When your cookie dough is uneven, it may be aggravating. You can imagine how difficult it will be to pipe on a consistent adorable pattern when one side is taller than the other, not to mention how bothersome packing them will be.
It may take some time to acquire the hang of rolling out cookie dough without first reading up on how to do so. This article will demonstrate that it is not at all difficult to shape and sandwich your dough; all you need is a level surface and a decent rolling pin.
My name is Angie, and I’m a self-taught baker. I’ve been baking rolled cookies for who knows how long. Every Christmas, I’m assigned cookie responsibility in addition to the cookies I regularly prepare for my clients. I know how difficult it is to roll out cookie dough uniformly, and I’m going to share all of my tricks with you in this post.
Rolling in 3, 2, 1.
Contents
- Tip 1 – Find a Flat Surface
- Tip 2 – Form Your Dough
- Tip 3 – Sandwich Your Dough
- Tip 4 – Roll Away
- Tip 5 – Smooth out Unevenness
- Tip 6 – Chill dough
- FAQs
- Final Thoughts
- FAQs
- How do you roll sugar cookie dough without sticking?
- How do you roll dough into a perfect circle?
- Why won’t my cookie dough roll out?
- Should you chill cookie dough before rolling?
- Why do you have to refrigerate cookie dough before rolling?
- Can I roll dough on parchment paper?
- How to make perfect shaped rolls?
Tip 1 – Find a Flat Surface
You must first locate a level area before you begin rolling. This is an apparent yet often missed element, believe me. You may be rolling out your dough on a table, but if the surface has any flaws or fissures, your dough will fall directly into them and become uneven.
You should also ensure that nothing is left on your table. That might be crumbs, a clear folder, or whatever else is on it that you haven’t observed.
The point is, before you start rolling the dough, make sure you totally clean up the area you’re working on and that it’s absolutely flat.
Tip 2 – Form Your Dough
A little additional prep work before rolling will make the procedure so much simpler. Some recipes recommend chilling the dough before rolling it out.
This makes the dough firmer and less prone to tearing. When you take it out of the fridge, you may discover that it is a touch too rough.
Rolling it at this stage may not only result in uneven dough, but you may also get quite painful. It will take a long time for your dough to get flat.
Instead, place the dough on the surface and shape it with your hands, flattening it by pushing your rolling pin into it until it flattens out to the shape you desire.
This step is not need to be accurate; it is only to make it simpler to roll out the dough in the appropriate shape later on.
If the dough does not need to be chilled, shape it into a ball and flatten it into a square or rectangle for easy rolling.
Tip 3 – Sandwich Your Dough
Most recipes will instruct you to sprinkle your working surface with flour to keep your dough from sticking. Although this approach works well most of the time, it is not the best since the longer you roll your dough, the more flour you must use, which will toughen your cookie dough.
Sandwich your cookie dough between two pieces of nonstick paper for a better result. This might be wax paper, parchment paper, silicone pads, or even plastic wrap, but I don’t suggest it since plastic wrap wrinkles quickly and creates cracks and uneven edges in your dough.
You can sprinkle your dough with flour to make it less prone to stick. Once the dough is sandwiched between the two sheets, set your rolling pin on top and begin rolling. This ensures that there will be no sticking, and your dough will be less prone to rip and be uneven.
Tip 4 – Roll Away
When it comes to getting an even dough, the rolling process may make or break it. We are all aware that even pressure is required to generate an even surface. Even skilled cooks may struggle to apply consistent pressure for a lengthy period of time.
That’s where tools come in! The three suggestions below may be quite beneficial.
Ball Bearings
Ball bearings on rolling pins allow for unrestricted rotation, making your rolling smoother and using less strength. Manually exerting pressure, like with rolling pins without ball bearings, might result in unevenness in the dough since it is difficult to manage how much pressure we apply.
Adjustable Rolling Pin
The easiest technique to guarantee uniform dough is to use adjustable rolling pins. They are particularly designed for this purpose and can be found at many baking supply shops.
Rolling pins that can be adjusted come with four to five replaceable disks and a measurement guide on the pin itself. The rings come in various sizes, and you can choose a pair based on how thick you want your cookie dough to be.
