What to Buy Gift Guides The 23 Best Gifts for Bakers, From Beginner to Pro From cookware to cookbooks, these baking gifts have something for everyone. By Lauren Quick Updated on March 22, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Chances are you've benefited from having a friend or family member who loves to bake. They're always showing up with their latest creation, whether it's a dozen of the best chocolate chip cookies you've ever had, a celebration cake speckled with sprinkles, or a loaf of bread with a tinge of warmth left from the oven. And who would you be not to encourage their delicious habit when it comes to gift-giving? F&W Best New Chef Paola Velez — star of our fan-favorite YouTube series, Pastries with Paola — is a magician with sugar, flour, and fruit. We couldn't have asked a savvier chef to help us wow aspiring bakers and veteran pastry chefs with a few of her picks. "When I'm shopping for the bakers in my life, I'm going all out," she says. "I'm talking about all the tools I wish someone would buy for me!" Whether you're unsure what to get them — hint: they can always use more sheet pans and spatulas — or know they're all about aesthetics and would appreciate a beautiful dish or stand to display, there's something they'll love on this list. And in return, they'll surely keep bringing you shareable treats, except maybe with a fancier pie plate than before. Our Top Picks Tilit Recycled Work Chef Apron Tilit NYC Buy on Tilitnyc.com Whether mixing cookies, shaping sourdough, or crafting buttercream flowers, a quality apron makes a big difference in both cleanliness and efficiency while baking. "When you wear an apron for a living, you learn what aspects matter most to you," says Velez. "This Tilit apron checks all of the boxes for me — it's super lightweight, has hip and chest pockets, and the soft straps won't scratch your neck." Price at time of publish: $89 Nordic Ware Bakers Half Sheet Amazon Buy on Amazon I'm a firm believer that a baker can't have too many sheet pans — the limit does not exist. If the baker in your life seemingly has everything, they probably still need more sheet pans. This Nordic Ware Bakers Half Sheet is the trial-tested best pick. "In batch after batch of cookies, it yielded bottoms that were evenly browned and insides that were well-baked without requiring excessive tweaking with recipe times," notes Food & Wine's testers after over 30 hours of side-by-side sheet pan testing. We tested a range of sheet pans for things like sturdiness, affordability, versatility, ease of use, reliability, conductivity, and value, and this one received top marks. Price at time of publish: $23 The 6 Best Cookie Sheets of 2023, Tested and Reviewed Staub Enameled Cast Iron Fry Pan Williams-Sonoma Buy on Williams-Sonoma This heavy-duty frying pan will last years — perhaps even decades. Choose between 10 and 12 inches and eight vibrant colors. "From pies to cornbread, a solid cast-iron pan can handle it all," says Velez. "I like this sage green enameled version by Staub, which is photoshoot–ready and beautiful enough to sit on the stovetop year-round." Price at time of publish: $195 BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Walmart Buy on Target Although by no means a new release, this cookbook from pastry chef Stella Parks is the one I most often recommend to everyone — but especially newer bakers. Parks writes with clear instructions and explanations, with many recipes offering troubleshooting tips for potential pratfalls. Volume and weight measurements are available on each recipe, though she'll tell you at the top why she really encourages you to get a kitchen scale and convert to weight measurements if you haven't already. And for the types of recipes, Parks offers any classic you'd need, like a one-bowl chocolate cake, overnight cinnamon rolls, and the perfect buttercream, as well as recreations of classic American brands, like Oreos, Twinkies, and Fig Newtons. Nearly every entry has a section with suggestions how to substitute different flavors in your creations or even how to make a recipe vegan or gluten-free, making BraveTart a go-to for any baker. Price at time of publish: $22 OXO Good Grips 11 Pound Food Scale with Pull-Out Display Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Williams-Sonoma Buy on Crate & Barrel Baking is a culinary art that often requires precision; a pinch of salt is about as vague as recipes get, with most requiring specific weight or volume measurements for every ingredient. And if you haven't yet heard the good word about volume measurements, let me be the first to share with you that it's a far superior method for a couple of reasons. First, think of the dishes you won't clean by leaving your cup measures in the drawer. You simply won't need them! But more importantly, weight is a more consistent way to precisely scale your ingredients, as human error and even temperature can affect volume measuring. As such, this scale rocks. It offers both U.S. (ounce) and metric (grams), and the pull-out display means you'll still be able to read the scale even with your biggest bowl. My favorite feature is the detachable stainless steel