Gifts for Bakers (that they’ll actually use)

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This gift guide for bakers includes the tools I use most regularly in my home kitchen. I aim to be a minimalist in terms of kitchen gear, but I either can’t imagine baking without these things or truly relish the bit of luxury it provides. For even more product recommendations, see my Amazon storefront. None of these products are sponsored, though with some links I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting this blog!


Digital Scales

Standard digital food scale: A digital scale is a must for any serious baker. Using a scale instantly improves accuracy and consistency; plus, it is cleaner and faster than measuring with volume cups. I have used an OXO digital scale for years and highly recommend it. My pick: OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull-Out Display


High precision scale: For bakers who work with measuring salt, yeast, and gelatin frequently, I also recommend a high precision scale. These highly sensitive scales will measure these ingredients accurately to the tenth of a gram. My pick: Starfrit T092726 High-Precision Scale, One Size, Silver


Sheet Pans

Quarter sheet pans: I use quarter sheet pans for everything from holding prepped ingredients to toasting nuts to baking off a test cookie (or two). Get a lidded one and they’re also a convenient cookie or brownie storage container. My pick: Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Quarter Sheet with Lid


Two-thirds sheet pans: Two-thirds sheet pans are the largest sheet pans that fit in standard home ovens (at least in North America), and I pull them out much more frequently than the standard half sheet pan. Use two-thirds sheet pans for anything from roasting turkeys to making an extra-large batch of cookies. My pick: Winware 2-Piece Sheet Pan, 16 x 22-Inch, Aluminum


Specialty pans

Pullman pan: I have long been a fan of this straight-sided loaf pan, not just for beautiful sandwich loaves but also for elegant loaf cakes and quick breads. My pick: USA Pan Bakeware Pullman Loaf Pan With Cover, 9 x 4 inch, Nonstick & Quick Release Coating, Made in the USA from Aluminized Steel


Bundt pan: Every baker needs at least one fancy bundt pan to make even the simplest pound cake an elegant affair. NordicWare makes the best quality bundt pans I’ve used — they come in a variety of beautiful shapes and sizes. My pick: Nordic Ware 75th Anniversary Braided Bundt Pan (large) or Nordic Ware Heritage Bundtlette Cake Pan, Metallic, Silver (mini)


Cookie scoops / dishers

Dishers are perfect for scooping out cookie dough or portioning out loose batters (think waffles, pancakes, cupcakes). These come in all sizes, but I especially like the 1/2 oz (for small cookies or filling tartlets) and the 1 5/8 oz (for cupcake batter and medium-size cookies). My picks: Vollrath 47402 Pink Handled .54 Ounce Squeeze Disher and Vollrath (47144) 1-5/8 oz Stainless Steel Disher – Size 20


Small pastry tools

Small offset spatula: Small but mighty, the 4.5″ offset spatula is one of my most frequently used kitchen tools. Perfect for leveling batter and icing cakes. My pick: Ateco 1385 Offset Spatula with 4.5-Inch Stainless Steel Blade, Wood Handle, 4.5 Inch, natural


Mini spatulas: How many mini spatulas does a baker need? At least one more than s/he has right now. These little guys are incredibly handy to have around — I use them for feeding my sourdough starter and scraping down pots and bowls, among a dozen other things. My pick: GIR: Get It Right Premium Silicone Spatula – Non-Stick Heat Resistant Kitchen Spatula – Perfect for Baking, Cooking, Scraping, and Mixing – Mini – 8 IN, Red


Bicycle cutter: OK, this one is a bit of a luxury but I love it so! Use this multi-wheeled cutter for evenly sized pie lattice strips, perfectly uniform pastries, or evenly dividing brownies. My pick: Ateco 7 Wheel Stainless Steel Cutter, 2 1/8 Inch Wheels


Graduated round cookie cutters: I love this versatile set for cutting out dough in various round sizes and scooting cookies into shape after baking. My pick: Round Cookie Biscuit Cutter Set, 12 Graduated Circle Pastry Cutters, Heavy Duty Commercial Grade 18/8 304 Stainless Steel Cookie And Dough Cutters


Mixers and small appliances

Stand mixer: My most beloved kitchen appliance. It has saved my wrists and hands by kneading enriched breads, whipping up egg whites, and creaming lots of butter and sugar. I personally use a 6-quart bowl lift style and appreciate the generous capacity. Yes, it’s an investment; but take good care of it and it’ll last you decades. My pick: KitchenAid KP26M1XMH 6 Qt. Professional 600 Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer – Milkshake Color


Hand mixer: Despite having a stand mixer, I still pull out my trusty hand mixer frequently for small batch baking and whipping up petite batches of cream or egg whites. My pick: KitchenAid KHM512WH 5-Speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer, White


Immersion blender: I like this budget-friendly immersion blender for making purees and emulsifying ganache and glazes. The mini food processor attachment is handy for chopping small quantities of nuts or herbs. My pick: Hamilton Beach 59765 Immersion Hand Blender with Blending Wand, Whisk and 3-Cup Food Chopping Bowl, 3-Piece, Silver and Stainless Steel


Thermometers

Oven thermometer: Most home ovens don’t run true-to-dial, and an oven thermometer is the only way you’ll know exactly what temperature you’re working with. I prefer a digital one for speed and ease of reading. My pick: The Thermoworks DOT thermometer paired with a high temp probe with grate clip.

Instant read thermometer: Fast and accurate digital probe thermometer for checking internal temperatures of baked goods and dough, or for monitoring temperatures during chocolate tempering or candymaking. My choice: Thermapen One

thermapen one

Bits and bobs

Fancy sprinkles: Luxe sprinkles can really make your special occasion baked goods pop! My pick: Sweetapolita

Gourmet tweezers: For perfectly placing aforementioned sprinkles and other delicate kitchen tasks. My pick: Wusthof Gourmet 8″ Pinzette, kitchen tweezer set

Campbell’s Dough Knife: This non-stick dough knife/bench scraper is the best I’ve ever used. Makes handling bread dough even more enjoyable! My pick: Campbell’s Dough Knife

Freshly milled flour: Organic freshly milled flour brings depth of flavor to any baked good, sweet or savory. My pick: Flourist Starter Flour Bundle or Flourist Specialty Flour Bundle

Pre-cut parchment paper: Having perfectly cut parchment paper to line my pans anytime I need them feels like such a luxury. My pick: Kana Goods 9″ Parchment Rounds, Kana Goods Half-Sheet Parchment

Baked to Order: My cookbook, with 60 sweet and savory recipes. I think it’s a great gift for bakers of any level (not that I’m biased or anything 😉 )! My pick: Baked to Order

5 thoughts on “Gifts for Bakers (that they’ll actually use)

  1. Workhorses of a baker’s kitchen for sure!! One thing I wanted to point out – the link to Campbell’s dough knife goes to the tweezers instead. Thanks for the rec for the small digital scale, I should invest in that. My salt measurements on the OXO scale for my bread recipes are always more estimates than exact measurements

  2. Wow, absolutely fantastic list. I’m actually the baker in the family so I always look at these for myself! And your collection here is truly one of the best I’ve seen — no silly towels or colorful bowls just for the heck of it. I’ve actually been shopping for tweezers to add sprinkles on cakes — I’m going to get your recommendation for myself. Thanks for all your time and thoughtfulness on this post!

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