The Mug Hack That Will Give You Perfectly Round Cookies Every Time

If baking cookies is an art, creating perfectly round bakery-style cookies equates to a masterpiece. Regardless of whether you prefer using store-bought cookie dough, or mixing it yourself from scratch, achieving a smooth and faultless final result isn't quite as straightforward as shaping a rounded scoop of dough and trusting your oven to take care of the rest. Luckily, it's not very complicated either. If you want the flawless look of cookies destined for Instagram stardom, the most helpful tool for achieving them is probably already in your kitchen cabinet: a coffee mug.

Though there's something to be said about the rustic flair of imperfectly shaped cookies, there comes a time in every home baker's journey when the circular aesthetic is of paramount concern. Sure, the baked blobs we've all created still taste delicious, but a mug helps create stunning cookies that are baked to impress. The drinkware is key to this hack because it's perfectly round, sturdy, heat-resistant, and most importantly, very easy to maneuver.

To pull off this cookie-transforming hack, the first step is to bake your cookies. That's right, the shaping isn't done until after the cookies are all warm and gooey. From that point, all you need to do is turn a standard coffee mug upside down over each cookie, and move it in a circular motion until the desired shape is achieved. The cookies must still be warm to the touch in order for them to take shape. They also need to be able to scoot freely around the cookie sheet. Baking your cookies on parchment paper can help with this, ensuring that they won't stick. 

While a mug is super useful for creating circular cookies, don't fret if you don't have one clean or handy. Any round cup, ramekin, or cookie cutter is perfect for molding your freshly baked cookies. As long as it completely fits over your cookies without cutting into them, you'll be able to find success.

So the next time you're looking to elevate the presentation of your cookies, reach for the kitchen cabinet and let your mug take your tasty treats from misshapen blobs to bakery-style delights. Check out more of our cookie-baking tips to unlock the secrets of creating a fabulous batch every time.