Do you want to know how a plunger can help you decorate sugar cookies? I guess the first question should be what is a plunger? And the second question is, why do I need to use one for my sugar cookies? Let me see if I can share my love of a Cookie Plunger with you. 

 

Bear Hug, The Bearfoot Baker, Plunger, Plunger Cutter, sugar cookies, cookie cutters

So let’s get right down to it. What is a plunger? I’m sure there are a lot of different kinds of plungers in our cookie world, but I’ll explain mine and share how they help me decorate cookies. If you’re wondering where you can get them, I’ll tell you. You can find them in my Bearfoot Baker Etsy Shop.

First Things First:

Have you ever tried to get your cookie dough out of a small space in your cookie cutter? Sometimes it’s hard to do because the dough will give and break or tear the shape of your cookie dough. Sometimes I press on the dough and make it lose its basic shape. It looks as if little elves have been dancing on the unbaked cookie.

Do you see the snowflake cookies below? The top one was pushed out after the dough was placed in the freezer for about fifteen minutes. Look closely and you can see some broken dough in the center cut. When I cut this out years ago, I didn’t have a plunger, and I didn’t press hard enough, so the edges were rough. I used a butter knife to gently push the dough in place to make a nice, clean snowflake before it was baked. 

sugar cookie dough, the bearfoot baker, plunger, cookie cutters, sugar cookie recipe

Can you see the snowflake dough at the bottom of this picture? Poor snowflake. I had a hard time removing it from the cutter, and it shows! This is why I freeze my dough before I cut the shapes. I’ve done it this way for years, but now, things are better since I’ve been printing cookie cutters and plungers. 

Roll Out That Dough:

Since my dough is placed in the freezer before I cut out the shapes, it cuts with a nice, clean edge. Since my dough is a bit firm, I can use the cutter to cut the shape and place the plunger inside the cutter to gently press it out. I love this method because it saves time, and the shapes look great. Nice and clean.

sugar cookie dough, the bearfoot baker, plunger, cookie cutters, sugar cookie recipe

I still use my finger to gently smooth the edges before I place them on the baking sheet because a nice, clean edge makes me happy.

sugar cookie dough, the bearfoot baker, plunger, cookie cutters, sugar cookie recipe

I’ve always been a bit obsessed with the shape of a baked cookie. I don’t like my cookies to look crazy and wonky. I made these years ago when I shared my Sugar Cookie Recipe, and even way back then, I needed the edges to look professional, and the plungers help this process.

A Plunger Can Help:

This is the cookie design that made me want to create a plunger. I could not get those antlers out in good shape, no matter what I tried. Even with the frozen dough I ended up breaking off both antlers as I tried to push it out with my fingers. I tried everything, and nothing worked.

When I tried to cut it out with the dough at room temperature, it was a wonky mess! It looked like Santa ran over this poor reindeer several times with his sleigh. UGH! The only thing I could think of was to create my first plunger, and it was wonky. I researched and worked hard, and now I know how to make them. The best part is that they all fit inside the cutters to make perfectly shaped cookies every single time. Merry Christmas to us!

What is on the Back Side of the Plunger?

I’ve been asked if my plungers have a design on the back that leaves an impression in the dough. My answer is no. I want them to help us get the dough out in one piece. I don’t want it to push the pattern into the unbaked dough. However, some of you have been asking me to make them, so I did. If you see “Stamp” on my Etsy shop, it will do as it says. It will stamp the design outlines into your unbaked cookie dough. I’ll do a tutorial for you on this soon.

I know we all love cookies and want to be creative and unique with our designs. If the pattern is pushed into the dough before it is baked, it might limit our creativity. However, if you have a large order and want your cookies to have a consistent look, a stamp will help you achieve that. Making an impression in the dough is a fast way to decorate cookies that look the same. Now you will have a choice to make 

Using your imagination is one of the great things about decorating cookies, and a plunger can help you start with a cookie with a nice, smooth, clean base. If you need to work on your design, you can trace the plunger onto a piece of paper and sketch it out until you get the design you want. It allows you to get creative! Should the deer have open eyes or a red nose? Do you want to make it with a large smile or a little grin? Trace the plunger and start sketching to find out. I know you will make it look amazing and beautiful, just like you!

Let’s Make a Pumpkin:

I traced the plunger on a piece of paper and started sketching. I knew it was a pumpkin bucket, but I wanted to see what else I could make. Guess what? It wasn’t hard to see a different cookie design immediately.

 

I saw a ghost shape right away, and it’s a simple design. The plunger helped me make it without struggling as I traced it over and over again. Most cookie cutters have an edge, but the plunger is flat with smooth edges, so it’s very easy to trace. It also has a little handle to hold, so what more can we ask for?

You can get multiple designs if you spend a little time sketching each shape. When my grandkids come over, we play games to see how many ideas we can come up with. They are really good at this game, and they give me great ideas. Thanks, kiddos! 

Stay tuned because I’ll be decorating a lot of cookies this week and next. There are several designs I’ve created, and I can’t wait to share the tutorials with you!

 

 

Now we know a plunger can help you bake cookies with a beautiful shape and different designs. Grab the kids and see what they can create with the plungers. I bet you’ll be surprised by what they come up wth. Oh yeah, they can trace them and make cute cards for their teachers, friends, and doctors. Kids are so creative, and we can learn a lot from them.

I hope that answers your questions about the plungers. They’re helpful to me in the cookie decorating process. I’ve been working hard making new desighs and I’ll share a lot of tutorials with you in the near future. I’m so excited! Let me know if there is something you want to see. 

Bear hugs,