Make Your Own Cookie Cutter

Forming the mold: make your own cookie cutter

In an age of do-it-yourself home building and decorating projects, you'll probably have no trouble believing the trend has made its way into the kitchen; and we're not talking about cooking. Well, not exactly.

We're talking bakeware; while you might not have the resources to cast your own pots, you can certainly shape your own cookie cutters. And it's easier than you might think.

The supplies

Most DIY cookie cutters are born from the veritable plethora of make-your-own-cookie-cutter kits on the market. These kits come with everything needed to shape cookie cutters: strips of copper, double-sided tape, forming tools, and a few starter design instructions. Kit manufacturers also commonly sell additional copper strip refills.

If you opt not to buy a cookie cutter kit, you can visit local hardware stores for the materials; stainless steel can replace copper, though it's generally pricier.

Other supplies to have on hand for the cookie cutter making process include a protective countertop covering, shears or tin snips, string, pliers, a few small clamps or clothespins, and a drawing of your design.

The process

First, place your protective covering atop your working surface; you don't want to gouge countertops or table with metal. Then, draw a simple outline of your desired shape.

Once you've drawn your design, lay the string along the outline; measure the length of the string and add an extra inch or so to determine how long your copper strip must be.

Once you've gotten your strip ready, simply bend it into place; place the strip on its edge on top of your drawing and follow the bends, using the pliers to help you as you go.

Once you've bent your cookie cutter, wash it thoroughly; copper or other metals can have a coating that might keep tape from sticking, thus causing the cutter to come apart.

After washing, secure the ends of cookie cutter together (with a bit of overlap) with the double-sided tape; clamp the seal for a day or two to let the tape really set.

If needed, you can smooth any rough edges on the cookie cutter's edge with a rasp or metal file to make sure your cookie cutter cuts dough, not you.

Care

To ensure your cookie cutters maintain their one-of-a-kind shape, wash them by hand. Though homemade cookie cutters could probably go in the dishwasher, the heat and water isn't good for their shapes or tape.

More information on cookie cutters