This list shows 40 creative ways for using cookie cutters for cooking, home decor and DIY and craft projects.
Cookie cutters are not just for cookies. They might be just about the most versatile kitchen tool out there!
Who would have dreamed that cookie cutters could be this useful? Even though making cookies is the most used way to use a cookie cutter, they can be used in so many creative and inventive ways.
I’m excited to share some ideas with you.
Using Cookie Cutters Around the Home
For Eggs. Use cookie cutters in various shapes to make eggs that are irresistible. These cookie cutters from Norpro have a special handle that makes it easy to use them over a hot frying pan.
They make the cutest egg parcels. See them in use on The Gardening Cook.
As Christmas ornaments. Just cut out and bake your favorite cookie in festive Christmas shapes and make a small hole in the top of the cookie.
Let it dry and then add some ribbon to make the cookie into an ornament for your Christmas tree.
As candle forms. If you like to make tea candles, use cookie cutters as a form. Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper and add a small candlewick in the center.
Heat your wax and let it cool slightly and then pour the wax while pressing down on the cookie cutter.
Allow to cool and remove the cutter. Makes great looking candles at a fraction of the cost of retail prices. Super festive for the holidays.
For the birds. The winter months are hard for birds to find anything to eat. Use cookie cutters to make forms for pressed bird seed and gelatin, and then add a ribbon and hang the “ornaments” outside for the birds.
See how to make these on Thrifty Jinxy.
For a Shower. Layer some cookies that you have cut into the shape of a onesie with a cookie cutter and add small candies to the center in both pink and blue. Make the sweetest ever shower centerpiece.
See the project on Craft Storming.
Pastry Stars for slumber party. Use cookie cutters to make pastry stars and then add them to taco cups that you have cooked in a muffin tin.
They make a great mood setter for a slumber party. See how to do them here.
Using cookie cutters for a party platter. Use several different cookie cutters to cut both deli meats and cheeses into shapes. Then layer each shape on a platter.
This would be a super idea for any themed party or even just cut them into football shapes for the upcoming Super bowl!
If these ideas inspire you. Wilton has a huge set of cookie cutters with 101 different shapes. You can see them on Amazon. (affiliate link)
As melon cutters. Don’t just make melon balls. Cut your watermelons or canteloupes into slices first and then use cookie cutters to make interesting shapes and arrange for a party.
For cake decorations. Frost your cake first and then place a cookie cutter on the top and sprinkle cake sprinkles inside the cookie cutter. Remove the cookie cutter for a delightful cake decoration.
Using cookie cutters as car air fresheners. Add some cinnamon to applesauce to make super car air fresheners.
See how to make these air fresheners on Garden Chick.
As soap molds. Do you like to make soap? Don’t pay for fancy molds. Use cookie cutters in your favorite shapes to hold your favorite DIY soap.
For Huge Valentine Conversation Hearts. Make Rice Krispie treats and then dip in colored candy melts and write sweet messages on them for Valentine’s Day.
Get the tutorial for these conversation hearts from Snappy Gourmet.
As sandwich shapes. One of the fans of The Gardening Cook on Facebook, Deverea Northcutt suggested this idea. She said “I have five sons. When they were little, I would cut different sandwiches for their lunch with cookie cutters.
Deverea said that she always decorated the bag and had napkins to go with the shape theme. Lots of fun and memories.” What a great idea (and what a great mom!)
For package decorations. The kids will love this one. Use plain paper to wrap presents and then dip cookie cutters into paint and press on the paper and let it dry.
Can be used for any holiday and so much cheaper than store bought paper.
For Pumpkin Carving. Don’t carve your pumpkin with a knife. Use small cookie cutters and a rubber mallet to press the cutters into the pumpkin to make interesting shapes for your pumpkin face.
For Jello Jigglers. Jello is the perfect medium for cookie cutters. It forms a fairly solid shape when done. But don’t just cut it into squares.
Use cookie cutters as molds to hold the jello until it forms. So much more fun for the kiddos! See how to make them on Family Fun Journal.
