What Size Cookie Cutter Should I Buy?

What Size Cookie Cutter Should I Buy? How to Choose the Right Size

One of the questions I get asked most often is, “What size cookie cutter should I buy?” Is a 3.5 inch cookie cutter considered regular size? Is 4 inches too big? And what’s the difference between Small, Medium, and Regular anyway?

I’ve been baking decorated sugar cookies since 2017 and designing cookie cutters for Brighton Cutters since 2018. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that choosing the right cookie cutter size isn’t as simple as picking a measurement. The shape of the cookie, how you plan to decorate it, and even the box you’re packaging it in can all make a difference.

I want to share how I personally choose sizes when designing cookie cutters, along with a few tricks I’ve learned that can help you find the right size for your next cookie project.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Starset decorated by me in 2019

What Is a Standard Size Cookie Cutter?

If you’re looking for a standard size cookie cutter, my recommendation is to start with our Regular size. When I design a new cookie cutter for Brighton Cutters, I choose the size that I think works best for that particular shape. That’s what I call Regular, and it’s the size I would personally use if I were making a set of decorated sugar cookies.

For many shapes, Regular falls somewhere around 3.25 to 3.5 inches, but that’s not a rule. Some shapes need to be larger or smaller to make a cookie that looks good, is easy to decorate, and isn’t too fragile.

Here’s how I generally recommend choosing between our sizes:

• Mini: Perfect for bite sized cookies, mini cookie sets, advent calendars, and cookie platters.
• Small: A smaller than average cookie. If you specifically want small cookies, this is a good option.
• Medium: Slightly smaller than Regular. Great if you prefer your decorated cookies a little smaller than I do!
• Regular: My recommended size for most decorated sugar cookies. This is where I’d suggest starting.
• Large: Perfect if you prefer bigger cookies or want more room for decorating.

One thing to remember is that these size names are relative to each individual design. A Regular crayon cookie cutter might be much taller than a Regular circle, and there’s a good reason for that.

Why Cookie Cutter Shape Matters More Than You Think

Two cookie cutters with the same measurements can make cookies that feel completely different in size. For example, imagine a 3.5 inch square and a 3.5 inch circle. Both measure 3.5 inches across, but the square has more surface area, so it’s going to make a noticeably bigger cookie.

Now imagine a 3.5 inch crayon. Because it’s long and skinny, that cookie is going to feel much smaller than either the circle or square. This is why I don’t design every Regular cookie cutter to be exactly 3.5 inches.

Here are a few examples from my own designs that help explain how I make those decisions.

Why My Pill Cookie Cutter Is So Small

Our pill shaped cookie cutter is a great example of how sizing can work differently depending on the shape. We offer it in four sizes:

• Itty Bitty: 1 inch
• Mini: 1.5 inches
• Small: 2 inches
• Large: 2.5 inches

Notice there’s no Regular size! For most cookie cutter shapes, 2 inches would be considered a Mini. But when you’re making pill shaped cookies, you probably don’t want them to be huge. If you’re looking for a tiny pill cookie, the 1 inch Itty Bitty or 1.5 inch Mini makes more sense.

Even our 2 inch Small pill cookie cutter makes a fairly substantial cookie. And at 2.5 inches, a pill shaped cookie is actually pretty big! That’s why I intentionally label the 2.5 inch version Large. I want customers to understand that even though 2.5 inches might sound small compared to a typical decorated sugar cookie, it’s a large size for this particular shape.

For this design, what I would consider a normal size pill cookie is probably one of the Mini or Small options. It’s a good example of why I don’t assign the same measurements to every size category. What feels like a Mini for one shape might feel like a Regular or even a Large for another.

Nurse Set decorated by The Graceful Baker and featuring our Pill Cookie Cutter

Why My Regular Crayon Cookie Cutter Is Over 5 Inches Tall

Our Regular crayon cookie cutter is 5.13 inches tall. That might sound huge if you’re used to buying 3.5 inch cookie cutters, but there’s a reason I designed it that way.