platform. I often use it to weigh bread dough directly on the scale; then, I can easily take the platform off and throw it in with my other dishes. Price at time of publish: $56 Rifle Paper Co. Recipe Tin Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Riflepaperco.com There's something special and time-honored about hand-writing a recipe. If there's a digital recipe I find myself returning to again and again, I'll find myself compelled to write it down — what if my internet is down? Or it disappears from my favorite site? I shudder to think. The Rifle Paper Co. Recipe Tin definitely leans into baking nostalgia in its designs, and it has a few for you to choose from. The sunny tin boxes feature a gold metallic interior and come with 24 two-sided recipe cards as well as 12 recipe dividers with sections like desserts (my most-used for obvious reasons), sauces, appetizers, breakfast, and more. And if 24 doesn't cut it, Rifle has plenty more cute cards with which to supplement the set. Price at time of publish: $40 Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Williams-Sonoma Buy on Walmart File baking mats along with sheet pans in the "can't have enough" category for bakers. This classic from Silpat is made from a nonstick combination of fiberglass mesh and food-grade silicone, and it's good for temperatures up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit. But many bakers find themselves using silicone mats for much more beyond the baking itself; they're microwave- and freezer-safe, and they're great for rolling out pie or pastry dough on — I prefer it to rolling dough out straight on my counter. Instead of trying to wipe away flour mess from my counter when I'm done, I can take the mat over to the sink to dump it there. Plus, I can move the whole thing with dough on it to my fridge or freezer to rest without disrupting more fragile dough if it gets too warm (a classic puff pastry struggle). Price at time of publish: $16 Julie Hadley Handmade Wabi Sabi Ceramic Cake Stand Food52 Buy on Food52 After spending (occasionally painstaking) time making a lovely cake or pie, it's absolutely necessary to have the perfect platform on which to show it off. "I love this handmade ceramic stand that's perfectly imperfect and guaranteed to become a family heirloom," says Velez. "It's a simple and beautiful way to elevate your desserts that too many people aren't willing to splurge on!" We think it's pretty enough to leave on display on a counter or shelf, even without dessert in it. Price at time of publish: $157 Antiques of Tomorrow Tapered French Rolling Pin Amazon Buy on Amazon If the baker in your life makes a great deal of pies, puff pastry, sugar cookies, or laminated treats, do their wrists a favor and invest in a good tapered rolling pin for them. The dowel-style pin (as opposed to those with handles) gives bakers a better feel for their dough while also being ergonomically pleasing. Antiques of Tomorrow has several finishes available for their rolling pins, from cherry to white ash. Price at time of publish: $30 Jacobsen Salt Co. Flake Finishing Sea Salt Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Williams-Sonoma Buy on Jacobsensalt.com The bakers who get it, get it. Flake salt might seem like it's more cooking territory than baking, but a dessert is only as good as its salt, which enhances the sweetness in contrast. Oregon-based Jacobsen Salt So. gathers its much-beloved flavor crystals from seawater in Netarts Bay, processing and hand-grading the flakes. You've likely seen chocolate chip cookies and brownies on social media adorned in the stuff, almost like sprinkles, and though I sometimes contend they use a bit much in the name of photos, I generally co-sign that idea. And you'll be amazed how much mileage you can get out of a 4-ounce bag. Price at time of publish: $18 Jubilee by Toni Tipton-Martin Amazon Buy on Amazon For the person who can never have enough cookbooks on their shelf, here's another one to add to their collection. According to Velez, "This book from Toni Tipton-Martin chronicles over 200 years of Black culinary excellence, and I've come to especially appreciate the recipe for gingerbread with a bourbon Chantilly cream; it ties together unlikely ingredients in such a harmonious way." Price at time of publish: $20 GIR Spatula Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Food52 Buy on Gir.co It's almost guaranteed that every baker has a favorite spatula. It's heat-resistant, the perfect shape to scrape a bowl (even around a stand mixer attachment), dishwasher-safe, and, inevitably, it's always dirty. The GIR (Get It Right) spatula is bound to be a new favorite, and if your resident cookie maker already has one, they'll welcome a second for when the first is in the dishwasher. The holy grail of baking equipment is made of silicone that's heat-resistant up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit and comes in several colors and sizes. More spatulas, always. Price at time of publish: $13 1Canoe2 Speckle Kitchen Towel Set 1Canoe2 Buy on 1canoe2.com Tidy chefs and bakers will never have a towel out of arm's reach, and more likely, it's actually hanging from