How to Cut Cookie Shapes Without Cutters (Using Paper Templates)

Working with a paper template is a simple and practical way to cut cookie dough shapes without cutters, especially when making sugar cookies for decorating. This is an easy way to cut cookie dough into custom shapes when you don't have cutters.

If you don’t have cookie cutters but still want clean, professional-looking results, this method allows you to create precise shapes using basic tools.

The easiest and fastest way to cut cookie dough is to use cookie cutters. Today there are thousands of shapes available, and they are very convenient to use.

However, buying a large collection of cutters is not always practical, especially if you are just starting with cookie decorating.

The same applies when working with custom orders. Each project may involve new characters, new shapes, and new designs. It is impossible to own cutters for every possible design, and sometimes there simply isn’t enough time to wait for a cutter to be manufactured or delivered.

In these situations, a universal technique becomes extremely useful - cutting cookie dough using a paper template.

If you want dough that holds its shape well and keeps clean edges, start with a reliable base → sugar cookie recipe for decorating.

If you're not sure which tools you actually need, see the cookie decorating tools & materials guide

What You Need

The process is simple and works for almost any design:

• Find an image of the shape you want
• Print it in the required size
• Carefully cut it out along the outline
• Place the template on the rolled cookie dough and cut the shape with a knife

You can use:

• a craft knife with a thin, sharp blade
• or a small kitchen knife

For many years I used an ordinary kitchen knife, and it works perfectly well for clean, precise results.

Cutting Technique and Clean Edges

It is important to hold the knife perpendicular to the work surface. This keeps the cut straight and prevents the cookie edges from leaning to one side.

If the knife is tilted, the edges become uneven, which can affect both baking and decorating. Clean edges make icing much easier to control and are essential for cookie decorating with royal icing.

If you’re just starting, see the royal icing basics to understand how icing behaves on different surfaces.

How to Keep the Shape When Transferring

One common problem is that the shape can deform when transferring the cookie to a baking sheet.

To prevent this, transfer the cookie together with the paper template, and remove the template afterward.

If you are using a cookie cutter, it is also better to remove it after transferring the dough to the baking sheet.

This helps keep the shape even and prevents the dough from stretching.

When Cookie Cutters Are More Convenient

If you need to bake a large number of cookies with the same shape, cookie cutters make the process much faster and ensure consistency.

However, for one-off orders - especially when working with custom cookie shapes for decorating - a paper template is often more practical.

For many years, when I worked with custom orders, I cut cookie shapes almost exclusively using templates. Children’s parties, cartoon characters, game heroes - every order required something new. Ordering a separate cutter for each design simply didn’t make sense.

In these situations, paper templates give you full control: you can create any shape, at any size, without relying on ready-made tools.

Summary

Cutting cookie shapes without cutters is not a limitation - it is a flexible technique that gives you complete freedom in design.

When combined with the right sugar cookie dough for decorating and proper icing technique, it allows you to create clean, professional results even without specialized tools.

Once your cookies are cut and baked, the next step is decorating. Follow the full process in how to decorate cookies step by step .