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Molded, Stamped & Pressed Cookies |
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Some of the most beautiful and decorative
cookies are given a detailed and decorated surface by molds. Cookies are molded
in different ways: (Where
to purchase molds).
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 | Hand Molded:
Some cookies are formed by hand. They are first
formed into a ball and then pressed flat on the baking sheet with an
implement or the bottom of a glass. |
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| Formed
but not baked in molds:
Others are formed by pressing the mold into the dough or vice
versa, removing the mold, trimming and then baking the cookie.
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| Cookie
stamps:
They are pressed into cookie dough and
then lifted, resulting in a design. |
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| Cookie tiles:
Are made by pressing square "tile
shaped" molds in the cookie dough and then lifted, resulting in a
beautiful design. |
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Spritz Cookies:
Spritz cookies made
made by pressing dough through a disc with a pattern, resulting in a
shaped cookie. |
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BASIC TIPS:
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| It's
important to choose a
cookie recipe
that will keep its shape when baked, or its details will be lost.
The cookie dough should also be pliable for use in a mold. If it is
too dry, the mold will not make a good impression on it and will crack
easily. |
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| Use an appropriate
mold that is free of lead or other chemicals. |
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| When a recipe says
to oil and flour a mold or prepare it, it means: re-flour the mold
before each cookie, but do not oil it again. |
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| Spray the
desired mold with a cooking spray; this what I prefer. Or, use
soft, not melted butter or shortening, and apply with a pastry
brush. Make sure you get every nook and cranny. Lightly press
with a paper towel to wipe out excess oil or butter.
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| To dust a
mold with flour, apply a thin coat and tap around the mold so
all surfaces are covered. Turn the mold over and tap it
against the work surface to get rid of the excess.
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| If baking cookies
out of the mold, place on a greased or preferably a parchment lined
cookie sheet to bake. |
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| Cool cookies right
side up on a wire cake rack. |
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HAND-MOLDED:
Molded cookies can be those formed by hand into simple or complex shapes, the
way a cookie can be rolled into a ball and rolled in sugar before baking, as in
the Peanut Butter Cookie
Recipe, with step-by-step
instructions with photos.
1. To keep cookies consistent in size, they can
formed by a cookie scoop or any other consistent measure. If they are not
2. When rolling cookie dough into balls, if done
by hand oil or grease your hands. Don't use flour because excess can cause the
cookie to be tough. Also, don't handle the dough too long.
3. If a recipe has you make dough "snakes" or
strands, use very little flour on the work surface.
Silpat Mats are the perfect
rolling surface and does not need any flour.
4. If need be, use a ruler as a guide.
FORMED BUT NOT BAKED IN MOLDS:
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To make a
2-toned cookie: Mix
up at least two colors of cookie dough, such as vanilla and chocolate, using
the same base recipe. You can color sugar cookie dough with food color.
Press a small amount of dough into the cavity of the mold that you want
colored differently. Gently press the other color on top of that. |
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Ceramic Molds |
Are those made when
cookie dough is pressed into a mold or form. Molds can be made out of
ceramic or wood, and are readily available at cookware stores and on the
internet. Ceramic molds
have become collectors
YOU DON'T
BAKE COOKIES IN THE MOLDS!
There are some steps to follow when making these
types of cookies because they can be tricky. The hardest part can be getting the
cookie out of the mold to bake.
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1. Spray pan with vegetable oil
spray. Make sure you get every nook and cranny.
Lightly press with a paper towel to wipe out excess oil. Dust lightly with
flour. You will
have to re-flour the mold before each cookie, but
do not oil it again. |
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3. After formed, get it out as
soon as possible. If the dough is left too long in the mold, it may stick to
it. What to do if it sticks. |
4. Place on a greased cookie
sheet to bake. Trim the edges of the cookies using a very sharp knife using
a sawing motion. They are done when they just start to brown on the bottom
and around the edges. |
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Getting the cookie dough into the mold: Lightly dust the top
of the dough that will face the mold cavity.
1. I like to
cut a piece of the dough large enough to accommodate the cavity of the mold.
That way you are less likely to press too much dough into the mold, causing
it to stick and it will be easier to work with. Press the mold into the
dough lightly,
but firmly. If you push too hard, the molded cookie may not come out.
Immediately remove the mold.
