A cookie scoop is a small disher: a stainless steel bowl with a spring-loaded blade that sweeps the dough out when you squeeze the handle. Its job is to make every portion the same, so a tray of cookies bakes evenly and a batch of dough gives the number of cookies the recipe promised. In a restaurant kitchen the same tool portions masa, meatballs, rice and batters, which is why dishers come in numbered sizes.
This guide names seven cookie scoops worth buying from OXO, King Arthur Baking and Fat Daddio’s, from a 1-tablespoon scoop for two-bite cookies to a 4-tablespoon scoop for jumbo ones. It also explains what the disher numbers mean and why two scoops with the same number can hold different amounts.
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Quick verdict: which cookie scoop to buy
The best cookie scoop for most bakers is the OXO Good Grips Large Cookie Scoop: a size 20 stainless scoop that holds 3 tablespoons, with grippy squeeze handles and a wiper that releases dough cleanly. It won America’s Test Kitchen’s portion scoop review. For standard-size cookies, buy its sibling, the OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop (size 40, 1.5 tablespoons).
Five cookie scoops side by side
Our five standout scoops, one for each kind of baker. All seven are reviewed in full below.
| Scoop | Best for | Capacity (stated) | Dishwasher-safe | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
OXO Good Grips Large Cookie ScoopBest overall
|
Large cookies, meatballs | 3 Tbsp, size 20 | Yes | View on Amazon |
OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie ScoopBest for standard cookies
|
Everyday drop cookies | 1.5 Tbsp, size 40 | Yes | View on Amazon |
King Arthur Tablespoon Cookie ScoopBest small scoop
|
Two-bite cookies, mini scones | Rounded tablespoon | Yes | View on Amazon |
King Arthur 4-Tablespoon Cookie ScoopBest for jumbo cookies
|
Jumbo cookies, muffins | 4 rounded Tbsp | Yes | View on Amazon |
Fat Daddio’s No. 40 Stainless Steel Cookie ScoopBest all-steel
|
High-volume baking | 1 2/3 Tbsp, No. 40 | Yes; hand wash advised | View on Amazon |
Product images from Amazon. Sizes, capacities and care are as each maker or listing states them.
Our picks for the best cookie scoop
The seven scoops below cover the three sizes most recipes call for, plus a jumbo scoop, an all-steel commercial-style scoop and a silicone set. Each review gives the maker’s stated size and capacity, who the scoop suits and one honest reason to skip it. If you are still deciding on baking sheets, our guide to the best baking pan sets covers those.
1. OXO Good Grips Large Cookie Scoop – Comfortable Squeeze, Clean Release
OXO’s large scoop is a size 20 disher that holds 3 tablespoons of dough and makes cookies about 3.5 inches across, according to OXO. The bowl and the wiper that sweeps the dough out are stainless steel, and the squeeze handles are covered in OXO’s soft, non-slip grip and spring-loaded for leverage.
America’s Test Kitchen named it the winner of its portion scoop review. Its testers found the rubberized handles comfortable for different hand sizes, the spring had just the right amount of resistance, and it dispensed dough with the neatest and most controlled motion of the group. ATK also measured capacity, and the OXO’s matched its claim.
Three tablespoons is the size for large bakery-style cookies, and the same scoop portions meatballs for albóndigas or masa for sopes so they cook evenly. It is dishwasher safe.
Why we like it
- Winner of America’s Test Kitchen’s portion scoop review
- Holds 3 tablespoons, size 20, per OXO
- Squeeze handles with a soft, non-slip grip
- Stainless steel bowl and wiper; dishwasher safe
Key specifications
| Model | 1044082 |
|---|---|
| Size/disher # | Size 20 |
| Capacity (stated) | 3 Tbsp; 3.5-in cookies |
| Material | Stainless steel scoop and wiper, soft-grip handles |
| Release mechanism | Squeeze handles, spring-loaded wiper |
| Dishwasher-safe | Yes |
Why we recommend it
It suits bakers who make large cookies, muffins or meatballs and want the scoop with the best independent results.
