Best Cookie Presses for Thick Dough: Buyer’s Guide for 2022

A cookie press is designed to create unique, small, beautifully shaped cookies that make them look like a professional baker made them. However, a press is also very versatile and can be used for more than just making cookies. In fact, they can also be used to fill cream puffs, fill deviled eggs, or ice cakes or cupcakes.

Choosing some of the best cookie presses can be a difficult process if you’ve never used one before and don’t really know much about the different features they offer or what to look for. As someone with several years of baking experience, I decided to create a buyer’s guide that lists all of the benefits of cookie presses, what features they offer, and how to use one.

I’ve also chosen six products that made it onto my must-have list after testing several models that simply didn’t have what it takes to turn out the type of pro-quality designed cookies that most home bakers are looking for. Below, you’ll find a comparison chart that contains each of the models that made it onto my list, the best features they have to offer, and how each product rated.

Cookie Presses Comparison Chart

Product	Discs	Material	Tips	Rating
OXO 1257580 Good Grips Cookie Press Shop On Amazon!	12	Plastic/Metal	No
Marcato 8300 Atlas Cookie Press Shop On Amazon!	20	Anodized Aluminum	No
Wilton Preferred Press Cookie Press Shop On Amazon!	12	Plastic/Metal	No
Zulay Kitchen Cookie Press Shop On Amazon!	20	Anodized Aluminum	Yes
Cambom Clear Cookie Press Gun Kit Shop On Amazon!	16	Plasti	Yes
Ourokhome Cookie Press Icing Gun Shop On Amazon!	16	Plastic	Yes

OXO 1257580 Good Grips Cookie Press

Our Rating: (5/5)

This model earned top marks for its ability to create consistent cookies each time. It comes with a non-slip base that keeps the press stable and secure while it dispenses dough. The lever makes it easy to press out cookies using minimal effort.

The clear cylinder will allow you to see how much dough is in the tube so you can refill quickly and as needed. This model comes with twelve discs made out of stainless steel in the shape of:

• Wreath
• Tree
• Snowflake
• Heart
• Leaf
• Shell
• Bear
• Butterfly
• Fleur de lis
• Sunflower
• Flower
• Daisy

Conclusion

This is a manual press and one that allows you to make consistent cookies each and every time. The contoured, large level allows you to get a good grip, while the non-slip base prevents the press from sliding during use, keeping the device stable and secure. This model is a steal for the price and is a great buy for home bakers and the kids.

Marcato 8300 Atlas Cookie Press

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This cookie and biscuit press can be used with thicker, firmer doughs to create a variety of shapes. This model is made out of anodized aluminum, steel, and plastic. It comes with a total of twenty disc shapes, so you can try out a variety of shapes for biscuits and cookies that have a pro look.

You can also adjust the cookie size for large or small cookies by turning a knob located on the base. This model can yield thirty-five to forty small cookies or twenty to twenty-five large cookies per batch. This ergonomic press is perfect for smaller hands, weak hands, or people who suffer from arthritis.

Conclusion

This user-friendly model is a cinch to use. It includes twenty discs so you can make cookies and biscuits in a variety of shapes and sizes. The ability to adjust the size of the cookies will be a huge selling point for home and pro bakers. This model is ergonomically designed, which also makes it a great choice for people with arthritis, weak hands, or the kids.

Wilton Preferred Press Cookie Press

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This model can make all types of spritz cookies and includes twelve discs and a raised base design that allows you to easily and quickly switch the discs out. The press is made out of metal and plastic and features a clear cylinder that will allow you to closely monitor how much dough is left in the tube. This model can make more than just spritz cookies, in fact, it can be used to make whipped shortbread cookies and pressed sugar cookies. The included discs feature the following shapes:

• Starburst
• Flower
• Biscuit
• Turkey
• Pumpkin
• Heart
• Snowman
• Tree

The soft grip trigger allows you to easily press cookie after cooking, without causing hand fatigue.

Conclusion

This model comes with all the accessories you’ll need to create a wide variety of cookie shapes and sizes. It also comes with several recipes for crackers, biscuits, and of course, cookies. This press is very simple to use and allows you to truly get creative in the kitchen. This model is reasonably priced, easy to use, ergonomically designed and comes with everything you need to get started making unique, pro-looking cookies, crackers, biscuits, and more.

Zulay Kitchen Cookie Press

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This is a deluxe cookie press that’s made out of anodized steel and stainless steel. This press is easy to use and efficient. It’s also much more durable compared to models made out of plastic. The big drawback here is that you can’t see the dough level in the tube like you can with cylinders that are made out of clear plastic. This model comes with a dough chamber that’s the perfect size for spritz dough.