One of the most popular rolling pins on the market is the Joseph Adjustable Rolling Pin with Removable Rings. I have one and strongly suggest that you obtain one as well!
Also see: 5 Kitchen Rolling Pin Substitutes You Should Try
Wooden dowels
If you already have a rolling pin and don’t want to buy another, you may replace it with some wooden dowels. You may adjust the thickness of the wooden dowels to suit the thickness of your dough.
The concept is the same: you use things to raise your rolling pin to the precise thickness you want. Place wooden dowels on the sides of the dough, parallel to one another and perpendicular to your rolling pin.
Roll out your dough and wooden dowels using your rolling pin. The dowels will keep you from putting too much pressure on the dough.
Tip 5 – Smooth out Unevenness
If you still have unevenness after rolling out your dough, use a dough scraper. Smooth any areas that you are still unhappy with using a dough scraper at a 45-degree angle.
You may do this on top of a piece of nonstick paper to avoid leaving an impression in the dough. Apply mild pressure in the same manner you would to flatten buttercream on a cake.
Tip 6 – Chill dough
The fact that you must cool the dough after it has been flattened will assist you attain evenness, not the chilling of the dough.
Chilling your dough after it has been flattened guarantees that it is stiff enough to not sink or slide when you cut through it. You also won’t have to roll it again after chilling it in its dough ball form.
FAQs
Do you have any more questions regarding cookie dough? I’ve addressed a few frequently asked questions below.
Cookie dough is quite sticky, particularly when not cooled. If your rolling pin is not constructed of a nonstick substance, your cookie dough will inevitably adhere to it. This may be avoided by chilling your cookie dough and gently coating your rolling pin with flour.
A marble surface is ideal for rolling out cookie dough (or basically any dough). This might be a marble countertop or pastry board. Marble is cool to the touch and incredibly smooth when polished for use in the kitchen, but it is expensive. If you don’t want to spend too much money, you may always locate pastry boards made of alternative materials.
A little amount of oil or moist substances may aid in the softening of cookie dough. I prefer to knead the dough while rubbing my hands with a little butter. You may also use a mild egg wash or milk to get the same effect.
Final Thoughts
As previously said, rolling out cookie dough might be difficult at first, but with these suggestions, I’m certain you’ll be up and running in no time.
Do you have any specific techniques for uniformly spreading out cookie dough? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments section below!
About Angie
FAQs
Roll the dough between parchment or waxed paper sheets.
Roll the dough between sheets of nonstick parchment or waxed paper rather than on a floured surface. Adding more flour to the dough as a consequence of rolling might result in difficult cookies.
How do you roll dough into a perfect circle?
The Best Way to Roll Dough Into a Circle (Without Creating an Amoeba)
Begin with a circular with a smooth edge.
Roll the disk back and forth until it creates a little oval. 90° turn the oval.
Roll the oval back and forth until it gets more round. Continue rotating and rolling until the required circular size is reached.
The most apparent and simple solution is to add extra fluids. Add a liquid that you’ve previously mixed into your dough very gently, teaspoon by teaspoon. Mix after each spoonful to avoid over-saturation and sloppy dough. Don’t overmix, since this might exacerbate the issue you’re attempting to solve!
Refrigeration causes the flour to completely hydrate and makes the cookie dough firmer. Chilling the dough is essential for cut-out and rolled cookies because it stops the cookies from spreading too much.
The spread of cookie dough is controlled by chilling it.
The fat in the refrigerated cookie dough takes longer to melt than room-temperature fat while the cookies bake. Furthermore, the longer the fat stays solid, the less the biscuits spread. Furthermore, the sugar in the dough slowly absorbs moisture.
Can I roll dough on parchment paper?
A: You may roll out a thin dough without using flour by using parchment paper or plastic wrap. Try the traditional kitchen method of spreading out a thin dish towel, then placing the paper on top to hold it in place. Make sure you use natural parchment that isn’t silicone-coated.
How to make perfect shaped rolls?
Method
Divide the mixture into a number of rolls.
Cover the pieces as you form them.
Shape the dough by tucking it under to make a smooth top.
Press down and spin to form an even dough ball.
Repeat for each roll and put on a baking sheet.
