The Genius Cookie-Rolling Trick We Wish We’d Known About Sooner

Many people love this time of year because it's prime baking season. While I love eating dessert as much as anyone else, I find myself hesitant to actually dive in and make those sweet homemade treats. My number one issue is definitely rolling out the dough—I hate the mess! Rolling out dough for pies and cookies sounds fun—until you’re covered in flour, the dough sticks to everything but the rolling pin and your perfect circles start looking like a misshapen blob.

Most recipes suggest flouring your countertop or rolling surface to keep your dough from sticking by creating a thin barrier between the dough and the work surface. The dough contains fats and liquids, which can cause it to adhere to counters, rolling pins and almost any other surface in your kitchen, making it difficult to work with. A light dusting of flour absorbs some of that moisture and helps prevent sticking, allowing you to roll out your dough more easily.

However, moderation is key when using this method. Too much flour can dry out the dough, altering its texture and potentially making your cookies or bread tougher than intended. The trick is to sprinkle flour evenly and lightly so that you have just enough to prevent sticking, but not so much that you ruin your recipe. You can even flour your rolling pin to avoid any sticky mishaps.

I'm not the biggest fan of the flour method because it's messy and I can never seem to get it right. Content creator @stephgigliotti shared a tip that seems so much easier and less messy. It's a trick that many professional bakers, including pastry pro and former Serious Eats Senior Editor Stella Parks, swear by and it's one you can easily incorporate into your own kitchen.

Related: The Genius Christmas Cookie Trick We Wish We'd Known About Sooner

Why You Should Chill Your Counters When Rolling Out Cookie Dough

Stephanie shared this tip in a round-up video of baking tips and while she had many great baking hacks, this one stood out the most for me. She said that the best way to avoid your dough becoming too sticky and messy is to freeze your countertop.

A chilled surface creates a better workspace for rolling out dough because it prevents the butter and other fats in the dough from melting, helping the dough retain its structure and making it easier to roll. Cold surfaces also reduce the chance of overworking the dough, which can happen when the dough sticks and needs frequent re-rolling. Less sticking means you use less flour, preserving the dough's texture and the flavor profile of your recipe.

Related: The Viral Recipe That Has Us Rushing Out to Buy Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough

How to Chill Your Counters

To create a chilled surface, place ice packs, bags of ice, or bags of frozen peas on your countertop for a few minutes before using the surface to roll out your dough. You can chill a wooden or laminate countertop, but it's not the ideal surface for this tip and it may not cool down as effectively as stone countertops. If you don't have a stone countertop, you can use a chilled marble board or pastry board, but you may have to roll out smaller amounts of dough depending on the board's size.

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