The community over at 'What is My Cookie Cutter?' says there are no wrong answers to the question, and, as you can see from the pictures, the members eventually started to respond to prompts by uploading whimsical drawings of what a particular cookie cutter might be.
“In the early days, there was a very specific purpose for this sub, which was to identify the shapes of the more unique cookie cutters out there,” Tes Reilly from Washington, D.C., an avid cookie decorator and one of seven current moderators of the subreddit, told The New York Times. “It was practical.”
But now, “people are not here because they are avid users of cookie cutters with pressing questions,” Reilly, a doctoral candidate in media psychology, explained, “but because the drawings are hilarious, the inside jokes are comforting, the attitude is always positive and despite its size or form, it is a very real, very meaningful community.”
One spent so much time finding a way to draw the state of Wyoming into virtually every shape posted that she felt obligated to issue a formal farewell last month when the subreddit became too much of a distraction. “I’m saddened to announce that I won’t be doing any more Wyoming posts,” she wrote. “But I’ll definitely still visit.” The post received thousands of upvotes and hundreds of comments.
“Reddit and Reddit users in general get a bad rep on other social media platforms, but this subreddit proves just how wholesome users can be,” said Angelina Cannon, who lives in Middlesex County, N.J., who did not have much baking experience, but was drawn to the subreddit after following similar identification forums, such as 'What is this Thing?'
“I really wasn’t expecting all the art when I joined, but it definitely kept me interested,” she said.
#10 I Work At A Bakery, I Don’t Even Know What These Are Supposed To Be
#12 Ok I’m Stumped. This Was In A Bag Of Cutters I Have Otherwise Identified. It Looks Like A Kitchen Aid To Me Without The Bowl But That’s Dumb So Am Hoping For Some Better Ideas!
There are a few rules though, with the most important ones including one that says every post must be cookie-cutter related and another prohibiting the sale of cookie cutters.
The moderators looking after the sub try to keep it clean without interfering with the members' fun and games.
“I’ve been part of some communities where the moderators are too hard or strict,” said Garyn Greene of Ohio, who joined the mod team after noticing the subreddit’s rising popularity. “I like making sure it’s whatever the community wants it to be.”
Much like unwrapping presents on Christmas morning, discovering the dubious utensils and people's interpretations of what they might represent brings a special kind of festive cheer—you just never know what you're going to get next. So as we close the lid on this delightful cookie jar, let's hope more interesting mysteries await us in 2024!
