18 Gifts Home Bakers Will Use All the Time

A reusable silicone-coated baking sheet makes it easy to protect baking sheets without sacrificing the perfect bake for cookies. Buy a few and never worry about aluminum foil again. Silpat Silicone Baking Mat, $25 at williams-sonoma.com

No cake or pastry feat on display is quite right without a proper cake stand display. Help set desserts apart (and above) the rest with a marble and wood pedestal. Wood Marble Pedestal, $55 at crateandbarrel.com

The essentials of bakeware are elevated with a golden nonstick material. Aluminum steel means the pans will heat evenly, and the ceramic coating means the surface will resist abrasion. Everything is dishwasher safe too, for easy cleanup. Goldtouch Nonstick 6-Piece Essentials Bakeware Set, $100 (originally $160) at williams-sonoma.com

If you’d rather not drag out the big mixer and work in the bowl you started with, or just lack the kitchen space for huge appliances, a hand mixer is a great option to have around. KitchenAid Cordless Hand Mixer, $70 at amazon.com

If you’re like us, you rarely need an excuse for a new recipe book. For baking, we recommend The Baking Bible for everything you can bake under the sun. Kouign Amann fanatics will love to indulge in every recipe in here. The Baking Bible, $28 (originally $40)

Serve guests the right way with beautiful serving tools. These pieces will ensure you don’t butcher a carefully decorated cake as you cut into it. Verona Cake Serving Set, $48 at anthropologie.com

For the serious baker, it’s great to have a quality set of bowls that will last through plenty of wear and tear. These have rubber bottoms that won’t slip or slide while you’re mixing, and include tops for letting bread rise or storing ingredients. Rosti White Melamine Mixing Bowls with Lids Set $40 at crateandbarrel.com

An easy way to jazz up any crust or cookie? An embossed roller. There are plenty of designs out there that can serve for pretty much any occasion, from Christmas to Mother’s day. Embossing rolling pin set, $100 at amazon.com 

There are two types of bakers: those who wing it and guesstimate and those who are meticulous about the process. For our type-A friends, we love this roller with different dough measurements to have the most consistent and gorgeous results every time. Get it in multicolor or blue and gray.

Joseph Joseph 20085 Adjustable Rolling Pin with Removable Rings, $15 at amazon.com

If you’re going to work hard on a beautiful pie, why not serve it in a beautiful dish? This stoneware piece is oven safe up to 450-degrees Fahrenheit, and can serve as an heirloom in itself (even get the measuring cups and spoons to match). $75 at food52.com

Amazon’s #1 pick for oven mitts earned its spot for a reason. These mitts are heavy duty and easy to clean. Extra Long Professional Silicone Oven Mitts with Quilted Liner, $14 at amazon.com

A favorite in our test kitchens, this apron will go the distance for any baking enthusiast. It’s machine washable, and three reinforced pockets make it a nifty companion for all cooking tasks. Hedley & Bennett Apron, from $80 at madewell.com

When experimenting with macarons, meringues, cake batters, or cookie doughs, a trusty, reliable stand mixer can save time and serious labor. KitchenAid Artisan Mini Stand Mixer, $330 at williams-sonoma.com

For portioning out perfect cookies or cupcake batter, this set of three differently sized scoops is smartly packaged and perfectly giftable. Jenaluca Ice Cream Scoop Set, $50 at amazon.com

Keep cookies fresh (and close at hand) with a traditional cookie jar. Ask any friend or family member, there is nothing more exciting than cookies on display, ripe for the taking. Glass Jar with Lid, $15 at crateandbarrel.com

Erin McDowell's The Book on Pie will delight newbie bakers and seasoned pie makers alike. Everything from crust types to meringue toppers is covered in here, and there are some seriously good slices to be had. The Book on Pie, $32 at amazon.com

The Baker's Dozen from The Spice House has everything home bakers need for whipping up their favorite breads and sweet treats. From espresso powder to ground cloves, these will elevate any dish. $105 at thespicehouse.com

You can never have enough baking sheets, whether for batch after batch of cookies or just roasting some vegetables for dinner. These Nordicware half sheets were our top pick. You should also consider throwing in a quarter sheet for small and test batches or a couple of cooling racks to complete the set. Nordic ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s half Sheet (2 Pack), $21 on amazon