In also includes twenty discs that allow you to press out cookies that are beautifully crafted. The size of the cookies you press is adjustable, which will be a huge plus for any baker. Using the ergonomic lever, you can dispense twenty to twenty-five large cookies or thirty-five to forty smaller cookies per batch. This model offers an easy and efficient way to design your favorite cookies. In addition to the twenty discs, this model also comes with four icing tips, which will allow you to ice cookies, cakes, and pastries.

Conclusion

This set includes everything you need to press and decorate cookies, biscuits, and cakes. The tube is made out of durable aluminum and steel and features an ergonomic design that allows you to easily press cookies using minimal effort. The included icing tips and discs will allow you to get creative in the kitchen, making this set a great choice for families who love to bake together.

Cambom Clear Cookie Press Gun Kit

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This plastic cookie press features a clear cylinder, which will allow you to monitor the dough level so you can refill as needed. The tube’s larger capacity will prevent you from having to constantly refill the tube. This model comes with a total of six decorating tips and sixteen discs, so you can turn out beautifully shaped cookies and biscuits and use the included tips to decorate them with icing.

This is a beginner-friendly press that’s perfect for beginners thanks to the easy-fill design. To use, all you have to do is fill the cylinder up with dough, add a disc, force any air out of the cylinder, and pull the trigger. It’s that simple. The press is made out of food-grade materials and is dishwasher safe.

Conclusion

This easy to use and clean cookie press comes with a variety of discs and tips, so you’ll have more decorating options. The cookie press is easy to disassemble for cleaning and is dishwasher safe. The clear cylinder allows you to keep a close eye on the dough level so you can add more dough as needed.

While the manufacturer claims this model features an ergonomic design, it does require you to use more force to press a cookie, so if you have weak hands, arthritis, or you’re looking for a model for the kids, you’ll need to pass this model by.

Ourokhome Cookie Press Icing Gun

Our Rating: (4/5)

This model is made out of plastic and features a large clear cylinder that will allow you to keep an eye on the level of dough in the press. It also includes sixteen discs and six icing tips so you can decorate cookies, cakes, and pastries.

The trigger can be difficult to push, which will make this model a bad choice for kids or people with arthritis, or weak hands. The press is made out of food-grade materials, including BPA-free ABS plastic. The press itself is easy to take apart for cleaning and is dishwasher safe.

Conclusion

This model is a good choice for bakers who do not have weak hands or arthritis. This model is easy to use, refill, and clean. It comes with a variety of accessories and everything you need to make and decorate cookies, cakes, pastries, and more. The price is also right.

However, this model is not a suitable choice for small children or adults with smaller hands since the trigger can be difficult to press and requires a lot of extra force when you’re working with thicker dough. Overall, the press is a great choice for the home baker on a budget in search of a model that’s durable and designed last.

Cookie Presses Buyer’s Guide

A cookie press can be a fun way to get those pro-looking results that many home bakers are looking for. They can also be a great tool to use when you’re making cookies with the kids. there are many different styles and types of presses to choose from, so finding the perfect model can be a time-consuming process, especially if you’re looking for a model that the kids can use.

Many manual presses are designed for adults, so the circumference of the tube can be difficult for a child’s hand to easily grasp. However, I’ve included presses of all sizes, so you should find a model in my top six presses that will work for children.

These presses are a must-have for the avid baker. In fact, you’ll have a hard time learning how to make spritz cookies without a press. Most of the leading presses on the market are manual and feature a plunger system or a turning handle to press out the dough. Although there are also some great electric models of cookie presses available. The size of the press will vary, as will the types of accessories they come with.

With a cookie press, you’ll want to look for the following features:

• Manual or electric
• Discs
• Shaft
• Capacity
• Trigger
• Turn
• Accessories
• Quality
• Price

How to Use a Cookie Press

Using a cookie press will take some practice in order to get into the right rhythm to turn out consistent results.

• When you use a cookie press you’ll need to allow for sufficient time. In the beginning, you may find that using one of these machines is somewhat time-consuming, but once you get the hang of it you’ll find that it’s a fairly quick process.
• Make sure you only use cookie press recipes. In order to get the correct dough consistency, it’s important that you follow recipes that are cookie press specific. Fortunately, you’ll have no trouble finding recipes online to choose from. When you do find a recipe you like, avoid adding raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, or other add-ins.
• Avoid greasing the baking sheets. Pressed dough must stick to the cookie sheet in order to form properly. You should also avoid using wax paper or parchment paper.
• Before use, always remove any air from the press. To do, you’ll simply press the handle a little to remove the air and to bring the icing or dough closer to the tip or disc. When you’re filling up the shaft you can press it down as you add more dough.
• To use, hold the press flat on the cookie sheet and do not drop the batter or tilt the press. In order to press and stick to the baking sheet, the dough should be consistent.
• Avoid overloading the cookies. While it may not look like much batter with spaces between the cut-outs, the cookies can still turn into thin, full cookies. A pressed cookie will denote their shape after baked. When overloaded it will fill in the design too much which will cause them to look like a regular round cookie.
• Spend a little time practicing. The odds are that your first batch of cookies will have a dragged, uneven look. If your cookies aren’t looking very impressive, simply scrape the batter off the cookie sheet, return it to the mixing bowl and start over.
• Before lifting, pause. Before you lift the press and move to the next cookie make sure you give it a second or two after stopping the pressing action in order to allow the released dough to adhere to the baking sheet. This prevents strings of dough returning to the bowl.
• Allow for adequate space between each of the cookies. While these cookies will rise, they don’t require as much space as other types of cookies, so you will only need to leave one to one and a half inches of space between each one.
• Give the cookies time to cool off on the baking sheet before you remove them and place them on a plate or cooling rack. When baked, these cookies can be very fragile, so you’ll want to use a thinner cookie spatula, preferably made out of metal.