their apron tie. This set from 1Canoe2 is, frankly, cute, and the variety of colors makes them seasonally ambiguous (if your baker is the type of person to want to coordinate that kind of thing). Fairly generously sized at 18 by 27.5 inches, the cotton towels include a loop to keep them snug on a drawer or oven handle, ensuring it's clean and does not slide to the floor. Price at time of publish: $34 Janie's Mill Special Someone Gift Box Janies Mill Buy on Janiesmill.com This might be the best gift you could give the friend or family member who's been sharing loaves of bread since they started making sourdough in 2020. The Illinois farm is renowned by Midwest bakeries for their fresh-milled flour, which provides more flavor and nutritional value than more standard bleached all-purpose flours found at grocers. The set comes with Janie's Dark Rye Flour, Silky Smooth Pastry Flour, Heirloom Turkey Red Flour, and All-Purpose Flour, each in 1.5 pound bags, as well as a stainless steel whisk, bowl scraper, and three recipe cards. The bags have icons on them indicating what the flour is best used for, so even someone who isn't a pro in fresh-milled flours can get started on their way. Price at time of publish: $25 Madewell Enamel Strawberry Huggie Hoop Earrings Madewell Buy on Madewell.com Food on clothing and jewelry has been having a moment. A twee-loving baker will find these gold-plated hoops with the tiniest enamel strawberries adorable (as do we). They feature hypoallergenic titanium posts, so even sensitive ears should be able to wear them. Price at time of publish: $22 Fancy Sprinkles Birthday Balloon Sprinkles Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Fancysprinkles.com There's something inexplicably joy-inducing about a sprinkled dessert, and Fancy Sprinkles has established itself in the sprinkaholics community as a high-quality option. This particular celebratory blend of traditional sprinkles, stars, pearls, and more is fit for any cake or sugar cookie. Price at time of publish: $9 Verve Culture Citrus Juicer Nordstrom Buy on Neiman Marcus Buy on Sur La Table Real bakers know the importance of a quality juicer to have on hand. "If you want to breeze through juicing a mountain of citrus for your next cake glaze or granita, this citrus press is a game changer," says Velez. "Bonus: It's an absolutely beautiful statement piece fit to display on any kitchen counter." We couldn't agree more. Price at time of publish:$98 A Good Day to Bake by Benjamina Ebuehi Amazon Buy on Amazon In this book, Great British Baking Show alum Ebuehi proves that approachable baking doesn’t need to be simple or boring. A favorite of Gil Bouhana of Brooklyn Gin as well as F&W Food Editor Kelsey Youngman, this book posits that both everyday moments and celebrations alike are worthy of festive and fun baking. Price at time of publish: $30 Smeg Blender Williams Sonoma Buy on Williams-Sonoma Buy on Nordstrom Buy on Bloomingdales Diner-style milkshakes are all but a given for this throwback-style blender from Smeg. But far from just being gimmicky, this model purees beautifully and pulverizes ice in seconds. Price at time of publish: $300 Breville Hand Mixer Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Williams-Sonoma Our favorite hand mixer is efficient, functional, and versatile, and it easily surpassed the others in our tests. The silicone-tipped beaters are a game changer. They not only scrape the bowl efficiently; they’re far quieter. Price at time of publish: $150 KitchenAid Bamboo Spatula Amazon Buy on Amazon Is there any kitchen tool more unsung than the humble spatula? KitchenAid’s tools are heat-resistant and feature a handle made of strong bamboo. Price at time of publish: $19 KitchenAid Stand Mixer and Bowl Williams Sonoma Buy on Williams-Sonoma Buy on Kitchenaid.com We don’t need to sell you on the power and efficiency of this famed mixer. But rather than opt for the standard steel bowl, why not mix it up (pun intended) with the more out-of-the-box floral-printed ceramic version? It adds a sweet retro touch to any kitchen. Price at time of publish: $450 Wild Sweetness: Recipes Inspired by Nature by Thalia Ho Amazon Buy on Amazon “I’ve been baking all of my life, and every so often, I struggle to find sources of inspiration. But, this cookbook from Thalia Ho will truly always spark something in me. It’s filled with delicate imagery and ethereal desserts that take you on a journey through each season.” — Kristin Montemarano, Commerce Food Writer Price at time of publish: $19 The Research After extensively researching this topic, we spoke to pastry chefs for their recommendations on the best gifts for bakers on the market. Each product on this list was suggested and vetted by experts. We then read hundreds of reviews, compared their responses, and created our final lineup. Our Expertise Lauren Quick, a food writer and pastry chef with her own cottage bakery (Jean June Pastry), curated this list of high-quality items anyone from home bakers to professional chefs will use frequently and appreciate. And frankly, some of these gifts are on her wishlist this season. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit