While I would never dare audition for any Great National Bake-Off competition, the thought of a store-bought birthday cake does make me twitch. And I love having a variety of baked goods nestled in the freezer, ready to make a dessert tray at a moment’s notice.

I have certainly had my fair share of baking disasters. Having the right equipment, however, makes it a lot easier to get stiff egg-white peaks and non-soggy bottoms.

Big Spender

Kitchenaid Mixer

Honestly, I’ve never used another brand of stand mixer. My mom got her Kitchenaid when I was 8 years old. Decades later, it still works as well as the day she got it. The 5-quart size is great for frequent home bakers. I prefer the bowl-lift version to the tilt-head version. I have made my mixer work really hard on stiff doughs and never had any problems. There also are a wide variety of attachments that utilize the motor of the mixer: pasta rollers, meat grinders and vegetable spiralizers.

Yes, the Kitchenaid Mixer can take up a lot of space in the kitchen, but if you like to bake, it is well worth the investment.

Goldtouch Nonstick Loaf Pans

One of my favorite recipes to make is Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. What makes it truly drool-worthy is the perfectly caramelized crust it gets in these Goldtouch nonstick loaf pans. The only drawback to these pans is that the construction of them results in difficult-to-clean corners, but a wooden toothpick does the trick pretty well.

Cuisipro Measuring Cups and Spoons

It may seem ridiculous to spend $50 on a set of dry measuring cups and spoons, but as long as you don’t generally lose things, this will be the last set of dry measuring cups and spoons you will ever buy. What I like about this set is that the measurement is stamped into the stainless steel, so you never have to wonder if you grabbed the 1/3 cup or the ¼ cup. I also like that they are slimmer in shape so you can actually get any of the measuring spoons into a spice jar, except the tablespoon.


Great Value

Pyrex Measuring Cups

Pyrex glass measuring cups are my go-to for measuring wet ingredients, I use my 1 cup, 2 cup, or 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup. Probably any old measuring cup with a spout would do, but I like the feel of the Pyrex brand best.

USA Pan Bakeware

For generations, my family has made kuchen at Christmas. Unless you have South Dakota connections you probably wouldn’t have experienced the joy of a custard baked in a sweetbread crust. You can use any 9” glass or metal pie pan, but the USA Pan Bakeware 9” Aluminized Steel Pie Pan works perfectly.

Core Kitchen Pointed Spatula

I loathe wimpy spatulas. If the end of a spatula curls up and is only moderately effective at getting the brownie batter out of a bowl, I immediately throw it away. It also gets thrown out if it wilts at the sight of a hot pan. I found my Core Kitchen spatula at the At Home store, and it is my favorite spatula ever. I like that it has both a pointed side and a rounded side, so it works well with any shaped bowl or pan.


Six One Way, Half Dozen the Other

Cooling Racks

Cooling racks for getting baked goods cooled down are very important for your baking. I have zero opinion about any winners or losers in this category, but do encourage you to get some.


Any Other Baking Tool Recommendations?

I’m still on the hunt for a cookie scoop that won’t fall apart when scooping out chocolate chip cookie dough. And I’d love to hear opinions on whether AirBake cookie sheets are worth it or not. Are there other baking workhorses that I’ve left off the baking equipment list?

If this post was helpful to you, check out this one about everyday cooking kitchen tools.

baking