Must-Have Features

Who doesn’t love baking cookies? But if you want to step up your baking skills and churn out some beautiful cookies with fancy icing and designs, then the cookie press is the perfect option and you don’t have to have years of experience in the kitchen to use one.

A cookie press has a ton of parts so you should anticipate a lengthy clean-up time. Some models are dishwasher safe so you can avoid losing small parts when you wash a press by hand.

Do you need to mass-produce cookies? Are you simply making cookies for your family? Do you want a model that allows you to also ice cookies and cakes? The answers to these questions will help you choose a model that will meet your needs. Many sets will come with icing tips and discs, both of which you can use to get really creative in the kitchen.

One of the first things you’ll want to consider is whether you want a manual press or an electric press. Both types have their own pros and cons, so it will be a matter of baking needs, skill level, budget, and personal preference.

Manual and Electric Cookie Presses

When you choose a manual or electric model, each type will have their own advantages and disadvantages. A manual model is more affordable and there are more models to choose from on the market. You also won’t have to deal with a cord. However, an electric model will provide continuous pressing and consistent results, which is ideal especially if you’re decorating with icing. Electric models will also save you time, compared to a manual model.

Manual Cookie Presses

Manual presses are a great choice for bakers of all skill levels, but you will have to practice with the press in order to get consistent results, whereas the electric models are not quite as hands-on and allow you to quickly churn out pro-quality results. Just keep in mind, electric models are more expensive than the manual variety.

• Manual cookie presses are the most popular choice among home bakers
• They’re a more affordable option than electric models
• They’re a great choice for home use if you don’t need to mass-produce cookies
• They’re very simple to use and clean
• You won’t be bound by a cord like you will with an electric model, so you can freely move around the kitchen taking the press from surface to surface.

Electric Cookie Presses

These presses also have their own advantages

• They work by pressing and releasing the same amount of dough each time, which means you’ll end up with consistent results. Cookies that are the same shape and size are difficult to achieve with a manual model. An electric press will automatically use and release the same amount of dough each time.
• The presses work by time releasing each cooking, so they work quickly. This means you can turn out a large number of cookies in a fraction of the time it would take with a manual press.
• However, these presses are more expensive than manual models
• An electric press also comes with many moving parts, which can make them more difficult to clean and maintain compared to a manual model.

Discs

When you’re shopping for a cookie press to use just to make cookies, then you’ll need as many discs as possible. If you want to use the machine to decorate cookies and cakes, then you should look for a press that comes with both discs and tips. Each press will come with discs that allow you to shape your cookies into different designs, such as flowers, pumpkins, letters, animals, trees, and more.

So, the more discs that come in a set, the better since this will give you the ability to get more creative in the kitchen and can also make using the cookie press a fun activity for the kids. Disc quality will also matter since in order to get a clean cut the disc must not be too flexible.

This means that a set that includes discs that are made out of metal is a better option. Discs that are made out of this material are able to hold up better to the pressure applied by the press and will not bend or flex as easily as discs that are made out of plastic.

If you love baking and plan on using your press often, then I also recommend checking out the manufacturer’s website to learn about the different types of discs that are available. This will allow you to order more discs in the future. Discs are not universal, so you can only use model-specific discs.

Shaft

Make sure the model you choose features a shaft that attaches securely and easily to the handle.

Capacity

A model with a larger capacity will mean that you spend less time refilling it. It will also mean that you’ll have a larger tube to hold. Make sure the model you choose is comfortable to use.

Trigger

Some models will come with trigger-style compression. This type of compression is perfect when it comes to releasing the perfect amount of dough to make one cookie each time you pull the trigger. These models are often more beginner-friendly and allow you to easily create shapes that are consistent in size since the machine will basically measure out the dough for you.

However, if you have arthritis, weak hands, or you’re looking for a model that the kids can use, keep in mind that these triggers can be difficult for some users to press.

