The three Greatest Cookie Presses of 2024, Examined & Reviewed

Cookie presses are a revered baking device. Many homebakers covet their grandmother’s classic press that turned out good butter cookies and Christmas mints yr after yr.

I solely keep in mind my mother’s cookie press as an area hog behind a kitchen cupboard; She purchased it at a Pampered Chef celebration, used it as soon as, and it by no means noticed the sunshine of day once more. Had I any foresight that I’d construct a profession as a baker and meals author, I’d have held onto that well-made basic. My family loves vacation cookie baking and my prolonged Southern household has taught me the effective artwork of creating cheese straws at any time of yr. Evidently, I’ve spent a good bit of my grownup life in search of the proper cookie press. I’ve used them in skilled kitchens and check kitchens for years and at last set off on a quest to check seven of the highest-rated cookie presses accessible to seek out the perfect. 

The Winners, at a Look

OXO’s cookie press was the best to make use of and clear up. It has a non-slip grip on the tip to make your fingers much less prone to shift whereas urgent cookies and its steel discs yield clear shapes even on probably the most intricate designs. 

In the event you’re baking various batches of cheese straws or spritz cookies a yr and want one thing tremendous sturdy, Marcato Design’s chrome steel press is for you. Whereas it had a bigger margin of error for the primary few cookies and was more durable to press, it options design particulars (like two sizes of dough dosage and 20 discs) that severe dwelling bakers will respect. 

This press was disappointing for spritz cookies, nevertheless it out-pressed each different mannequin for cheese straws. That is the most effective device for the job in the event you’re making massive batches of cheese straws or related baked items with thick dough and lengthy presses. 

The Exams

• Spritz Cookie Check: Utilizing a basic spritz cookie dough, I stuffed every press and fitted it with a wreath-style disc. Engaged on an uncoated baking sheet, I used the press to pump out as many cookies as doable, noting how simply every press disbursed and what number of good cookies I may make with out errors. 
• Disc Swap Check: Partway by means of every batch of cookies, I eliminated every press’s coupler and swapped the wreath discs for a extra intricate design to guage the convenience of switching discs.
• Cheese Straws Check: I made a batch of cheese straws to fill and check my favourite presses from the spritz cookie check. Since a few of the presses failed instantly, I additionally retested two outliers (Fante’s Simple Cookie Press and the De Purchaser Pastry Press) from the spritz cookie check to discover a mannequin that labored greatest for giant batches of cheese straws. 
• Basic Use and Care Check: Whereas assembling and disassembling every press, I made notes on basic use: Was the press simple to take aside and put collectively? Was the set off simple to launch? I additionally famous how a lot residual dough was left in every press after it stopped allotting, and the convenience of cleansing. 

What We Realized

Lever Dispensers Have been Higher Than Set off Dispensers

Cookie presses have three kinds of dispensers: a set off deal with, a stress lever, or a rotating deal with. My two favourite presses for cookies, the OXO Good Grips Cookie Press and the Marcato Design Atlas Cookie Press, had lever-style handles that had been a lot simpler on my fingers and wrists, and so they had been extra correct when dosing dough. Set off-style allotting (discovered on the Wilton Easy Success Cookie Press and Kuhn Rikon Clear Cookie Press) grew to become tiring shortly. Plus, a sooner squeeze dispenses much less dough than a gradual one, which makes every cookie as totally different as every baker. A rotating deal with, just like the one discovered on Fante’s Simple Cookie Press, is good if you would like lengthy stretches of dough to dispense issues like churros and cheese straws. 

Metallic Discs Have been Greatest for Intricate Designs 

A lot of the enjoyment of spritz cookies is of their form—tree and wreath cookies actually kick off a vacation cookie celebration—so sharp discs are an necessary a part of a superb cookie press. There are some execs and cons to different supplies (plastic or metal) for a press’s physique, however they don’t impression the cookie form as a lot as disc materials does. For instance, a transparent plastic physique, just like the OXO Good Grips Cookie Press,  makes it simple to see how a lot dough is left to dispense. However a metal or aluminum physique doesn’t maintain onto grease throughout cleanup the identical manner plastic does. Metallic discs made a lot tidier cookies and cheese straws than plastic ones because of their sharper edges. The Wilton Cookie Press and Nordic Ware Deluxe Adorning Set every had some execs throughout testing, however their plastic discs created looser, much less intricate designs. 

Vast Openings Have been Useful for Filling With Dough

The entire cookie presses we examined are stuffed on the disc finish of the press, because the allotting plunger would in any other case be in the best way. Whereas not one of the presses had been significantly difficult to fill, I observed that the Nordic Ware and Kuhn Rikon presses, which have openings smaller than 2.5 inches, took the longest to fill. Our successful press, the OXO Good Grips Cookie Press, has one of many largest openings at 2.75 inches. I discovered that utilizing a small cookie scoop to drop dough into the presses sped up the filling processes between batches. 

Additional Disc Designs Have been Extra Helpful Than Piping Ideas

I used to be excited to check the few cookie presses that included choices to swap the design disc for a piping tip (the Kuhn Rikon and Nordic Ware). Nevertheless, the ensuing cookies had been tiny and inconsistent on account of the presses’ allotting mechanisms. You’re a lot better off investing in a number of piping ideas and disposable piping baggage for cake adorning or deviled egg filling. Save your cookie press for cookies! That stated, a cookie press with numerous discs does provide you with extra choices for distinctive spritz cookies and different baked items—like a star tip for churros or cheese straws. 

