Cookie cutters seem like the simplest tool in the kitchen until you’re standing at the store trying to decide between a cheap plastic set and a pricier metal one, both promising the same star and heart shapes.
What Actually Matters
Clean Edges vs. Dragging Dough
Metal cutters, especially stainless steel with a sharp edge, slice through chilled cookie dough cleanly on the first press. Plastic cutters tend to compress the dough at the edges rather than cutting it, which can leave slightly rounded, less crisp outlines after baking.
Durability Over Time
Plastic cutters can warp if left near heat or under weight in a drawer, changing their shape subtly over time. Metal cutters hold their exact shape indefinitely, which matters if you’re trying to get uniform sizes for stacked or decorated cookies.
Safety for Kids
Plastic cutters with rounded edges are genuinely better for young kids doing their own cutting, since metal edges — while not razor sharp — can still nick fingers with enough pressure. For supervised baking with older kids or adults, metal’s precision wins out.
From My Kitchen
I switched to a metal set after a plastic star cutter I’d had for years started producing lopsided stars — the plastic had warped just enough from being stored under heavier bakeware that I didn’t notice until I lined up a batch of cookies and they were all slightly different sizes.
Worth Considering
The kinice stainless steel mini cookie cutter set comes with a storage box, which solves the classic problem of cutters scattering loose in a drawer. For simple round cutters in graduated sizes, the Bukuwa stainless steel round set is useful well beyond cookies, for biscuits and even portioning dough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cookie cutters need to be dishwasher safe?
Metal cutters generally tolerate the dishwasher fine, though hand-washing and drying immediately prevents any water spotting or rust on lower-quality steel. Plastic cutters are almost always dishwasher safe on the top rack.
Does the shape of the cutter affect how evenly cookies bake?
Slightly. Cutters with thin, delicate points — like a star or snowflake — can brown faster at the tips than the thicker center of the cookie, so it’s worth checking those shapes a minute or two before your usual bake time.
Rimi Sultana is a home cook from Bangladesh who has cooked for her family every day for the past five years and writes about it at Smart Cooks. Perpetually testing whether internet-famous recipes actually work in a regular home kitchen. Say hello on Facebook or through the contact page.