I thought it would be nice if I shared some of my MUST have baking kitchen essentials as well as my Must have Cooking Kitchen essentials with everyone. I’ve been doing this blogging and recipe creating thing for quite some time now and I’ve definitely come across some favorite and must have kitchen tools that I use over and over again. I think some of these will probably surprise you by just how inexpensive they are as well as how handy they end up being in the kitchen.
Let’s start with my favorite Kitchen Essentials for Baking in this post and watch for the Kitchen Essentials for Cooking to be out next!
Kitchen Aid Mixer (Stand Mixer) – The very first thing I think of when we start talking kitchen essentials is a solid Stand Mixer. It’s by far one of the most often used appliances/kitchen tools in my kitchen. It gets used for making cookies, whipping cream, mixing potatoes, and the list goes on and on. I honestly don’t know how I got along with out one.
I know there’s lots of different brands out there, some are cheaper than the Kitchen Aid, but I promise you that once you start using a Kitchen Aid Mixer – you will never NOT own one. They’re life changing, not to be dramatic.
Commercial Grade Baking Cookie Sheets – I know if I throw the words commercial grade in there, people start to think expensive. But, that’s not really the case with these. I’ve found a great set from Nordic Ware that’s just a solid option. These cookie sheet’s don’t warp in hot ovens because they’re made of pure aluminum. If you’re like me, you’ve been through many a cookie sheet that gets all wonky when you bake – hate that! These just don’t and because they’re pure aluminum, they won’t rust either. These Cookie Sheets are used almost daily at our house.
Pan exterior dimensions 21 x 15 x 1 inches and interior dimensions 19.5 x 13.63 x 1 inches
Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat – Something that goes hand in hand with my Cookie Sheets are these Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mats (Silpat is the brand that I use). These are amazing little mats, they make it so you don’t have to use Cooking Sprays or Parchment Paper! It’s awesome and honestly life changing when a friend introduced me to these years ago.
They’re very easy to clean as well, which makes them that more amazing! There’s several different Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat brands, I’ve just always used Silpat and know they work great!
Cookie Scoop – I may have a little bit of OCD (who am I kidding, I have it a lot) so I really like my cookies to all be the same shape and size. This means that I use a Cookie Scoop every single time I make cookies. And, I’ve learned over the years that NOT all cookie scoops are great, they end up falling apart way too soon. I have a couple of these OXO Good Grips Cookie Scoops and they work great! Definitely one of my top kitchen tools that I must have!
Rolling Pin – Having a rolling pin in your kitchen in another kitchen tool that you must have if you want to make pie crusts or roll out cookie dough. It’s actually surprising how much I use this little guy. My old rolling pin was one with handles and when it bit the dust I want to this version and love it!
Glass Batter Bowl – The batter bowls that I like are glass and have the ability to measure with them too. It’s also handy to have a handle for pouring. – it makes it easier to pour a cake mix into a pan for sure. The glass batter bowls you’re also able to stick in the oven and cook in, I’ve heard this is a great way to make the dress on a Barbie cake!
Offset Spatula – These are great for decorating cakes and cupcakes. The handle is not only comfortable but you have so much control when you’re spreading the icing. That’s why they made my list of must have baking kitchen tools!
Measuring Cups – These should probably be closer to the top of my list just because of the number of times I use them on a daily basis. They’re always measuring something and for that reason they’re one of my top kitchen tools that I use and are really justified as a kitchen essential tool. There’s so many different options you can buy, I love these for the fun colors!
Square Baking Dish – I’m going to be completely honest and tell you that this is one of the newest additions to my kitchen tool essentials. I’m not sure why, but I just never had a square baking dish and now I’m wondering what the heck I was ever thinking! I use this puppy all the time!
I love this red ceramic version because it just looks a little fancier, you can go from the oven to the table and not have to replate anything.
Cooling Rack – How many times have you made cookies and ran out of space on your cooling rack? (Raises Hand) I did this ALL the time! So I went on the hunt for a larger option and found this fabulous Three Tiered Cooling Rack – it’s PERFECT for when I make one batch or several batches of cookies. It’s a must have for anyone’s kitchen!
Kitchen Timer – More often than not, I find myself needing a timer in the kitchen while I’m using the oven or microwave and it’s just easier to grab my kitchen timer. I absolutely adore this Retro Kitchen Timer, it’s not only useful but so cute!
Pastry Blender – Yep! All the cool chefs have a Pastry Blender (kidding) so you absolutely must have one of these in your kitchen. I mean, you certainly can use a fork to do this work but I have found it so much easier to use this kitchen tool. It makes cutting butter into a flour mixture so much easier! Add this to your must get list!
Bundt Pan – This one was kind of questionable about making the list, but in the long run I decided that I use it often enough to call it an essential kitchen tool. That could be because I love to make cake, well and eat cake but the making of the cake is why you need this pan. This bundt pan is a great non-stick option that’s also dishwasher safe. Win!!
Regular Spatulas – I adore these heat resistant spatulas, gone are the days of me leaving my spatula in a pot to come back to the end melted (wait, is that only me who does that?) these puppies are fabulous. They’re also one piece, that makes them simple to clean even in the dishwasher!
Quilted Oven Mitts – These should just be a requirement when you’re baking, seriously guys don’t get burnt where a good oven mitt that covers your forearm – we all know that’s the area that ends up touching the inside of the oven. Ouch!! These are my favorite oven mitts for the kitchen!
Another MUST HAVE in your kitchen is a Baking Conversions Sheet! We have a great FREE PRINTABLE Baking Conversion option for you below!
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What size Silpat do you use for a 21×15 pan?