BUTLER TWP — Visions of decorated cookies cut in fancy shapes dance in the heads of would-be cookie bakers at this time of year.

However, it's tricky to make attractive Christmas cookies. Common pitfalls include varying thicknesses, dark bottoms, gooey icing, decorations falling off and squiggly piped icing.

Just before Christmas, students in the culinary program at Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School and Katie Collins, their baking and pastry arts instructor, make and sell about 865 dozen cookies.

Collins and her students offered tips for making better home-baked confections.

When rolling out dough, Collins said using a rolling pin with measuring guides will keep the thickness of each cookie the same.

Alternatively, she said to compare the rolled dough to a cookie cutter that is the desired thickness, often 1/8 or 1/4 inch.