The three Greatest Cookie Presses of 2024, Examined & Reviewed

Cookie presses are a revered baking software. Many homebakers covet their grandmother’s classic press that turned out good butter cookies and Christmas mints 12 months after 12 months.

I solely bear in mind my mother’s cookie press as an area hog at the back of a kitchen cupboard; She purchased it at a Pampered Chef occasion, 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 might have held onto that well-made basic. My circle of relatives loves vacation cookie baking and my prolonged Southern household has taught me the wonderful artwork of creating cheese straws at any time of 12 months. Evidently, I’ve spent a good bit of my grownup life searching for the right cookie press. I’ve used them in skilled kitchens and take a look at kitchens for years and at last set off on a quest to check seven of the highest-rated cookie presses out there to search out the easiest. 

The Winners, at a Look

OXO’s cookie press was the simplest 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 metallic discs yield clear shapes even on probably the most intricate designs. 

When you’re baking various batches of cheese straws or spritz cookies a 12 months and wish 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 tougher to press, it options design particulars (like two sizes of dough dosage and 20 discs) that severe dwelling bakers will recognize. 

This press was disappointing for spritz cookies, however it out-pressed each different mannequin for cheese straws. That is the very best software for the job if you happen to’re making giant batches of cheese straws or comparable baked items with thick dough and lengthy presses. 

The Exams

• Spritz Cookie Take a look at: 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 attainable, noting how simply every press distributed and what number of good cookies I might make with out errors. 
• Disc Swap Take a look at: Partway by every batch of cookies, I eliminated every press’s coupler and swapped the wreath discs for a extra intricate design to guage the benefit of switching discs.
• Cheese Straws Take a look at: I made a batch of cheese straws to fill and take a look at my favourite presses from the spritz cookie take a look at. Since among the presses failed instantly, I additionally retested two outliers (Fante’s Easy Cookie Press and the De Buyer Pastry Press) from the spritz cookie take a look at to discover a mannequin that labored greatest for giant batches of cheese straws. 
• Common Use and Care Take a look at: Whereas assembling and disassembling every press, I made notes on basic use: Was the press straightforward to take aside and put collectively? Was the set off straightforward to launch? I additionally famous how a lot residual dough was left in every press after it stopped shelling out, and the benefit of cleansing. 

What We Discovered

Lever Dispensers Had been Higher Than Set off Dispensers

Cookie presses have three kinds of dispensers: a set off deal with, a strain 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 have been a lot simpler on my palms and wrists, they usually have been extra correct when dosing dough. Set off-style shelling out (discovered on the Wilton Simple Success Cookie Press and Kuhn Rikon Clear Cookie Press) grew to become tiring shortly. Plus, a quicker squeeze dispenses much less dough than a sluggish one, which makes every cookie as totally different as every baker. A rotating deal with, just like the one discovered on Fante’s Easy Cookie Press, is right in order for you lengthy stretches of dough to dispense issues like churros and cheese straws. 

Steel Discs Had 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 occasion—so sharp discs are an necessary a part of a very good cookie press. There are some professionals and cons to different supplies (plastic or metal) for a press’s physique, however they don’t influence 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 straightforward 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 method plastic does. Steel discs made a lot tidier cookies and cheese straws than plastic ones due to their sharper edges. The Wilton Cookie Press and Nordic Ware Deluxe Decorating Set every had some professionals throughout testing, however their plastic discs created looser, much less intricate designs. 

Vast Openings Had been Useful for Filling With Dough

All the cookie presses we examined are stuffed on the disc finish of the press, because the shelling out plunger would in any other case be in the way in which. Whereas not one of the presses have been notably 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 profitable 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. 

Further Disc Designs Had been Extra Helpful Than Piping Suggestions

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). Nonetheless, the ensuing cookies have been tiny and inconsistent because of the presses’ shelling out mechanisms. You’re significantly better off investing in a number of piping tips and disposable piping luggage for cake adorning or deviled egg filling. Save your cookie press for cookies! That stated, a cookie press with a number of 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 

One of the best cookie presses have a lever-style dispenser to scale back wrist pressure and a large opening for filling the press and include not less than 12 metallic discs for various baked items. A high-quality cookie press is straightforward to disassemble from high to backside, making it less complicated to wash. A transparent plastic physique is nice for seeing how a lot dough you’ve left, however shouldn’t be required. Ideally, your cookie press will include a storage answer for the discs. 

Our Favourite Cookie Presses 

What we favored: With a non-slip coating on the deal with and tip, this lever-style cookie press was straightforward to make use of proper out of the field. Its smaller physique simply matches into the palms 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 only a few instances a 12 months. 

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 in a position to make use of the star disc from one other model’s press to check the OXO press with cheese straws, you might wish to hunt for an older mannequin of this press or select one other press if a star disc is crucial for you. 

Key Specs

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

What we favored:  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 right for severe dwelling bakers who make plenty of pressed baked items, each savory and candy. 

What we didn’t like: The physique of the press shouldn’t be clear, so it’s powerful to know once you’re working low on dough. 

Key Specs

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

What we favored: I’ll be frank—this was certainly one of 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 fashion of shelling out 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 shelling out gave me a number of lengthy, skinny straws with none breakage. That is the cookie press for cheese straw lovers. 

What we didn’t like: The press’s size of practically 10 inches (not together with the twist deal with) and weight (shut to 2 kilos when stuffed) made it tougher to deal with. You’ll have to follow maintaining the press linked to the baking sheet and dealing from the again of the sheet to the entrance as a way to cut back hand fatigue and get even, straight cookies or straws.

Key Specs

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

The Competitors

• Wilton Simple Success Cookie Press: This reasonably priced cookie press did decidedly effectively with spritz cookie dough and was straightforward to wash. However it 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 metallic discs helped it with particulars on pressed cookies, the trigger-style deal with was inconsistent in shelling out. 
• Nordic Ware Deluxe Decorating Set: This cookie press appeared, felt, and carried out poorly. The plastic lever appeared prefer it would possibly crack beneath strain throughout the spritz take a look at. 
• De Buyer Pastry Press: When you would possibly see this sort of press in skilled kitchens, it was cumbersome and laborious to make use of when stuffed. The upright set off dispenser was tough to press and information. 

FAQs

How do you utilize a cookie press?

Most cookie presses are used for shelling out 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 distributed instantly onto a baking sheet utilizing a lever or set off. The press could 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. Utterly 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 have been broken within the course of.) 

What can you utilize if you happen to don’t have a cookie press? 

Observe your particular recipe for recommendation on baking with no cookie press for the very best outcomes. Many butter cookie recipes could be piped onto parchment paper with a powerful piping bag and tip; For cheese straws, the dough could be rolled out and lower into squares with a small cookie cutter. 

Can you utilize a cookie press for frosting?

In idea, sure! However not all cookie presses include piping ideas and plenty of have a restricted shelling out mechanism that makes piping lengthy swirls of icing practically inconceivable. 

Why We’re the Specialists

• 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 take a look at kitchen with Alton Brown.
• She’s been looking for the right 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.