Smart Cookie Cutter Organization and Storage Ideas

For bakers, cookie cutters can bring a smile to your face faster than a plate of freshly baked goodness.

But that adorable collection can quickly turn into a tangled mess in your drawer, turning the delight of baking into a frustrating experience.

With a few simple strategies, you can transform your cookie decorating cutter supplies into an organized system of sweet satisfaction.

Let’s get to what you came for: really smart cookie cutter organization and storage ideas!

Gather All Cookie Cutters

First things first, gather your entire cookie cutter collection together in one location.

Empty drawers, rummage through cabinets – leave no cookie cutter left behind.

This initial excavation helps you assess the full scope of your collection and identify any duplicates (because let’s be honest, who needs three gingerbread men cookie cutters?).

Sort and Categorize

Now comes the fun part: sorting!

Here’s where you get to unleash your inner organizer and create categories of cookie cutters to help organize them.

Here are some popular categorization methods:

• By Season/Holiday: Group together holiday cutters like Halloween bats with spooky ghosts, and Christmas trees with jolly Santas.
  
  Separating out the specific holidays is a smart choice that lets you store the cutters smartly.
  
  More on that in a bit.
  
• By Theme: Animals, vehicles, alphabet letters – the possibilities are endless!
  
  Think about how you actually use the cookie cutters and group them together.
  
  Drill down into sub categories like Safari or Under the Sea if the main category is unwieldy.
  
• By Size: This is especially helpful if you have a mix of large and small cutters in the same category.

Resist the urge to create a “miscellaneous” bin – that’s the path to future chaos. 

Start by laying out all your cookie cutters on a large surface.

This will give you a clear view of what you have and this step is crucial if you have a lot of cookie cutter.

Categorizing helps you decide on the best storage solution and makes it easier to find what you need.


As you sort, be honest with yourself.

Are there any cookie cutters you just don’t use anymore?

Don’t be afraid to pass along to a fellow baker or donate it.

A smaller, more manageable collection is easier to keep organized and will be more fun in the long run.

Choose the Right Storage Solution

Once you have your cookie cutters organized by categories, it’s time to pick the perfect storage solution for your cookie cutter collection.

The best cookie cutter storage solution will depend on the number of cookie cutters in your collection in addition to the amount of space you have for it.

Here are some popular options:

Kitchen Drawer

If you have a spare kitchen drawer, use drawer dividers to create sections for different categories of cookie cutters.

This method keeps cutters flat and prevents them from getting bent or damaged.

And it allows you to stack the cookie cutters in the drawer and use the full depth to your advantage.

If you just have a few cookie cutters, you can store them in a lower drawer or further back in the drawer so they’re out of the way until you need to use them.

Who is this cookie cutter storage method is best for?

This method of storing cookie cutters is ideal for bakers who are baking on the regular (think weekly) or huge kitchens with lots and lots of drawer space.

If neither situation applies to you, another cookie cutter storage option is probably best for you.

Pegboards and Hooks

For those with available kitchen wall space or the back of a kitchen cabinet door, a pegboard is a creative way to display and organize cookie cutters.

Attach hooks to the pegboard and hang the cutters by category.

Consider hanging similarly shaped cutters on the same hook.

This will save space on the pegboard, allowing more cutters to fit, as well as make finding all of one type of cookie cutter, say circles for example, easier.

This method makes them easy to find and adds a decorative element to your kitchen.

If you bake a lot with the same cookie cutter shape, consider hanging those frequent flyers on a pegboard mounted inside a cabinet door for easy access.

A huge downside to this is that the cookie cutters will accumulate dust and kitchen grime if stored out in the open like this.

That’s why although I list this method as a possibility for storage, it’s not the preferred method.

The only exception is if you’re a professional baker and using the cutters at a high rate so that they’re not stored long, so dust doesn’t have a chance to collect.

Transparent Bins and Containers

Transparent plastic bins or containers with lids are ideal storage solution for grouping cookie cutter categories together.

Opt for stackable clear containers like these Iris cases to maximize space.

Use a smaller case for a smaller category of cutters.

If you have the height, you can stand the cases on the side and stack next to one another like books.

Storage containers that are about the size of shoe boxes are a great size and shape to hold a bunch of cookie cutters in a relatively compact space.

If you have a large collection of cookie cutters, like the small shapes that can be used for cookie cutters or fondant shapes, this set of shallow storage boxes is perfectly sized.