Turn

This type of cookie press will use a type of handle that will turn when it’s pushing the dough through, so it’s a better option for the kids or people with weak hands or arthritis.

Accessories

Most presses will come with a wide variety of accessories that you can use for different shapes and icing techniques. A large set will allow you to experiment with different baking methods and techniques, so look for a model that comes with more accessories such as more discs and sockets, which will allow you to prepare many different cookie shapes. In addition to sockets and discs, some sets will also come with a variety of syringes and tips so you can expand your creativity even more.

Quality

When you’re shopping for a cookie press, quality will be the first factor that you should look at. These presses are available in a variety of styles. Some models are made out of a combination of steel and plastic, while others are made solely out of plastic. Before you buy, consider the type of material the machine is made out of. Take a look at the different pieces in the set.

Are they mainly made out of plastic? Higher priced models will consist of more metal than plastic and have a better reputation for durability, which will be important if you plan on using your cookie press often, whether at home or in a commercial kitchen.

A cookie press that has a body that’s made out of plastic with the rest of the machine made out of metal is a great choice since it’s durable and sturdy and comes equipped with plastic canisters that are durable and won’t rust.

Models that are made out of plastic are more affordable than presses that are made out of mainly metal. You can purchase a model that’s made out of BPA-free plastic, and one that’s dishwasher safe, so you’ll spend less time in the kitchen cleaning up.

Metal models can be prone to rust, especially if they’re not dried promptly and thoroughly before being stored. These presses are also more expensive but they do offer a more durable design. The drawback for some is that you won’t be able to see the dough inside the canister like you will with canisters that are made out of plastic.

Price

Price will be another important factor when it comes to choosing the right model. Models that come with more accessories such as sockets, discs, and tips, will usually come with a higher price tag, but they also have a better usability and durability rating.

Beginner or starter sets will be on the cheaper side and will mainly come with the basics, making them a poor choice for the experienced cookie press user or pro baker. Additionally, the materials that the press is made out of will also be reflected in the price, so if you’re looking for quality, you can expect to pay more.

Most manual models of presses that are made mainly out of plastic are priced affordably, so you should have no trouble finding a model that will work with your budget. Presses that are made out of a combination of plastic and metal will be pricier.

You can also expect to pay more for manual presses that come with a large selection of discs and other accessories. Electric models are the most expensive option and will be priced around fifty dollars and up.

Higher Cookie Capacity

If you want a model that will allow you to make more cookies at one time, for a bake sale or to cook a big batch for your family and friends, then you’ll be better off with an electric model. An electric press is perfect for mass cookie production and will allow you to turn out cookies quickly and efficiently. An electric press will allow you to make uniform cookies that look like they were made by a pro baker.

Kid-Friendly Options

Baking with the kids is always a fun and exciting experience. If you’re looking for a press for the kids then the biggest factor will be the size of the model. Smaller hands will become tired quickly if the press is too large.

Look for a model that’s compact and can easily and comfortably fit in your child’s hand. Additionally, you’ll want to use a press that doesn’t require your child to pull a trigger in order to release the cookie.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

• If you’ve found that your cookies are constantly sticking to the bottom of the press, then this is merely a matter of the dough being too soft. If you’re dealing with this issue, all you have to do is add some sifted flour to the dough. Add one teaspoon at a time until the dough has the proper consistency.
  Dough sticking to the bottom of the press can also be due to the dough being too warm. To fix this issue, try placing the dough in the fridge for ten minutes. This will help to bring it back up to room temperature so it has the proper consistency for the press.
• Do not add raisins, nuts, or chocolate chips to your dough. Large ingredients will not be able to pass through the openings in the discs. Avoid using recipes that require you to add in other ingredients. You can always use these types of ingredients as toppings instead.
• The dough you use for the press should be firm enough to retain its shape when you push it through, but it also shouldn’t be so thick that it gets stuck. A spritz or butter cookie recipe is perfect for a cookie press.
• An electric press will be a good choice for the beginner since it will dispense the same amount of dough each time, allowing the user to press cookies at a much faster rate. Using an electric model also doesn’t require much physical strength. If you don’t want to pay a higher price for an electric model, then opt for a turn-style manual press, which can be a more affordable and effective alternative.

Final Thoughts

The best cookie presses will come with all of the accessories you need to get started turning out cakes and cookies that look like they were made by a professional baker. A cookie press can be a fun and new way to bake, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced baker. They can also be a great family-friendly activity and one the kids will love.

I’m confident that you’ll find the perfect press and set in my top six list since each of the models has been thoroughly tested and scored high in a variety of areas. Additionally, the buyer’s guide that I’ve created should help to point you in the right direction if you’re looking for a cookie press that comes with everything you need and one that’s designed to last.

Originally posted 2020-04-19 15:02:15.