Cookie Press Troubleshooting: Seeking Advice

[ChefJeniLobdell]

Two customers have complained about the cookie press not working properly. I borrowed one of them, because I don't have my own. Saturday I made the cookies with the cake mix, butter and flour. They came out of the press o.k., but tasted like dry cake.

How do you guys like your cookie presses? What recipes have you used with great success.

I want to go to the customers house and demo the product for them to be sure they are using them properly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jenniferknapp]

A lady in my cluster swears by either using refrigerated PB or Sugar cookie dough..... or simply a devil's food or white cake mix & 1lb of butter (well 3 sticks butter, 1 stick margarine) ....then you can dress them up with a dab of fruit preserves and powdered sugar or cinn. & sugar, or our new sprinkles.She says that it is definitely all to do with your dough, and she LOVES hers...

 

[ChefJeniLobdell]

Jennifer, do you know if she adds anything to the refrigerated PB or sugar cookie dough?

 

[jenniferknapp]

No, she doesn't. I think that she does let it soften a bit though.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

peanut butter cookies
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup Peanut butter (creamy)
Works perfect!

another perfect recipe, use the pouch of betty crocker sugar cookie mix add 1/4 cup flour

the recipe with the press is nasty if they insist on homemade tell them to use betty crocker's spritz recipe

 

[KellyTheChef]

Here are some files that may help...

 

[ChefJeniLobdell]

Thanks everyone!!

 

[mpkegley]

I borrowed my directors last year and I liked it ok. I made the peanut butter presses in All the Best and I tried to make the Snickerdoodles in the Delightful Desserts. The Snickerdoodles would not press. I didn't have any trouble with the peanut butter ones though. I agree that it all depends on the dough.

 

[ltkacz]

It's trickeyThat cookie press. The dough has to be just the right temperature, and consistancy. I've had great success with the cookie press using the recipe that comes with the press - I think they are Spritz cookies.

I will also say that if your stone is well seasoned, you'll need to put the cookies on parchment paper, otherwise the cookies won't detach from the press.

I love mine, but I was told, that it takes "practice" and once you get the hang of it, you'll love it.

 

[fikibiff]

Parchment paper is a great idea, because the ones I made didn't work with every cookie sheet I had. They worked ok on my stones, but I was making a ton of them and didn't want to wait to press till the last batch came out. I made a ton of cookies last Christmas just using refrigerated sugar cookie dough. It needs to warm up and soften. It does take practice and you need to learn the timing, but they turned out great. I mixed powder sugar with a little milk and drizzled it on them for frosting.

 

[pchefinski]

I will also say that if your stone is well seasoned, you'll need to put the cookies on parchment paper, otherwise the cookies won't detach from the press.

AHA! So THAT is the reason my cookies just wouldn't stick to the stone last time I tried using it. That's a great tip - thanks .. I was thinking about doing some pressed cookies for my Christmas baskets this year, but had decided against it b'c of that exact problem last time. Maybe I'll reconsider

 

[smilesarepriceless]

well i too got my first call last fri..and i was clueless and was scrambling calling around trying to 'help' this customer.
Today i ordered this myself and I'm going to master it, and demo it at shows..so i can get people excited about it as a dec special..

My 2 year old will also probablly enjoy the cookie making opportunity

 

[pamperedposey]

Do I have to have a mixer? I thought we promoted all recipes without the use of a mixer. I have all the ingredients to make spritz cookies, but no mixer. It's so silly that I don't have one. I know I used to, so where did it go?? I obviously haven't missed it though. Didn't even realize that I haven't had one for at least 3 years!

 

[kspry]

pamperedposey, I don't think you have to have a mixer. The dough on the Use & Care is rather stiff, but with a good spatula, it's easy enough for an adult to mix. A little kid wouldn't be strong enough.

I really like my cookie press. The first one always comes out funny. I think it is because the plunger is getting rid of the air pockets.

I just scoop that first one up and throw it back into the bowl.

I don't want to make storage for a big mixer, anyway.

 

[fikibiff]

Cookie Press FudgeI just tried the Foolproof Dark Chocolate Fudge at the bottom of the Cookie
Press tip document. I did them in the milk chocolate version. Not all of the discs worked, but 5 of them did. Disc 1, 7, 13, 14, &16 worked fine. Disc 3 was iffy, I had to peel it off a little. There were a few I didn't try, but most of the otheres wouldn't work for me. Anyway, I will attach a picture.

 

[aried]

Niki, those look neat. I will have to try those.

Ann R.

 

[fikibiff]

They're yummy, too. My kids keep trying to sneek them from the frig. I just bought 4 tubes of sugar cookie dough. I will do some of those for an upcoming show.

 

[jrstephens]

I rarely use mine. It is one of those things I could sale and not miss at all. But then I rarely make cookies.It was just one of those things I "had" to have! HA!

 

[fikibiff]

My dh's family all exchange cookies for Christmas. I couldn't be the only one not participating. The press is an easy way to make a ton of cookies in all different shapes and recipes really easily. I love sugar cookies and this is so much easier that rolling out the dough, cutting out the cookies, transfering them to a stone, then rerolling.......

 

[Vicks]

Quick question...

If they only have one stone, how can you get the dough to come off the press when the stone is hot? I read the Tips sheet and I know it says not to use a warm stone, but when they made their first batch it was perfect. When those cookies came out, obviously the stone was still hot when they went to make the next batch.

Is there a better way to do this other than waiting for the stone to cool completely? I mean, that would take quite a while between batches, not to mention leaving the oven on for a long time.

TIA,
~Vicks

 

[urbnk8]

Quick question...

If they only have one stone, how can you get the dough to come off the press when the stone is hot? I read the Tips sheet and I know it says not to use a warm stone, but when they made their first batch it was perfect. When those cookies came out, obviously the stone was still hot when they went to make the next batch.

Is there a better way to do this other than waiting for the stone to cool completely? I mean, that would take quite a while between batches, not to mention leaving the oven on for a long time.

TIA,
~Vicks

I would press them onto parchment paper that is not on a stone and then slide the paper onto the stone before putting it into the oven.

 

[fikibiff]

You might be able to do it on parchment paper, with something anchoring the corners. Then slide the parchment onto the warm stone and bake. I'm not positive if that will work, I will have to try that next time. I have a few stones and I also use my metal cookie sheets when I am doing tons of cookies. Of course, they are always better on the stones!

 

[calisweetheart03]

I run a little bit of water over my stones. Obviously, the water isn't COLD and the stone isn't really hot, but it does cool the stone down enough to use the press.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I use Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie dough in my cookie press and it works great