Skip it if you mostly bake small or standard cookies; its medium and small siblings are the right sizes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Comfortable, controlled squeeze
- Capacity matched the claim in ATK’s review
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- Too large for standard cookies
- Soft grips can wear over time
- Squeeze-style takes a whole hand
2. OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop – The Everyday Cookie Size
The medium OXO is a size 40 scoop that holds 1.5 tablespoons and makes cookies about 2.75 inches across, according to OXO. It has the same stainless bowl and wiper and the same spring-loaded soft-grip handles as the large scoop.
America’s Test Kitchen rated it Highly Recommended alongside the winner. Its testers noted that it is sized for mini muffin cups and portions much more neatly than a tablespoon measure.
A tablespoon and a half is the size many drop-cookie recipes have in mind, and it is a good size for polvorones rolled into balls before baking, for mini muffins, and for small meatballs. If you only buy one scoop for cookies, this is the most useful size.
Why we like it
- Holds 1.5 tablespoons, size 40, per OXO
- Highly Recommended by America’s Test Kitchen
- Same comfortable squeeze handles as the winner
- Dishwasher safe
Key specifications
| Model | 1055893 |
|---|---|
| Size/disher # | Size 40 |
| Capacity (stated) | 1.5 Tbsp; 2.75-in cookies |
| Material | Stainless steel scoop and wiper, soft-grip handles |
| Release mechanism | Squeeze handles, spring-loaded wiper |
| Dishwasher-safe | Yes |
Why we recommend it
It suits home bakers who want one scoop for standard cookies, mini muffins and small meatballs.
Skip it if your recipes call for large bakery-style cookies; buy the large scoop instead.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Most useful cookie size
- Neater than spooning
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- Too small for jumbo cookies
- Soft grips can wear over time
- Needs a whole-hand squeeze
3. OXO Good Grips Small Cookie Scoop – A Level Tablespoon, Every Time
OXO’s small scoop is a size 70 disher that holds 1 tablespoon and makes cookies about 2 inches across, according to OXO. Like the others, it has a stainless steel bowl and wiper and spring-loaded, non-slip handles.
America’s Test Kitchen rated it Highly Recommended, noting a comfortable, generous handle and that it was faster and more accurate than a tablespoon measure. ATK suggests a 1-tablespoon scoop for profiteroles and gougères; it is also the size for bite-size cookies, truffles and portioning fillings.
The small size is where a scoop saves the most time, because portioning 60 tiny cookies with two spoons is slow and uneven. OXO’s listing names cookies and meatballs among its uses, and the title describes it as dishwasher safe.
Why we like it
- Holds 1 tablespoon, size 70, per OXO
- Highly Recommended by America’s Test Kitchen
- Generous handle for a small scoop
- Stainless bowl and wiper
Key specifications
| Model | 1044083 |
|---|---|
| Size/disher # | Size 70 |
| Capacity (stated) | 1 Tbsp; 2-in cookies |
| Material | Stainless steel scoop and wiper, soft-grip handles |
| Release mechanism | Squeeze handles, spring-loaded wiper |
| Dishwasher-safe | Yes, per the listing title |
Why we recommend it
It suits bakers who make small cookies, truffles or choux pastry and want even, fast portions.
Skip it if you want one all-purpose scoop; the medium covers more recipes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Fast, accurate small portions
- Comfortable handle
- Matches the larger OXO scoops
Cons
- Only for small portions
- Dishwasher claim only in the title
- Soft grips can wear over time
4. King Arthur Tablespoon Cookie Scoop – A Rounded Tablespoon from a Baking Company
King Arthur Baking, the flour company, sells its own line of scoops sized in tablespoons rather than disher numbers. Its tablespoon scoop holds a rounded tablespoon, according to the listing, which is a little more than the level tablespoon of OXO’s small scoop. It is made of 18/8 stainless steel and BPA-free, PFAS-free plastic and measures 7.44 by 2.99 by 1.35 inches.
