Can I use cookie cutter shapes in a frying pan? Was thinking how to spice up our pancakes and eggs for the little ones and remember seeing pancakes in various shapes before.  Do people put them right in the pan or bring them out and then cut them after they've been already cooked?  I was thinking the same possibility for eggs too.  Then I got to thinking whether or not it was safe to put them in the pan.  Let's assume I have cheapo dollar store shapes and not the higher end stainless steel ones.
In general places that do this with pancakes do not cut-out, but indeed use a mold or the like.  The scrambled eggs would likely look fine "cut", but part of a pancake is the edge, even if it is modified by touching the edge of the mold.

So long as the mold is metal, your dollar-store purchases should be fine.

You will likely need to oil/butter them in some way so that the product - batter or egg - does not stick to the metal itself.

I have myself used clean old tuna tins to make round "self-contained" fried eggs for a home version of a McMuffin.