2. Press the dough into the mold and
use a ball of dough to help. To do, take a piece of dough and press it into
the mold. Press firmly all over, adding more dough if needed. Trim the dough
even with the top of the form. Roll a bit of extra dough into a ball. Push
dough ball against a bit of the dough in
 the
mold. Pull the dough ball up from the mold and the dough in the mold will
adhere to the dough ball and pull way from the mold.
If the cookie dough
sticks to the mold, let the cookie dough sit uncovered for about
20 minutes to dry. Another way is to start by digging loose one corner of
the dough, and then inverting it over a baking pan. If the dough doesn't
come out, here are two suggestions: If having trouble removing the dough
from mold, place in freezer for 20 to 30 minutes, then gently press on the
back of mold to release dough. Or, hold the mold at a 45-degree angle away
from you and gently tap the far end against a work surface. The dough should
come out more easily. |
BAKED IN MOLDS:
Some cookies are baked in molds. Shortbread,
Madeleine's, and others are an American tradition.
No cookie tastes better or is simpler to make
than shortbread. Delectable, buttery, beautiful shortbread, baked in a Ceramic
Shortbread Pan. Just mix up a batch of dough, pat it into the pan, and bake for
about half an hour. Easy and delicious, no wonder shortbread has been a favorite
of cookie lovers for century's.
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You DO
Bake Cookies In The Pans! |
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1. Every time you use the pan,
spray it with
vegetable oil spray. Make sure you get every nook and
cranny. Lightly press with a paper towel to wipe out excess oil. Dust
lightly with flour. |
2. Press dough into the cavities of the
mold and add a lollipop stick if desired. Press firmly all over,
adding more dough if needed. |
3.Prick the entire surface
with the tines of a fork. This is so the steam can escape and the dough
won't buckle and warp during baking. |
4. Leave dough in pan & bake.
Place the filled mold on a cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven. Check
frequently for doneness. After the cookies bake and are removed from the
oven, let them stand a minute or two. Then, unmold and arrange cookies right
side up on a wire cake rack to cool. |
 Q:
Can you bake cookie
dough in a regular character pan used for
cakes, or are the cookie pans different?
A: Yes, you can use the character cake pans for
cookies. Take your favorite cookie recipe
that makes 2 dozen cookies or one package of refrigerator dough, lightly
spray pan and then press dough into pan so it's not too thick, making it
even on top. Bake according to package directions -- if you have a problem
with the cookie baking all the way through, reduce the oven heat by 25
degrees F. Eat and enjoy! |
STAMPS:
Cookie stamps come in all sorts of
designs and shapes. They are pressed into cookie dough and then lifted,
resulting in a design. Before baking, the designs are trimmed.
To make:
Chill cookie dough if required in the
recipe. Spray ceramic Stamps
with a cooking oil spray. Lightly dust with flour. Tap the mold to remove any.
You will have to re-flour the mold before each cookie, but do not re-oil it.
Take a piece of dough and roll it into
approximately a 2-1/2-inch ball. Place several of them 4- to 5-inches apart on a
greased cookie sheet. Press each ball firmly with the stamp. Before removing
stamp, cut excess dough with a sharp knife around the edge. Remember that the
edges of the cookie will generally crack from pressing the stamp into the dough;
but not all of the time. Bake as directed until they just start to brown around
the edges.
TILES:
  Molded
Tile Cookies are made by pressing square "tile shaped" molds in the cookie dough
and then lifted, resulting in a beautiful design. Before baking, the designs are
trimmed.
PRESS
DESIGNS INTO THE DOUGH! To do, first mix up dough
recipe which holds its shape
when baked. Chill dough if required in the recipe.
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1.
Lightly oil & flour your tile. Spray
each tile with cooking spray. Gently press a a paper towel to wipe off
excess. Dust the stamp with flour. Gently tap the edge of the tile on the
counter to remove any excess flour.
You will have to re-flour the mold before each cookie,
but do not re-oil it.
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2.
Roll dough into a oval shape big enough to
accommodate the mold, and place about 4-inches apart on a baking sheet
lined with parchment paper. |
3. Press tile
into dough on cookie sheet. Before
removing, use a sharp knife to trim around the edges. Carefully lift off
tile.
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4.
Bake according to the recipe, until they just start to brown around
the edges.
pictures cookiedecorating.com / Instruction pics cookieartexchange.com
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