The handle is spring-loaded, and the scraper releases dough with minimal sticking, per King Arthur. The size is marked on the handle, which helps when you own more than one scoop. King Arthur lists drop cookies, mini scones, pancakes, muffins and biscuits among its uses, plus truffles, meatballs and pastry fillings.
Because King Arthur sizes its scoops to match its own recipes, it is a natural choice if you bake from King Arthur’s recipe library. It is dishwasher safe. We found no independent test of King Arthur’s scoops.
Why we like it
- Holds a rounded tablespoon, per King Arthur
- 18/8 stainless steel
- Size marked on the handle
- Dishwasher safe
Key specifications
| Model | 50659K |
|---|---|
| Size/disher # | Tablespoon; disher number not stated |
| Capacity (stated) | 1 rounded Tbsp |
| Material | 18/8 stainless steel, BPA-free plastic |
| Release mechanism | Spring-loaded squeeze handle and scraper |
| Dishwasher-safe | Yes |
Why we recommend it
It suits bakers who follow King Arthur recipes or want a small scoop with the size printed on it.
Skip it if you want a scoop with independent test results; the OXO small scoop has them.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Clearly marked size
- Good-grade stainless steel
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- “Rounded” capacity is not exact
- No disher number given
- No independent test found
5. King Arthur 4-Tablespoon Cookie Scoop – Jumbo Cookies and Muffins
For cookies bigger than OXO’s large scoop makes, King Arthur’s 4-tablespoon scoop holds 4 rounded tablespoons of dough, according to the listing. It is built like the tablespoon scoop, from 18/8 stainless steel and BPA-free plastic, with a spring-loaded handle and scraper, and it measures 8.23 by 3.4 by 1.55 inches.
King Arthur names jumbo cookies, scones, muffins and cupcakes as its main uses, plus large biscuits, whoopie pies, meatballs and mashed potatoes. A scoop this size is also handy for filling standard muffin cups evenly, so they dome and bake at the same rate.
It is dishwasher safe, and the size is marked on the handle. A scoop this large takes more grip strength to squeeze through stiff dough; let refrigerated dough soften a little first.
Why we like it
- Holds 4 rounded tablespoons, per King Arthur
- Fills muffin cups evenly
- 18/8 stainless steel
- Dishwasher safe, size marked on handle
Key specifications
| Model | 50671K |
|---|---|
| Size/disher # | 4 Tbsp; disher number not stated |
| Capacity (stated) | 4 rounded Tbsp |
| Material | 18/8 stainless steel, BPA-free plastic |
| Release mechanism | Spring-loaded squeeze handle and scraper |
| Dishwasher-safe | Yes |
Why we recommend it
It suits bakers who make jumbo cookies, scones or a lot of muffins and cupcakes.
Skip it if you bake standard cookies; the portions are larger than most recipes expect.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Large, even portions
- Doubles as a muffin scoop
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- Harder to squeeze through stiff dough
- Too big for most cookie recipes
- No independent test found
6. Fat Daddio’s No. 40 Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop – Welded, All-Steel Construction
Fat Daddio’s builds its cookie scoops entirely from 304 stainless steel that is never plated, from the cast hex handle to the thumb-press lever, bowl and sweeper. The stem is welded to the bowl rather than glued, so there is no glued joint to work loose, according to the maker. The No. 40 holds 1 2/3 tablespoons (25 ml) and makes a cookie about 3 inches across.
That capacity is a good example of why disher numbers are only a guide: Fat Daddio’s No. 40 is listed at 1 2/3 tablespoons, OXO’s size 40 at 1.5. Neither is wrong; check the stated volume against your recipe.
America’s Test Kitchen tested Fat Daddio’s larger SCTP-24 scoop and rated it Recommended with Reservations: it dispensed cleanly, but the thumb-press lever jutted out too far for testers with smaller hands and the metal handle got slippery with butter. The same design applies here. Fat Daddio’s says it is dishwasher safe but recommends hand washing.
