Baking Tools

With a few exceptions, this is essentially all of my baking tools. When they’re scattered among drawers, cupboards, and shelves it’s easy to forget how much stuff I have. But, as you can see, I’ve got quite the collection, and it’s only growing.

I sometimes get questions about what tools I use in my baking, so I thought it might be helpful to show you. And note that as my kitchen arsenal grows, I’ll be updating this page.

Measuring Tools

This is all really basic stuff, and I’m sure you already have an arsenal of measuring cups and spoons. But do you have a scale? They are absolutely crucial to getting accurate measurements in baking, but I also use mine for other tasks, such as making sure I put the same amount of cake batter in each pan. I included scoops in this category because they are very helpful in measuring cookie dough, muffin batter, etc. to ensure everything is uniform in size.

Digital kitchen scale
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Pyrex liquid measuring cup 
Large (ice cream) scoop
Small scoop

Cake making and decorating tools

If you want to make and frost a beautiful cake, these tools are absolutely essential. See my cake tutorial for instructions on how and when to use them. Most of my cake tools are Ateco brand and they’ve been more than adequate, and they’re cheaper than Wilton.

8 inch cake pans (I also have 9, 10, 12, and 14 inch)
Decorating turn table
Large offset spatula
Small offset spatula
Straight spatula
Decorating bags
Plain icing tips
Star icing tips

Pie and pastry tools

 There’s no way I could bake a pie or tart without this stuff, and that’s the truth. My counter is made up of square tiles and so floury bits get stuck in the grout, and then grout-y bits get stuck in the pastry, not good. So I roll out a large silicone mat on my counter, and problem solved! I also use my small silpat for rolling out small things like scones or biscuits, and then bake them right on it.

I prefer a french rolling pin to the traditional because I feel I have more control. And my bench scraper is crucial in making sure my dough isn’t sticking as I roll it out.

Ceramic pie dish
Metal pie dish
Glass pie dish
Bench scraper
Round pastry cutter set
Silpat silicone baking mat
Large silicone mat
French rolling pin
Pastry blender

Tart pans

These may be some of my most favorite kitchen tools, and I definitely should use them more often. There are so many possibilities— pies, tarts, quiches, etc.

8 inch tart pan with removable bottom
11 inch tart pan with removable bottom
4 inch tartlette pans with removable bottoms
Mini tartlet pan

Baking pans

Standard stuff, but I wouldn’t get far without them.

Full sheet pan
Half sheet pan
Cooling rack
Muffin pan
Metal loaf pan
Glass loaf pan
Springform pan

Ceramic dishes

Ceramic dishes are very multi-functional. I can bake almost anything in these dishes— casseroles, cakes, brownies, cobblers, etc. I love my ramekins because I can make individual portions of just about any baked item, but they are also great for organizing ingredients when cooking and are a pretty serving dish for condiments, sauces, etc.

Ramekins
9×13 ceramic baking dish
9 inch round ceramic baking dish

Miscellaneous baking tools

Wire wisk
Rubber spatulas
Wooden spoons
Candy/Deep fry thermometer
Pastry brush
Small mesh strainer
Microplane Zester/Grater

Knives 

A good, sharp knife is one of the most useful tools you can have in your kitchen. I got these in my culinary school kit and I think it’s about time to invest in some new knives, but this was a great start. It’s important to choose a stainless steel blade that runs the entire length of the handle. And a dull knife is much more dangerous than a sharp one. Keep your knives sharp with a whet stone (that’s what I use) and a sharpening steel.

Chef’s knife
Serrated knife
Paring knife
Sharpening steel
Stone knife sharpener

Stand mixer

I will swear by my Kitchenaid until the day I die. If my house was burning down and I had time to grab one kitchen item, it would probably be this. It’s an excellent investment and something every baking enthusiast should own.

KitchenAid stand mixer

Food processor

Next to my stand mixer (and my oven, of course) my food processor is the appliance that I use most often in my baking. I use it to make pie and tart dough, chop up nuts and chocolate, puree fruits and vegetables, and blend together all sorts of ingredients.

The only thing I wish my food processor had was a smaller bowl insert, for when I’m working with smaller volumes. Because sometimes I don’t want to wash my entire food processor bowl for something small, like chopping a handful of nuts. So the food processor I’ve linked to here is one I hope to own someday.

KitchenAid 9 cup Food Processor with 4 cup mini bowl

Ice cream machine

This is definitely not a multi-purpose appliance. It does one thing: make ice cream. But I don’t care that it takes up space on a shelf, I absolutely love it. They’re cheaper than you think and are a whole lot of fun.

Cuisinart ice cream machine