Did you know that baking can actually be a seriously profitable business? You don’t need a fancy pastry degree or a commercial kitchen either. You can be a simple home baker and make a killing! Of course there are many ways to do this but that’s another article.
Creating amazing baked goods can be more than just a hobby. But not all baked goods are created equally. If you’re a serious home baker or dream of turning your baking skills into a profitable side (or full time) thing, you need the right tools.
So if you want to step up your baking or take your passion for sweets all the way to the bank, let’s talk about the best tools that I think every home baker has got to have.
Also, as you may already know, I actually consider myself a minimalist. Clutter and frivolous junk drives me bonkers. So the stuff I have below isn’t just to convince you to buy it, I genuinely use all of these things almost every day when I bake. I promise this stuff isn’t junk or clutter, but is really REALLY beneficial to your work!
Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you use the links. To learn more click here.
Essential Baking Tools
Cookie Sheets
Honestly, it’s kinda hard bake cookies without a cookie sheet. Using heavy duty aluminum cookie sheets like these Nordic Ware ones will ensure even baking and reduce the likelihood of burning.
Mini Muffin Pans
I suppose a mini muffin pan isn’t 100% necessary but since you’re on HandHeld Eats, you know how much we love our dang mini muffin pan. I’m pretty sure we have 87 more recipes planned using this pan right now and I’m sure we’ll have even more later.
They’re my fav because their simple and make everything bite sized which is great for serving foods at parties.
Hand Mixer
You can opt for just a whisk but if you really enjoy baking and want to do it more often, a electric hand mixer is going to be your bff.
Spatulas
Silicone spatulas are life savers for scraping bowls, folding in chocolate chips, for decorating desserts, and for easy clean up.
Oven Thermometer
Did you know your oven’s calibration gets off over time? Yeah… it can be off up to 50 degrees. That’s a recipe for some bad baking results.
An oven thermometer is important to getting the correct temperature every time and create beautiful baked goods.
Mixing Bowls
Mixing bowls….do you really need me to explain why these are important for baking?
This set is not only cute and functional…they also come with lids which is super helpful for storage and such.
Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
Yeah, also important for obvious reasons. Get the ones I use here.
Silicone Baking Cups
Great for making cupcakes without creating any extra strain on the planet. Which is always a great idea of course. They’re useful for many other recipes too like these spaghetti and meatball cups and some easy chocolate bowls.
There are different sizes you should consider…
All are great…I have all three sizes…I have no regrets.
Silicone Baking Mats
Silicone baking mats are fantastic for baking and for cooking. Again, they’re eco friendly which means you can feel good about your baked goods knowing they aren’t wrecking the oceans or anything.
Kitchen Scale
Measuring dry ingredients by weight is so important for perfect baked goods. I always use my kitchen scale to measure flour to prevent accidently adding too much. Too much flour will straight up ruin most baked goods.
So it’s worth the $10 investment…trust me.
Ove Glove Mitts
Oven mitts are necessary but the best mitts I’ve ever found are Ove Gloves. They’re gloves, not mitts which gives us klutzy people much more grip and stability with hot pans.
They’re also great for BBQ and are heat resistant up to 932F which is pretty impressive, if I do say so myself.
Wire Cooling Racks
Wire cooling racks are important for…well…cooling stuff correctly.
A good cooling rack is a must. If you get the right kind you only need one or 2 at most. You can use them for cakes, cookies, bread, and pretty much anything else.
Nice to Have Baking Tools
Reusable Piping Set
A reusable piping set will make creating beautiful cupcakes easily. Plus, they last for such a long time you’ll save so much money compared to disposable bags. I bought mine in 2018 and they’re still holding strong!
And Some Jumbo Piping Tips
But jumbo piping tips will give you bakery quality style cupcake swirls.
Offset Spatula
Offset spatulas are great for cake decorating and do a much smoother, cleaner job than regular spatulas.
Stand Mixer
If you’re going to be baking a lot, especially things that require a lot of whipping (like meringues) or if you want to make large batches of baked goods, a stand mixer is going to make your life so much easier.
Yeah, they’re a bit pricey but they are kind of nice!
Cookie Cutters
Simple round cookies are great. Funky shaped and fun cookies are even better.
Immersion Blender
An immersion blender is great for making mousses, milkshakes, ciders, sauces and purees. If that’s your thing, you’ll love one of these bad bois.
Even if you don’t bake that often, immersion blenders are great for making smooth soups, blending refried beans, and generally making great smooth recipes.
Cake Pans
Different cake pans are great for different reasons.
Sheet Cake Pan
9″ Cake Pans
4″ Cake Pans (for small cakes)
Egg Separator
Separating eggs can be frustrating if you keep effing up and breaking the yolks. An egg separator is an adorable way to protect your yolks and save your meringues from yolky contamination.
Microplane
Zesting, grating, making chocolate curls, spice grinding…all can be done with a microplane. Which is fantastic for you to be able to have less sh*t in your kitchen and still have everything you need for that classy, upscale baking.
Bundt Pan/Mini Bundt Pan
If you don’t love decorating for hours on end, I suggest using a bundt pan for your cakes. Because they’re already such pretty pans they need minimal decorating. Plus, it’s so much easier to cut and serve a bundt cake than a giant layer cake.
Mini Bundt pans much like the mini muffin pan is my preference, so I’ll link it here just for you.
Related Posts:
10 Food Props You Already Own for Your Photography
Beginner Baker Tips
Essential Baking Ingredients
Find All the Sweet Inspiration Over on Our Instagram!
Final Notes…
You’re a home baker with some serious skills already. These tools will help you take your baked goods to baked greats!
So if you really do want to start turning your baking from an expensive hobby to a full time business, girl, I believe in you! I also have complied a bunch of super useful tools to help you start your food blog and turn that passion into a money maker!
And since you’re already here, why not check out some of our other baking tips to enjoy everything the season has to offer!