A crayon is a long, narrow shape. If I made it only 3.5 inches tall, it would be so skinny that there wouldn’t be much cookie to decorate. It would also be more fragile and easier to break. Making it taller gives the cookie a better overall size and makes it more practical for decorating. So even though it’s over 5 inches tall, I still consider that the Regular size for that particular shape.

Crayon cookies decorated by Designer Cookies>

Why Some Detailed Cookie Cutters Need to Be Larger

Another example is our Arlo’s Cookies Party Animal collection. Some of the designs in that collection are quite large, and that’s intentional. They have details and delicate areas that would be difficult to decorate if the cookies were much smaller.

Making those designs larger gives you more room to work with royal icing and helps make the finished cookies less fragile. Sometimes choosing a larger size is what makes a detailed design practical to decorate.

Party Animals decorated by Arlos Cookies

The Biggest Mistake People Make When Choosing Cookie Cutter Sizes

One of the most common sizing mistakes I see is customers choosing a size based on the number alone. They know they usually like 3.5 inch cookies, so they automatically choose 3.5 inches for every shape. But as we’ve just discussed, a 3.5 inch circle and a 3.5 inch crayon are two very different cookies.

Another thing that happens more often than you might think is someone ordering a Small cookie cutter and then emailing me because it’s too small. And I’m always thinking, well... you ordered the Small! That’s why we call it Small! 😂

All joking aside, I understand why this happens. When you’re shopping online, it’s difficult to visualize the actual size of something, especially when the shape isn’t a simple circle or square. That’s why I recommend paying attention to both the size name and the actual dimensions listed on the product page.

If you’re shopping at Brighton Cutters and aren’t sure which size to choose, Regular is usually a safe place to start when it’s offered. I’ve already put thought into what I believe is the most practical size for each design. Of course, you might prefer your cookies a little smaller or larger than I do, and that’s exactly why we offer different sizes.

How We Measure Our Cookie Cutters

One thing that’s important to understand when shopping for cookie cutters is how we measure them. At Brighton Cutters, the dimensions listed on our website refer to the shape that the cookie cutter cuts out of your dough. They are not the outside dimensions of the cookie cutter or its wider plastic edge. So if a cutter is listed as 3 inches wide, the dough shape it cuts out will be approximately 3 inches wide before baking.

We measure each shape in the same orientation shown in our product images. Imagine a snug rectangle around the dough shape. The height is the distance from the top of that rectangle to the bottom, measured straight up and down. The width is the distance from the left side of the rectangle to the right, measured straight across.

You wouldn’t draw a diagonal line between the highest and lowest points or between two wide points on an angled shape. Those points might not line up directly with one another, which is why imagining the rectangle helps. You’re measuring the overall space the shape takes up from top to bottom and side to side.

The reason I measure this way is because I want you to know how much space your cookies will take up, especially if you’re planning to package them in a specific box. For example, if you’re using a 4 x 4 inch box, knowing the height and width of your dough shape helps you work out whether the finished cookie will fit. Just remember to allow a little extra room for spreading during baking, cellophane bags, and any other packaging.

So, What Size Cookie Cutter Should You Buy?

If you’re making a standard set of decorated sugar cookies, my recommendation is to start with Regular when that size is available. That’s the size I’ve chosen for each design based on what I think makes the best overall cookie.

But don’t get too caught up in the idea that every cookie needs to be 3.5 inches. A long, skinny shape might need to be 5 inches tall to make a good cookie, while a pill shaped cookie might be perfectly sized at just 1.5 inches.

If you’re planning cookies for a specific box or platter, think about how they’ll fit together before ordering. Some decorators love big cookies with lots of room for detail, while others prefer smaller cookies that are quicker to decorate and easier to package.

There’s no single perfect cookie cutter size for every shape or every decorator. Hopefully, these tips make your next cookie cutter purchase a little easier. And if you’re ever unsure which size to order, feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to help you find the right size for your cookies!

Happy decorating!

Amanda
Brighton Cutters