Why we like it
- All 304 stainless steel, never plated
- Welded stem, no glued joint
- Holds 1 2/3 tablespoons, per Fat Daddio’s
- Dispensed cleanly in ATK’s review of the larger size
Key specifications
| Model | SCTP-40 |
|---|---|
| Size/disher # | No. 40 |
| Capacity (stated) | 1 2/3 Tbsp (25 ml); 3-in cookies |
| Material | 304 stainless steel throughout |
| Release mechanism | Thumb-press lever and sweeper |
| Dishwasher-safe | Yes; hand washing recommended |
Why we recommend it
It suits bakers who portion large batches and want a scoop with no plastic parts or glued joints to fail.
Skip it if you have small hands or bake with buttery dough; ATK found the lever long and the steel handle slippery.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Built entirely of stainless steel
- Welded, not glued
- Clean release
Cons
- Thumb-press lever is long for small hands
- Steel handle slippery with butter
- Hand washing recommended
7. OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Silicone Cookie Scoop Set – Three Sizes with a Press Release
If you want all three common sizes at once, OXO also sells a set of press-release scoops: small (1 tablespoon), medium (1.5 tablespoons) and large (3 tablespoons), according to the listing. Instead of squeezing a pair of handles, you press to push the dough out, and the three scoops hang together on a storage loop.
OXO describes a durable head that cuts through dough and comfortable, non-slip handles, and says the scoops are dishwasher safe. The sizes match OXO’s stainless squeeze scoops, so recipes written for those work with these.
This set is a different design from the stainless scoops that won ATK’s review, and we found no independent test of it. Buy it for convenience and the three sizes, not because it outperforms the squeeze-handle OXO scoops.
Why we like it
- 1, 1.5 and 3-tablespoon scoops in one set
- Simple press release
- Storage loop keeps them together
- Dishwasher safe
Key specifications
| Model | 11386800 |
|---|---|
| Size/disher # | Small, medium, large; disher numbers not stated |
| Capacity (stated) | 1 Tbsp, 1.5 Tbsp, 3 Tbsp |
| Material | Silicone (per the listing); other materials not stated |
| Release mechanism | Press release |
| Dishwasher-safe | Yes |
Why we recommend it
It suits occasional bakers who want three sizes in one purchase and easy storage.
Skip it if you portion a lot of stiff dough; the stainless squeeze scoops are the proven choice.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Three sizes at once
- Stores together
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- No independent test found
- Materials only partly stated
- Not a commercial-style disher
Disher numbers and tablespoons: reading scoop sizes
Commercial dishers are numbered by how many level scoops fill a quart, so the higher the number, the smaller the scoop. A quart is 64 tablespoons, which makes a size 20 about 3.2 tablespoons, a size 40 about 1.6, and a size 70 a little under 1. Restaurants color-code the handles so a cook can grab the right size without reading it.
In practice the numbers are only approximate. America’s Test Kitchen measured scoops sold as the same size and found capacities that varied by as much as a tablespoon, and it advises checking the stated volume rather than trusting the number. Our picks show the same thing on paper: OXO lists its size 40 at 1.5 tablespoons, Fat Daddio’s its No. 40 at 1 2/3.
| Disher number | Approximate volume (64 Tbsp per quart) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Size 16 | 4 Tbsp | Jumbo cookies, muffins |
| Size 20 | About 3.2 Tbsp | Large cookies, meatballs |
| Size 30 | About 2 Tbsp | Medium-large cookies |
| Size 40 | About 1.6 Tbsp | Standard cookies, mini muffins |
| Size 60 | About 1 Tbsp | Small cookies, truffles |
| Size 70 | Just under 1 Tbsp | Bite-size cookies, choux |
Makers state their own capacities, which can differ from this arithmetic. To check a scoop at home, fill it level with water and pour it into a tablespoon measure, or weigh a few portions of dough on a kitchen scale.
