10 Tools You Need for Baking

our favorite baking things

11/15/2018

We've spent years trying to find kitchen tools and accessories that make our mixing better. You've probably done the same - and have a drawer full of gadgets to show for it!

Earlier this year, we downsized our gadgetry and ended up with just a few must-haves. Below is our list of "favorite things" we use with our stand mixer and for baking in general.

Item photos are links to Amazon (or our store) where you can purchase the item if you like. You may also find these items locally in home decorating, big-box stores or baking shops. If you purchase after using the link, Amazon will pay us a small referral fee.

1 - silicone measuring cups & mixing bowls

Measuring cups: Our favorites are from isi. We've been using these for years and love them! They're perfect for mixing and for pouring. Just squeeze and they form a spout for pouring pancakes or ingredients into your stand mixer!

Silicone bowls: 1 quart, 1.5 quart and 2 quart set of bowls. This red set is the best deal from isi that we have found.

2 - ball whisk

You might think this looks weird, but we love using it for just about all our whisking. The open end is especially good for mixtures with chunky items and sticky mixtures. It's easy to clean, too.

3 - cookie scoops

If you don't own some of these, you have no idea what you're missing! We use several sizes to make different kinds of cookies. They also are great for portioning out meatballs, butter and sorbet. (We need bigger scoops for ice cream). This is the key to uniformly sized cookies.

This Norpro model is the version and size we use for most cookies. It's a 1 tablespoon scoop and yields 2-3 inch cookies. If you like larger cookies, we recommend getting a 2 tablespoon size as well. Look for a comfortable grip and a smooth mechanism.

4 - QUALITY METAL MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS

We've had lots of measuring cups and spoons over the years, but decided to splurge on these heavy duty models nearly 20 years ago. It's worth it! While the plastic and thin metal items were donated, we can't live without these. Ours are from Williams Sonoma. Look for sturdy handles and standard styles. Avoid cute, fashion shapes and colors. You want to be sure they measure accurately and will last. They get a real workout!

5 - medium size fine-mesh sieve

This is truly a multi-purpose tool! For baking, we use it to sift flour or powdered sugar, combine fine dry ingredients, sift lumps from dry ingredients and strain seeds from jam. You can use it to wash fruits and veg, too! Look for a fine mesh and a sturdy frame, preferably one 7-8 inches in diameter, that has a bent end to hook over a mixing bowl. Pick one that's dishwasher safe. So much easier than hand-washing! This is similar to the one we use.

6 - flat icing spatula

Sure, you can use a dinner knife to level off your filled mixing cups and to frost cupcakes, but this little tool can do that WELL and so much more. Thin and sharp, it assures perfectly level measures. You'll find lots of ways to use this in the kitchen. We've had ours forever. When it goes bad, we'll get one we can wash in the dishwasher. Look for one that's about 9 inches long for the most versatility.

7 - glass 2-cup measuring cup

Pyrex is classic for a reason. This is the best tool for accurately measuring liquids. We don't use the silicone cups for anything that needs to be exact.

TIP If you don't know, you measure a liquid's volume at the bottom of the little bubble below the top edge of the liquid. Liquids "cling" to the container at the edges, appearing higher from the side. I'll do a post on that one day.

8 - thin, flat spatula

We have a great one in our store. We use it all the time, for jars, bowls and general scraping. They work well for cleaning batter and dough off your beaters.

9 - stand mixer

For heavy mixing, nothing is better! Not surprisingly, we use ours a lot. (We had 9 at one time, but we only use two or three on a regular basis).

For more casual baking, we suggest a tilt-head model. Tons of cute colors and it fits under most cabinets. If you're into cooking and baking and need more power, you may like a bowl-lift mixer. They come in LOTS of sizes and shapes and powers. If you plan to make lots of heavy doughs, pay the extra money for a more powerful motor (expressed in Watts).

Wholesale clubs offer great deals on KitchenAids this time of year.

10 - sideswipe beater

Of course, we have to include SideSwipe! If you have a mixer, we know you'll love this tool. You can purchase at our online store or on Amazon.com.

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