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Allow me to set the scene: You’re rolling out dough for that double-crust fruit pie and it’s all going wrong. In the process of trying to simultaneously create a perfect round while reaching that oh-so-delicate ⅛" thickness, you’ve found yourself with a too-thick-here, too-thin-there slab that’s practically melting in the summer heat, leaking butter every which way. Before you know it you’re folding the whole thing in on itself and contemplating giving up entirely, all the while wishing you’d opted for that press-in graham cracker crust instead.
We—and by we, I mean I—have all been there. The truth is, a uniformly level dough of any kind is no easy task even for the most experienced bakers, and sometimes the best rolling pin can’t save your dough from disaster. But if your dough-rolling woes typically stem from trying to achieve a specific thickness, there’s a solution for you: rolling pin spacers.
They may look like extra-thick rubber bands, but don’t be fooled: These spacers are your ticket to expertly rolled pie dough, wafer-thin sugar cookies, patisserie-level pastry, and the smoothest sheets of fondant. Here’s how they work: Attach one spacer to each end of your rolling pin (that’s it!). This little device creates a consistent amount of space between the pin and your rolling surface, which equals even dough all around. Some brands have incorporated this function into their rolling pin design, but the great thing about buying a pack of spacers is that it allows you to achieve the same effect as those specialized models while using whatever rolling pin you already have—and it’ll set you back all of $10.
The spacers will work just fine with any straight-sided handled or dowel-style rolling pin, but you’ll need to make sure to check that the spacers you choose fit that pin’s diameter—you’ll find options for rolling pins up measuring between 2 and 4 inches. And while we’re typically team French-style, tapered rolling pin here at Epi, this is one instance in which only a non-tapered pin will do. You need the uniformity of those straight sides to let the spacers work their magic: Without it, the thicker middle section of the tapered pin may roll into the negative space that’s meant to act as a level-maintaining buffer for the dough and ultimately result in an inconsistent surface.
Does everyone need a pack of rolling pin spacers? No, not really. But if you regularly find yourself working with doughs that rely on a consistent thickness for success, if rolling out extremely even pie crusts is your idea of a kitchen nightmare, or if you’re the type to take a tape measure to your sugar cookies just because, do yourself a favor and add a set of spacers to your pastry toolkit. Your baked goods will thank you.