This storage container could also double as a a way to transport cookies when needed.

In my own kitchen, I store cookie cutters in a tall plastic bin that lives at the top of an upper kitchen cabinet.

I bake only seasonally, usually for the holidays, so this bin is big enough to hold my cookie cutter collection.

And it’s home at the top of the cabinet ensures it’s out of the way until I need it.

Glass Jar

For those who see their cookie cutters as part of their decor, consider displaying them in a lidded glass jar.

This not only makes the cookie cutters easily accessible but also adds a unique touch to your kitchen décor.

This cookie cutter storage system works well for smaller collections of decorative cutters.

Storage Drawers

If you’re luck enough to have a large pantry with ample shelving, storage drawers just might be the perfect solution to store different categories of cookie cutters.

There are different sizes and shapes of stackable drawer units that’ll accommodate your cutter collection:

This drawer set is a little more shallow, but wider, making it perfect for smaller cookie cutters.

And this storage drawer set is a bit taller, allowing room to store more in the drawer.

Choose the storage drawer that uses the full depth of the pantry shelf.

This allows you to optimize and maximize the shelf space and minimize the number of storage containers you need.

Decorative Tins

Functional and stylish, decorative cookie tins add a touch of whimsy to your kitchen and a hidden in plain sight storage option for your cookie cutters.

This blackboard style set of cookie tins is pretty fun!

This set of three Kate Spade nesting cookie tins is perfect for storing Christmas cookie cutters.

This cookie cutter storage option is best for a small to medium collections that are used frequently.

If the cookie cutters aren’t being used often, the countertop space is better used another way.

Ziplock bags

Zip-top bags are great for storing smaller cookie cutters that might otherwise get lost in the mix or fall to the bottom of a storage bin.

This method of storage is also good for keeping related cookie cutters grouped together.

Label Everything

Labeling is key to maintaining organization, especially when it comes to cookie cutters.

A label maker is your friend, but even a bit of washi tape and your best handwriting will do the trick.

Sometimes it’s super hard to tell what a particular shape will yield, so consider adding a tag to help identify the shape.

These white tags are actually meant to label plants and trees at nurseries, but will work perfectly to identify cookie cutters.

They’re easy to slip on and off and are permanent marker friendly.

The bottom line is that whether you’re using bins, drawers, or hanging solutions, clearly named labels help you quickly locate the cutter you need.

Don’t underestimate the power of a good label!

If you’ve opted to store the cookie cutters in one or more containers, clearly mark them with the category name.

So you always know where to find the right cookie cutter.

Choose a Storage Location

Once you’ve chosen your storage method, decide where the cookie cutters will live.

I’ve already gone over some of the best places to store the cookie cutters since the how and where of cookie cutter organization and storage is related.

But your individual needs may vary.

The main consideration to make when organizing and storing cookie cutters is to think about how you use your cookie cutters.

Do you bake for holidays?

Store those seasonal bins within easy reach during those times.

Everyday shapes?

Maybe a lower drawer is perfect.

Ultimately, feel free to mix the different storage solutions for a custom system that works for you and how you bake.

Maintain the System

The key to long-lasting organization for your cookie cutter collection is consistency and taking time to maintain the system you have.

Use the system you’ve set up and return the cookie cutters to their designated spot after each baking session.

Resist the urge to sweep the cutters into a drawer to put away later.

Putting the cookie cutters away properly ensures your system stays working and you’re always prepared for your next cookie-creating conquest.

Also, regularly go through your collection to remove any that are damaged or no longer needed.

Maybe you’ve used a particular cutter a lot and it’s no longer fun to bake with or decorate.

Pass it along to a fellow baking friend so they can get some joy from using it.

If you find that getting the cookie cutters back to their designated home is hard, this is a signal that it’s time to reconsider the storage method or location.

You may find that your needs, available space of baking tool usage has changed that merits changing how the cookie cutters are stored.

Over to you

Making cookies should be fun and managing your collection of cookie cutters is part of the process.

Organizing your cookie cutters doesn’t have to be a chore and really is a quick home organizing project that’ll make baking even more fun.

With the right storage solution and a bit of creativity, you can turn your cookie decorating collection into an organized, efficient, and even decorative part of your baking routine.

By following these simple steps, you can transform your cookie cutter collection from a disorganized jumble to a delightful eye pleasing kitchen enhancement.

For more on how to organize baking supplies, read this.

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