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Merry Holidays! Baking while listening to holiday music really soothes me. If you can believe it, baking relieves my stress and anxiety. During the holidays, I bake A LOT! In fact, I usually average 13 different varieties and anywhere from 1 to 6 batches of each (more on that later)! Why? I like to bring them to the employees of the companies I work with, family events, I sent cookies to friends and family out of town and last but not least make a large tray for my sisters, niece and mom to bring to their events. It has been my tradition ever since I moved out on my own and I try to make a new cookie each year and swap old one of my least favorites. In order to be able to continue this awesome tradition and make it as painless and seamless as possible, I cannot be without my favorite gadgets. Let me explain….
Kitchen Aid Mixer – Baking Gadget #1
The most expensive ‘baking’ gadget I own, my Kitchen Aid mixer has been at it for 16 years! I don’t know what I would do without it? Mine is a 6-quart (similar to the blue one above) and I can make 2 batches of almost every cookie at the same time. This mixer gets the most use during the holidays. My favorite feature? The stir setting because you do not have to mix in nuts/baking chips/etc. by hand, therefore, eliminating hand cramps – OUCH! Easy Cleanup as well! Love my mixer. I can’t highly recommend this enough! While they are expensive, they are so worth it and last and last and last!
Hand Mixer – Baking Gadget #2
Some recipes aren’t made for a large mixer so there are some I do with the hand mixer. My Surfer Squares are done by melting butter, sugar and butterscotch chips first and then mixing eggs and dry ingredients afterward, so the hand mixer works best. Also, that recipe has to be made one at a time (for my best results with my old oven 😉) so the hand mixer works best for this one. I have had several hand mixers so I can’t recommend any specific one. The above pictures are priced well and have very great ratings on Amazon.
TINY/MINI Spatulas – Baking Gadgets #3
Spatulas are a must when baking. Several years ago, I came across spatulas that were 1 inch long and thought they were so cute, so I bought them. I never realized how much I love these little things! They make it easy to scrape jars, get the dough off the beaters, and they are easy to clean as well! I must have these tiny spatulas when I make my Peanut Butter Blossoms and Raspberry Almond Squares to scrape the jars. You just cannot have enough spatulas in the household!
Oxo Cookie Scoops – Baking Gadgets #4
Two words: perfectionist and clean. I do not like getting my hands dirty when baking. When I watch chefs on tv and they dive into the mixture with their bare or gloved hands, I just think it’s gross. When I hunkered down several years ago and bought one of these scoops, I fell in love! They also help make the cookies look professional (my opinion but check out these Snickerdoodles and see for yourself)! You can buy these lovelies on Amazon – I would suggest the OXO ones because they are spring-loaded, have soft grips (for the hard doughs) and come in 3 different sizes! I have both the OXO #60 (2 tsp) and #40 (1 ½ T) size. I use #40 the most because I make a lot of cookie trays and the smaller the cookie, the most I can make, tray, and display!
Cookie Press – Baking Gadget #5
I make 2 different kinds of cookies with my grandmothers’ old stainless-steel cookie press. One of my favorites is the Butter Spritz Cookie. I blend red, green and regular dough to create artful cookies!
It is very difficult to find anything similar to what I use today. To me, the plastic ones just don’t work as well and they definitely don’t clean well. I would recommend stainless steel. The pictures show some highly rated presses on Amazon.
These are my top 5 baking gadget must-have’s during the holidays! I always have these while I am baking cookies and really can’t bake without them! Let me know what are some of your baking gadget must-haves?
All the best… *judean*
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Every year, after baking a complete batch (remember 1 to 6 of each) of cookies, I like to post my cookies on both Instagram and Pinterest so here is my 2019 list below. Once I am done with making a specific cookie, I’ll update the list below with links so you can see!
48 Comments
Lots of great kitchen gadgets! It makes cooking and baking so much easier when you have the right equipment.
