Cookie Cutters Are The Secret To Decorating Pie Like A Pro

If you want to make pretty desserts and feel you don't have a creative bone in your body, take out a few cookie cutters for design inspiration. Whether you use cookie cutters as stencils to block out surface areas before dusting fine sheets of powdered sugar onto cakes or set delicately cut pieces of dough on top of your next apple pie, easy-to-use cookie cutters are your gateway to decorating success.

When it comes to using the baking tool, it's easy to think of it for one purpose: cutting cookies (it's in the name, after all). But don't let its unspoken versatility fool you. With pieces of cut dough from your cookie cutter, you can layer, line, and design your way to aesthetic accomplishment, and your desserts will garner appreciative glances from dinner party guests.

Using small hearts, stars, leaves, or circles, you can create unique presentations for tarts, breads, and cakes. Arranging pieces of cut dough on top of your cakes gives you the flexibility to experiment with different designs, and if you do happen to make an erroneous placement, you can easily remove pieces and rearrange them before baking. 

If you have sauces or syrups you're planning to serve, use the outline of cookie cutters to draw interesting patterns onto dishes and plates. The ready-to-use stencil takes some of the pressure off of your decorating talents (and the need for a steady hand), and you can create plating presentations that rival that of a professional. Cookie cutters can also be set onto dishes before powdery sprinkles of cocoa or matcha powder are left behind. Once removed, the absence of the cookie cutters will leave behind clean designs that you can use in your plating efforts.

When attaching cut pieces to the surface of baked treats, brush the surface of the added pieces with an egg or butter wash for a golden finish. You can also bake a batch of cookies in advance and set shapes on top of baked pies, scooped bowls of ice cream, or dishes of pudding. Whether you choose to keep designs simple and geometric or use seasonal and thematic inspiration to guide your work, the world of decorating with cookie cutters is a convenient, accessible one to explore.