How to choose a cookie scoop
Size. Match the scoop to what you bake most. A 1.5-tablespoon (size 40) scoop covers most drop cookies; add a 3-tablespoon (size 20) for big cookies and muffins, and a 1-tablespoon scoop for small ones.
Stated capacity. Read the volume, not just the number, and compare it with your recipe. ATK found inaccurate scoops can change the number of cookies a batch makes.
Release. ATK’s testers preferred squeeze-style handles to thumb-press levers, especially levers angled out at 45 degrees or more, which were awkward for many hands. A moderate spring gives the most control.
Grip. Rubberized handles stayed secure with buttery dough in ATK’s review; bare metal and hard plastic got slippery.
Build and cleaning. A stainless bowl and wiper cut through stiff dough. Most of our picks are dishwasher safe; Fat Daddio’s recommends hand washing.
Polvorones, conchas and meatballs: a scoop beyond cookies
A scoop is one of the most useful portioning tools in a Mexican kitchen. Polvorones, the crumbly Mexican wedding cookies, are rolled into small balls before baking, and a 1- or 1.5-tablespoon scoop makes them all the same size. Concha dough can be portioned with a large scoop before shaping, and the same scoops portion albóndigas, sopes and the masa for gorditas so they cook through at the same rate.
For doughs you divide by weight on the counter, such as bolillos or tortillas, a bench scraper is the better tool. Line your sheets with parchment or silicone mats so scooped dough releases cleanly; our guide to baking pan liners covers both, and our guide to measuring cups helps you check a scoop’s real capacity.
How we picked these seven cookie scoops
We looked at scoops and dishers from OXO, King Arthur Baking, Fat Daddio’s, Zeroll, Vollrath, Winco, Hamilton Beach, Norpro and several seller brands, and kept only those showing as in stock on Amazon when we checked. Sizes and capacities are as each maker states them on the Amazon listing.
We read America’s Test Kitchen’s portion scoop review and cite it above. We could not open Serious Eats’ or Wirecutter’s coverage, so neither is cited. We have not used these scoops for this guide.
Several commercial dishers are left out for reasons ATK found. It rated Zeroll’s EZ Disher, Winco’s thumb-press disher and Vollrath’s NSF thumb-press disher Not Recommended, and Norpro’s Grip-EZ scoop Recommended with Reservations for a very stiff spring. Vollrath’s squeeze disher, which ATK did recommend, showed only limited stock on Amazon in the common cookie sizes (24, 40 and 60) when we searched, and Hamilton Beach’s dishers lacked clear release and capacity details. We avoided near-identical three-scoop sets from seller brands.
Cookie scoop questions, answered
What cookie scoop does America’s Test Kitchen recommend?
ATK’s winner is the OXO Good Grips Large Cookie Scoop, and it rated the OXO medium and small scoops Highly Recommended as well.
What is the best type of cookie scoop?
A stainless steel bowl with a sweeping wiper and squeeze-style, rubberized handles. ATK found thumb-press levers awkward and slippery handles hard to control.
What size cookie scoop should I buy first?
A 1.5-tablespoon (size 40) scoop, which suits most drop cookies. Add a 3-tablespoon scoop for large cookies and muffins.
What do the numbers on a cookie scoop mean?
The number of level scoops in a quart. Higher numbers are smaller scoops. Check the stated tablespoons too, since makers’ capacities for the same number differ.
Are cookie scoops dishwasher safe?
Most of the picks here are, per their makers. Fat Daddio’s says its scoop is dishwasher safe but recommends hand washing.
Our final pick for even cookies
Buy the OXO Good Grips Large Cookie Scoop for big cookies and the medium for everyday batches; they are the scoops with the best independent results. Add King Arthur’s 4-tablespoon scoop if you bake jumbo cookies and muffins.
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For spreading frosting on the finished cookies, see our guide to the best offset spatula. If you would rather leave dessert to our kitchen tonight, see the menu or call to order.