Rolled & Molded Cookies

A single characteristic unites rolled and molded cookies: the dough must not spread on the baking sheet. Within this simple definition there are soft and crisp cookies, thin and chewy ones, made following any of the methods for cakes as well as pastry. Doughs that are stiff enough to roll may be cut with a knife into squares or triangles, or stamped into rounds or fancy shapes. Doughs that are too rich to roll out can be shaped by hand or with a pastry bag and large tube, often in a star or ribbon shape (see Icings). For very stiff doughs, a metal cookie press which forces the dough through a serrated blade, may be used. For refrigerator cookies, it is shaped into a rectangle or cylinder, wrapped and chilled and then sliced and baked as needed.