Whew… I was happy to see that I have all of the gadgets I need to get started on some of those yummy recipes you have listed. I have a tiny house so too many unnecessary gadgets just take up too much room. These are perfect.
I love all these tools too! I’m so impressed by how many cookies you make! That’s alot of baking.
Only during the holidays 🙂
These are great gifts for the holidays. I wouldn’t mind having a kitchen aid mixer myself.
It honestly worth every single penny and more! I have had it for 17+ years and never had a problem!
I took my first cookie class a few months ago and immediately bought a Kitchen Aid mixer. Man, do I love that thing. I don’t have all of the other things on this list, but I’m off to a good start.
You very much are! Good luck with it. I haven’t even bought any additional attachments at all!
This makes me want to start my Christmas baking now!!!!!! Thanks for the suggestions….I’m adding mini spatulas to my wish list!
You are late 😉 Just kidding! Mini spatulas – you can never have too many!
I had to laugh when you mentioned the small spatulas! A small one came in some kit I got for one of my girls and it has the Frozen characters on it. I use that thing ALL of the time!!
For sure!!!
What a great list of tools! I wish I had room for all of them!
My kitchen aid goes in a utility closet for at least 10 months out of the year! I hear you!
Wonderful list! I have a few of these lovely gadgets already sitting in my kitchen, and I agree—they’re the best!
🙂
I love my kitchen aid! I’m ready to start baking!
Most cookies that I bake can last for up to 3 months in the freezer 🙂
I love my Kitchen Aid mixer too! It truly is a wonderful product! I use mine all the time!
I don’t even know if it is replaceable – I think things that are older are made better. I am not sure what I am going to be able to do is anything happens – I would be afraid to find out!
Great gadgets. I absolutely love kitchen stuff, but don’t have room for most of it!
I have strange places to hide big gadgets –
Great ideas! I love our mini spatulas… they are the best. Glad to see them on this list.
You cannot go wrong with mini spatulas and you can never have too many 🙂
Wouldn’t you know it? I have them all! haha! I love me some kitchen toys!!!
That is awesome!
I have one of those kitchen aid mixers and it is a life-saver around this time of year!!
It is so worth the expense!
Great list! The cookie press looks like a lot of fun!
Can be frustrating once you get the hang of it though – it makes for an easy cookie to make! And oh so pretty!
I am ready for my baking. I have all of these and more.
That is awesome!
I have all of these gadgets! Can’t run a kitchen without them!
Agree! Mini Spatulas are just the best I feel! You can use them all year long!
My kitchen aid mixer is MY favorite baking tool. I too make 12-15 different varieties of cookies during the holidays. I would be lost without this mixer and all my bowls. LOL!
For sure! I really only use my kitchen aid mixer during the holidays – and it is still oh so worth it!
Wonderful list of gadgets for bakers! Thanks for sharing 🙂
For the baker, these are a must!
Those mini spatulas are too cute!
You can’t get enough of mini spatulas!
Great tips and suggestions! Any way to make things easier this time of year is wonderful!
Absolutely!
Ya know what, i so have a cookie press and I always forget to use it. I need to get my back on for the holidays.
Every time I use my old cookie press, I usually get frustrated and then I remember what I need to do and it works like a charm! The plastic ones don’t work for me – I bought a Pampered Chef one and I couldn’t navigate! I gave it away and continue to use the one my mom gave me that my grandmother used – that one is the best.
I’m going to look into a cookie scoop or two for my baking. I like the way you explain why you like each of these gadgets, the Kitchen Aid especially! You’ve inspired me to get going on my baking this year! Fun post!
Thank you Ellen! I have had my scoops for at least 10 years – they are awesome!
I agree with all of these but I just have a tiny kitchen!
My kitchen is tiny too – I have to put my large gadgets in various closets around the house and bring them out to use them. Then during the holidays, my kitchen aid sits in the dining room because I use it like every other day! HA!