Shaping cookies

Cookies are classified by how the dough is shaped. Dropped cookies are scooped or spooned onto a baking sheet and often carry chips, nuts or candies. Rolled cookies are pinned out on a lightly floured surface and stamped with cutters. Molded cookies are shaped by hand or with a stamp.

Softer doughs can be piped through a tip and hold their shape, while stiffer icebox dough is formed into a log, chilled and sliced into equal pieces. Bar cookies are pressed into a sheet pan, baked and cut afterward.

Matching the shaping method to the dough keeps cookies uniform in size, which helps them bake evenly. Bar dough can also be shaped into a log and baked. Overmixing dough can cause gluten formation, so shaping is best done once the dough is just combined.