If you are reading this blog, then you understand WHY you need a cookie machine. Either you need help speeding up production to keep up with demand, or you are looking to automate production and save time and money on labor costs. No matter the reason for needing one, choosing the right cookie machine can be a daunting task. With a variety of different machines available, each with their own unique capabilities, it's essential to understand your needs and what each machine can provide in order to make the decision that is best for you and your bakery. In this guide, we'll explore the different types of cookie machines and help you determine which one is best for reaching your baking goals and production demands.

Types of Cookie Machines:

It is first important to fully understand all of the types of depositing to know if these machines are capable of producing the types of cookies on your bakery menu. This is the first step in knowing which cookie machine is right for me.

  1. Stationary Drop Depositing: These types of machines deposit uniform portions of dough onto baking sheets with precision and efficiency. Stationary drop depositing is ideal for classic drop cookies, macarons, cream puffs, and more! Stationary drop machines are also used for depositing cake and muffin batters into tins for cupcakes and muffin production. They can also help evenly and efficiently deposit sheet cakes.
  2. Wire-cut Depositing: If your bakery is looking for a quicker and more efficient way to deposit chocolate chip cookies, linzers and custom-shaped cookies? Then your bakery needs a cookie machine with wire-cut capabilities. Custom dies and moulds allow you to produce cookies of just about any shape. These machines are perfect for speciality cookie bakeries that offer customization options to their customers. They also make the perfect machine option for those looking to automate the classics such as chocolate chip and linzer cookies.
  3. Rotary Drop Cookie Machines: Rotary drop cookies help bakers automate twist-style cookies with ease. Twist cookies are time-consuming to pipe by hand and consistency is quite difficult to achieve. With a rotary drop cookie machine, bakers can automate the production of these twist cookies with the highest precision. These machines are perfect for make the wide variety of Italian cookies that are so popular with customers.

Factors to Consider

Once you understand the type of cookie depositor you need, there are a variety of other factors to consider in choosing the right machine for your bakery. Some of those factors include:

  • Production Capacity: Assess how much your bakery is currently producing daily, and how much its needs to produce to keep up with demand or to make extra income. Then choose a cookie machine that can meet your output requirements without compromising quality.
  • Space Constraints: Consider the available space in your bakery. For smaller bakeries that may not have room for bigger pieces of equipment, Empire offers tabletop cookie depositor models that fit right on top of a counter or on a stand that can be easily rolled away when not in use.
  • Budget: If you are looking into automating your cookie production, then you should have some sort of budget to spend on a machine. What's important, however, is making sure you choose a machine that offers the best value for your investment. A good cookie machine will allow you to make more cookies, keep up with demand, and cut costs on labor, effectively paying for itself long term.
  • Versatility: Evaluate the versatility of each cookie machine and assess whether it can accommodate your current product range as well as any future expansion plans. If your bakery offers a wide variety of cookies, or you are looking to add more items to your menu, then you will need a cookie machine that can handle it all.

Choosing the right cookie machine is crucial for optimizing your bakery's efficiency, productivity, and profitability. When you understand the different types of cookie machines that are available to you and factors such as production capacity, space constraints, budget, and versatility, you can now make an informed decision that aligns with your baking goals and business objectives. Whether you're a small artisanal bakery or a large-scale food manufacturer, there's a cookie machine out there that's perfect for you.