The Standards: What to Search for in a Cookie Press 

The perfect cookie presses have a lever-style dispenser to cut back wrist pressure and a large opening for filling the press and include not less than 12 steel discs for various baked items. A high-quality cookie press is simple to disassemble from prime to backside, making it easier to wash. A transparent plastic physique is nice for seeing how a lot dough you might have left, however is just not required. Ideally, your cookie press will include a storage answer for the discs. 

Our Favourite Cookie Presses 

What we appreciated: With a non-slip coating on the deal with and tip, this lever-style cookie press was simple to make use of proper out of the field. Its smaller physique simply matches into the fingers of most bakers. It comes with a small case for storing the discs. That is the cookie press for dwelling bakers who make cookies or cheese straws just some instances a yr. 

What we didn’t like: Weirdly, this cookie press didn’t include a star tip for cheese straws and churros. Whereas I used to be ready to make use of the star disc from one other model’s press to check the OXO press with cheese straws, it’s possible you’ll wish to hunt for an older mannequin of this press or select one other press if a star disc is important for you. 

Key Specs

• Supplies: BPA-free plastic with metal discs 
• Kind of press: Lever-style 
• Variety of discs: 12
• Storage included?: Sure, for discs solely 

What we appreciated:  A worthy splurge, the Marcato Design Atlas Cookie Press is product of sturdy aluminum and has a lever-style dispenser with an adjustable dosage measurement. It comes with probably the most design discs (20) of all of the presses I examined, together with a sunflower, six-point star, and delicate floral wreath. This cookie press is good for severe dwelling bakers who make quite a lot of pressed baked items, each savory and candy. 

What we didn’t like: The physique of the press is just not clear, so it’s powerful to know if you’re operating low on dough. 

Key Specs

• Supplies: Aluminum 
• Kind of press: Lever-style 
• Variety of discs: 20 
• Storage included?: No

What we appreciated: I’ll be frank—this was one in all my least favourite cookie presses for cookies. It solely has 5 designs to work with on its “design slider” (there are not any discs) and the twist type of allotting made for very inconsistent cookies. However whereas lots of the different presses struggled with the thick cheese straw dough, Fante dealt with it superbly. With some finessing, twist allotting gave me numerous lengthy, skinny straws with none breakage. That is the cookie press for cheese straw fans. 

What we didn’t like: The press’s size of almost 10 inches (not together with the twist deal with) and weight (shut to 2 kilos when stuffed) made it more durable to deal with. You’ll have to apply protecting the press related to the baking sheet and dealing from the again of the sheet to the entrance with the intention to scale back hand fatigue and get even, straight cookies or straws.

Key Specs

• Supplies: Chrome steel 
• Kind of press: Rotating deal with 
• Variety of discs: None; this press has a sliding plate of designs 
• Storage included: No

The Competitors

• Wilton Easy Success Cookie Press: This reasonably priced cookie press did decidedly nicely with spritz cookie dough and was simple to wash. But it surely didn’t embody a star tip and will barely dispense cheese straw dough. 
• Kuhn Rikon Clear Cookie Press: I very a lot appreciated the storage case that got here with this press. Whereas the steel discs helped it with particulars on pressed cookies, the trigger-style deal with was inconsistent in allotting. 
• Nordic Ware Deluxe Adorning Set: This cookie press seemed, felt, and carried out poorly. The plastic lever appeared prefer it may crack beneath stress in the course of the spritz check. 
• De Purchaser Pastry Press: When you may see this type of press in skilled kitchens, it was cumbersome and laborious to make use of when stuffed. The upright set off dispenser was troublesome to press and information. 

FAQs

How do you employ a cookie press?

Most cookie presses are used for allotting creamy all-butter cookie doughs. You fill the barrel of the cookie press with dough, select a disc in your most well-liked design, and set it in place earlier than screwing on a coupler or cap. The dough is then disbursed instantly onto a baking sheet utilizing a lever or set off. The press may be refilled many instances within the baking course of earlier than being cleaned. 

How do you clear a cookie press?

Most cookie presses ought to solely be hand-washed to extend their longevity. Fully disassemble the press and wash with dish cleaning soap and water, then air dry earlier than storing. (That stated, it’s value noting that my husband by accident put all the cookie presses I examined within the dishwasher and none had been broken within the course of.) 

What can you employ in the event you don’t have a cookie press? 

Comply with your particular recipe for recommendation on baking with no cookie press for the most effective outcomes. Many butter cookie recipes may be piped onto parchment paper with a robust piping bag and tip; For cheese straws, the dough may be rolled out and minimize into squares with a small cookie cutter. 

Can you employ a cookie press for frosting?

In concept, sure! However not all cookie presses include piping ideas and lots of have a restricted allotting mechanism that makes piping lengthy swirls of icing almost not possible. 

Why We’re the Consultants

• Meghan Splawn is a contract meals author and recipe developer who has labored in meals media since 2006. 
• Her work contains 10 years within the check kitchen with Alton Brown.
• She’s been attempting to find the proper cookie press for over 10 years and after testing 4 batches of spritz cookies (120 cookies!) she’s lastly prepared to purchase herself a brand new one.