For wreath Decorations. Transform any ordinary ever green wreath into a festive front door decoration by adding colorful plastic cookie cutters in Christmas shapes and matching ribbon.
For Fun shaped Pancakes. Pancakes don’t have to be boring round shapes. Use medium and large sized cookie cutters as holders for your pancake batter.
Let the batter cook on one side and then remove the cutter and flip it to brown on the other. Such fun!
Make a necklace. Use heart shaped cookie cutters to make cookies and then let dry.
Punch holes in them and string with ribbon for a cute Valentine’s day necklace. See how to make this necklace on Family fun Journal.
For fun shaped fudge. Make your fudge as you normally do but instead of cutting it into squares, just small cookie cutters for a really festive platter of fudge.
To decorate pie crusts. Make your pie and then roll out a circle of pie crust dough.
Use small cookie cutters to cut out interesting shapes and lay them on top of the pie and bake. Martha Stewart would love this idea!
For fun dog treats. Cookies are not just for people, you know. Use cookie cutters to make doggy treats. Your pooch will thank you. He won’t care about the shape, of course, but you will have fun feeding them to him!
Fun French Toast. Use large sized cookie cutters to cut your bread into fun shapes, then make your French toast as you normally do. Makes for a fun breakfast.
Use as powdered sugar stencils. Don’t feel like frosting a whole cake (or don’t want the calories?)
Just make a cake and then dip cookie cutters into powdered sugar and press lightly on the cake top for a low calorie decorative touch.
For baked Christmas ornaments. Use cookie cutters in Christmas shapes as forms, then add plastic beads and bake. The beads will melt and make lovely ornaments.
See how to make baked cookie cutter ornaments on Crystal and Co.
For Pizza toppings. Use mini cookie cutters to cut pepperoni into fun shapes before decorating your pizza.
For tortilla chips. Instead of just cutting pita bread into triangles, use cookie cutters to cut it into fun shapes before you bake them. So much more fun to eat!
For scrumptious Chocolate nut cookies. Fill small sized cookie cutters with melted chocolate that has been mixed with nuts and dried fruit for a really fun (and delicious) snack.
As Kitchen decorations. Another Gardening Cook fan Retia Shealy suggested using cookie cutters as a kitchen decoration. She says “Mine are hung on my kitchen wall above my windows!
I enjoy them year around!!” Great idea Retia!
For scrap booking. Retail prices on preformed scrapbook shapes can be quite costly.
Use your cookie cutter to trace shapes onto scrapbook paper, and cut them out at a fraction of the cost.
As a package decorations. If you have a friend who loves to cook, add a cookie cutter to a gift for her as a package decoration.
It will be delightful to receive and she can use it later for cookies.
For a Cookie swap Invitation. Tie a invitation to a cookie cutter to give to your guests to invite them to your annual cookie swap. They might even use the cookie cutter for their cookies.
Make each invite different to have lots of fun shapes at the party.
For Play dough fun. Your kids will have hours of fun using cookie cutters to make shapes with their play dough.
For Brownies. Good bye boring rectangular shaped brownies, and hello fun brownies.
Use cookie cutters to pour in your brownie batter and bake for really fun shaped brownies that your guests will love.
As napkin rings. Roll our napkins and push them through cookie cutters for an inexpensive napkin ring.
Here are some more fun ideas for using cookie cutters:
More cookie cutter ideas from The Gardening Cook Facebook fans:
Laird Stevenson suggests using them as Children’s toys: teach them to use the cutters to make shapes and pictures. Great fun for shapes with play dough and good stencils for collages.”
June Blanchard Peterson says that if you make things from polymer clay and have some interesting shaped cookie cutters, use them for that.
Trisha Pendleton Salata says “Use cookie cutters to corral eggs in pan or hash browns and to Cut large heart shaped hamburger patties.”
Torrie Lin Summers suggests using them to make salt dough ornaments
Evelyn Sandler suggests using them for sandwich shaping, ink and paint stamping, and fabric stencils,.
Can you think of some other fun ways for using cookie cutters? I’d love to add your ideas to my list!