work around or no rounded edges for the icing to run off. Just nice flat cookies waiting for your creative touch!
Now about my flat hair…any suggestions? LOL
Happy Creating,
FANTASTIC! You are a cookie wizard!
If I was a wizard, I would figure out how to decorate without washing dishes!! LOL Thanks for being here Nicole:)
There are three ways to avoid KP … pay someone, bribe the hubby, or have kids and give them that “chore”. But honestly just doing it yourself seems easier …lol.
There is alwas the option of using disposable everything.
LOL I agree:)
Great idea – this is especially useful if u want to try stamping on the cookies. You have to have a flat surface
I didn’t think of that Suzanne but it really would work for stamping. Thanks for the tip:)
my first stamped cookies were sort of a flop because of the cookies being too rounded. i haven’t tried again but i will now!
Good!! You can flatten them and stamp away!!!
Great idea. I actually tried this on the edges of rectangle cookies last night and it worked great. I get so frustrated when my squares look lopsided or squewed (sp?). Thanks for the tip!! Love your cookies girl!
I don’t like wonky cookies either! I am glad you fixed your cookies:) It is very frustrating when your cookies are not flat and ready to decorate.
Do you know why my cookies spread sometimes?
Hey Christina, there could be several reasons that your cookies spread when you bake but I have noticed if I re-roll my dough more than 3 times it will spread. I also cut my shapes and put them into the freezer for about 10-15 minutes before I bake them. I take them straight from the freezer to the oven and I can see the difference. If you try these and still have trouble please let me know.
Hi, I’ve found that if the cookie dough is too well mixed it will spread (which is why when it’s re-rolled too much it will spread too, as that kind of mixes it more). I don’t cream the butter and sugar til it’s light and fluffy, but just mix until it’s properly incorporated and stop there. I also mix it gently with all the other ingredients and stop the second it’s mixed. I roll it while it’s still warm, so it doesn’t take much working, and then I put the slabs in the fridge, wrapped, for several hours (or overnight) so that cutting the shapes out is really easy.
Cheers
Lucy
Hi Lucy, If you look at my post on Martha Stewart’s Sugar Cookies, you will see that we do things a lot alike. I also am careful not to over mix my dough and freeze it for a few minutes before cutting my shapes and baking. Then, when I take them out of the oven, I smooth the surface so it is nice and flat for decorating.
i love this post lisa!!! ive been wondering how to stop the bumps myself, without having to use my fingers on a super hot cookie and i love this idea! im definitely going to give it a shot:)
It really works Sarah! I have been doing to for awhile now and I love having a nice flat cookie!
Great idea Lisa. I do the same darn thing. But, on occasion, when I had too many bubbles to flatten (from re-rolling the dough too much), I’ve flipped the cookie over and decorated the back instead. Works like a charm! I guess on St. Paddy’s day I should say, works like a lucky-charm!
Love that it works like a lucky-charm D.J.! I will keep that in mind the next time I have an extra bubbly one:) Thanks for letting me know about it!
This is exactly how I flatten my cookies. Gosh, I just love you!!!
Aw-shucks Jill, I love you too!!!
Wonderful Tip!
Love your Blog by the way!
Awe, thanks Diane!! I am glad you are here:)
What a great idea. I will have to give this a try. I am still at the very beginning of my cookie journey but learning so much every day due to the generosity of all the fabulous cookie makers in the blogosphere, such as yourself. Thanks for sharing.
This a very good idea. I usually take another cookie sheet and place it over the freshly baked cookies and give a light press. The only thing is that you have to make sure your baking sheet are completely flat since they tend to warp a tad as time goes by. Thanks for the idea
Thanks for this handy hint Lisa, I’m the same I didn’t decorate the cookies if they weren’t perfect which my hubby didn’t mind as he got to eat all the naked ones 🙂
I also have a question, do you know if I dipped the cookies in sprinkles before baking do they remain as it is or any cookie recipe with sprinkles stuck on without royal icing.
Thanks Reshma
Awesome tip! I use another cookie sheet but that’s dangerous! One false move and it’s bad word city! I’m going to pick up a fondant smoother as soon as possible!
Great tip Lisa! Since I dabble in cakes I have a couple of fondant smoothers & I would have never thought to use them like this. I’m also going to use the fondant smoother to straighten the sides of square cookies too.
As for the hair…I need all the help I can get. I have very fine hair that I always have to keep short because if it gets too long it just droops. My mother has thinning hair and my sister is starting to get it. I may have to pay a visit to Bosley if it happens to me. LOL!
Melissa, my hair is fine and almost always flat. LOL Ask Bosley if we can have buy one get one free and we will share:)
I am glad you have a fondant smoother! It works and that is a great idea for the sides of the squares:) I have another tool I use for that but the fondant smoother will work perfectly! Thanks for the idea!
Thanks for the great tip, definitely going to use it in future. I look at your blog everyday and love what you do!
Thank you for sharing this tip!! I’ve been trying to figure out how to get rid of those pesky lumps! 🙂
i am a 14 year old baker and i am a boy and i have been baking ever since i was 3 and i am making marbled cookies for the 4th of july and i would like to know what kind of cookies those were in the demonstration please get back to me soon thnx
They are sugar cookies and you can find the recipe here: http://thebearfootbaker.com/2011/12/sugar-cookie-recipe/
You can find the icing recipe here: http://thebearfootbaker.com/2011/12/antonis-royal-icing/
I would love to see your 4th of July cookies! Will you email me a picture to lisa@thebearfootbaker.com? Thanks!
How do you flatten the bump where the cookie and the stick are connected?
When I remove the cookies from the oven, I use a fondant smoother to flatten then while they are warm. Gently glide the fondant smoother over the cookies and you will have a nice flat surface to work on. 😉
I’m afraid it doesn’t work for my recipe :(. I did it once and the bubbles was gone but when I turned back they maliciously came back to their place. They were a little bit smaller but still visible :(. But if all of you say it works I’ll give it another try :). Maybe those bubbles were exceptionally nasty ;).
Thank you for helping me sort out a problem I had this past week. My daughter and I baked a sugar cookie recipe but doubled it. I thought the rough, lumpy finish could have been due to readjusting the ingredients? It was hard to create nice smooth finishes for sure, as the surfaces were cracked and rather cake like. I will not mess with recipes anymore! I’m not much of a baker to start with but I shall go out and buy a fondant smoother for next Christmas.. I do have an unrelated question while I’m here though just in case someone might have the answer, is there another cookie recipe, other than sugar cookies that would be great for icing? I personally find sugar cookies very bland and wondered if shortbread might be a good replacement? However, I know they could be more costly. I have read some folks use flavours like orange to make sugar cookies interesting. As I said I’m not much into the actual baking but love the idea of becoming an awesome icer! ?. I am amazed at what talent you all have, truly! Thank you again for the information and good photos. Merry Christmas to you and all the cookie makers! ?
Hi Diane,
There are so many different cookie recipes you can decorate. Come back next year and I’ll have more under the “Cookies” tab.
Happy Baking!
Oh my god what a great tip thank you so much!!!
BTW I can totally relate about the hair…
Hi D,
We’ve solved the flat cookie issue, now to tackle the humidity-free hair!!!! LOL
Omit baking powder in your cookie recipe and they won’t spread or be have bumps. Perfect cookie for decorating.
That’s excellent advice, Loie!
Thanks for sharing!