The Simple Rolling Hack That Prevents Infuriatingly Sticky Dough
We've all been there — the moment when you go to roll out your sugar cookie dough, ready with star stamps on deck, but the dough is sticking to everything in sight instead. And when this occurs, a sticky dough can be at best pesky and messy, and at worst impossible to work with.
While there are ways to prevent dough from becoming overly wet and cohesive, the simple truth is that sticky dough happens, even for the best bakers. Whether you're preparing to roll out cookie dough or make a homemade blackberry pie with fresh summer berries, if your pie dough turns out a bit gluey to the touch, have no fear.
When working with dough that is on the stickier side, you can prevent the dreaded situation where your dough is clinging to your hands, the table, and the rolling pin with one simple trick: sandwich your dough between two pieces of wax paper before rolling it out. The result is a seamless, mess-free roll-out without all the headaches.
How to cleanly roll out your dough
To prevent your cookie or pie dough from sticking, simply use wax paper as a protective barrier to cleanly roll out your dough. In this process, the dough is sandwiched between the wax paper sheets, leaving your surface and rolling pin dough-free.
First, cut out two large sheets of wax paper, making sure the sheets are large enough to support the expanded surface area of your dough as you roll it out. While wax paper is a favorite among bakers due to its slick surface, parchment paper will work well too. (Plastic wrap is a bit more unwieldy since it can stick to itself, but will also do in a pinch.)
Once you've cut your wax paper out, use a clean, moistened sponge or towel to lightly wet your working surface, just until damp. Then, place your bottom layer of wax paper on the damp surface — this will adhere the paper to the surface and prevent it from slipping around as you roll out your dough.
Next, place your dough on the paper and top it with the second sheet of paper. Then, use your palm to press into the wax paper-covered surface and flatten your ball of dough before using your rolling pin to roll it out into a thin sheet, all without touching your sticky dough directly.
Other ways to avoid sticky dough
There are a few things you can do to prevent your dough from becoming overly sticky in the first place. The key to achieving a dough that is workable and soft, but not sticky, is to make sure your moisture levels are right. If you notice your dough looks too wet before rolling it out, add a tablespoon or two more flour and knead or mix it into your dough. However, you'll want to be careful not to add too much extra flour, as that could throw off the ratio of flour to fat in your dough (which could result in a pie crust that is overly tough, not flaky).
You can also keep your ingredients, dough, work surface, and rolling pin very cold to prevent the butter from melting and making the dough sticky. However, even with the best troubleshooting tricks to prevent sticky dough, it can happen. While traditional roll-out methods call for sprinkling flour on work surfaces and onto your dough prior to rolling it out, adding too much flour onto pie dough can cause the surface of your favorite pie crust to become dry and cracked when baked.
If you ask us, the wax paper and rolling method is a foolproof way to prevent sticking with a variety of doughs. No matter the consistency of your dough, this method keeps surfaces and the rolling pin clean — a win-win, which will keep you whipping up all the inventive bakes this season.