What Are Rolled Cookies?

Whether you busted out batches of Christmas tree-shaped spritz cookies during the holidays or stuck with simple frosted sugar confections, you may think that cookie season is over in the new year. Sure, gingerbread and Santa-shaped cookies reign supreme in December, but there are so many other occasions that call for this delicious dessert that we'd argue cookie season is never over. If you're not sure which type to make, it's hard to go wrong with chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal raisin, which Savory Experiments shares are the three most popular cookies in America.

We're all familiar with the classics, but the sheer volume of cookie varieties worldwide make it impossible to know them all. For example, have you ever tried chocolate bourbon cherry cookies or cookie lasagna? If you've ever taken a trip to Italy, you may have sampled cuccidati, which feature a raisin and fig filling, or pizzelles, which require a special iron to make their flowery design (via Taste of Home). So, are any of these rolled cookies? The world of cookie varieties is truly a bottomless pit, and it's easy to get confused if you haven't experimented much with different types. Since there's two major types of rolled cookies, let's dive into each sweet treat category and see which varieties fall under this umbrella term.

Rolled cookies may sound pretty self explanatory, but there are slightly differing opinions on exactly what fits into this category. According to Crafty Baking, rolled cookies are made by using a rolling pin to flatten out dough, which can then be formed into cute shapes using a knife, pastry wheel, or cookie cutter (we're looking at you, gingerbread men). Different from drop cookies, which mean globs of cookie dough are simply dropped onto a baking sheet, rolled cookies tend to be thinner, crispier, and a bit more delicate, per Cook's Info. If you want yours to be on the softer side, try rolling out a thicker dough or underbaking the cookies a little. Either way, it's a good idea to refrigerate your dough for at least half an hour to keep it from shrinking or getting stuck to the rolling pin (via Crafty Baking).

This type of rolled cookie can be made into almost any shape and design you can imagine. For a fun baking project after the holidays, try making cookies that look like chocolate-glazed donuts, citrusy orange flowers, or peanut butter cinnamon stars, suggests Taste of Home. The sky really is the limit with these works of art, and they're the perfect way to flex your creative muscles.

While cute designs and rolled-out dough can fall under the rolled cookie umbrella, The Kitchn shares that the term can also pertain to dough that is rolled in sugar, rolled with your hands, or rolled into itself. Take pirouette cookies, for example. Also known as rolled wafer cookies, these Czech Parisian delights are made by baking and rolling out an oval-shaped batter, then wrapping each one around a spoon handle (via The Spruce Eats). Similarly, decadent rugelach are made by rolling up a raisin and walnut filling inside wedges of cookie dough, according to the Food Network.

If you're not sure where to start, try making snickerdoodles or crinkle cookies. These are perhaps the easiest variety of rolled cookies to make as they're essentially just drop cookies that get rolled in sugar (via The Kitchn). Snickerdoodles are typically rolled in cinnamon sugar before being placed on a cookie sheet, while crinkle cookies get the same treatment in powdered sugar. To make the dough easier to roll, Natasha's Kitchen recommends using a mini ice cream scoop to form uniform balls, then wetting your hands before rolling them in the sugar. Snowball cookies are also fairly simple and follow a similar process, except that they're rolled in powdered sugar after they're baked and cooled (via Land O'Lakes). Whichever way you prefer to make your rolled cookies, all roads lead to a delicious dessert, and you really can't go wrong.