14 Baking Essentials You Absolutely Need for the Holidays, According to a Former Pastry Cook

Baking can be intimidating, and understandably so. It requires organization, precision, and a level of preparation that we don’t always use day to day. I have had my fair share of disasters, and even though I am professionally trained in pastry, I still do from time to time. But my best advice when it comes to the busy holiday season is to plan ahead. And the first step is to make sure you have all of the tools you need. 

To help you out, I went ahead and gathered a list of essentials I use and love. These are the trusty bakeware pieces you need to go along with those cookware pieces and knife sets (don’t overlook these either, they’re useful in baking too). From pie dishes to stand mixers, you might not need all of them, but a vast majority of them are key depending on what you might be planning on making. You’ll have to read on to see why and shop my favorites, starting at $13. 

Expert-Loved Holiday Bakeware Essentials 

• Nordic Ware 3 Piece Baker's Delight Sheet Pan Set, $32 (originally $52) 
• Ateco 4.25-Inch Ultra Offset Spatula, $6 (originally $8) 
• KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, $270 (originally $330) 
• Escali Primo Digital Food Scale, $25 (originally $27) 
• Pyrex 3-Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set, $26
• OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop, $16 with coupon (originally $17) 
• Gir Premium Silicone Spatula, $13
• Emile Henry 9-Inch Pie Dish, $37 (originally $55) 
• USA Pan Bakeware Round Cake Pan, $19 (originally $31) 
• ThermoPro Digital Candy Thermometer, $20 with Prime (originally $37) 
• J.K. Adams Maple Wood French Dowel Rolling Pin, $15 (originally $19) 
• Pyrex Smart Essentials 3-Piece Prepware Mixing Bowl Set, $18
• Yellrin Magnetic Measuring Spoons Set, $16 
• Emile Henry 13 by 9 Inch Rectangular Baker, $75 (originally $90) 

Nordic Ware 3 Piece Baker's Delight Sheet Pan Set

Sheet pans are a must in any kitchen really, but most especially this time of year. They’re needed for cookies of course, from sugar cookies to wafers and other small desserts, as well as homemade chocolates, chocolate barks, and other confections. I own this three piece set because it gives me a variety of useful sizes and I love the material — its nonstick, heat-holding, and easy to clean. It comes with a smaller 10 by 15 inch pan, a medium 11 by 17 inch pan, and a larger 13 by 18 inch pan that you can grab for a variety of tasks. 

Ateco 4.25-Inch Ultra Offset Spatula

I’ve written about this spatula numerous times because it is so key in my kitchen. It’s useful to have a variety of offset spatulas in your kitchen, but if you only want just one, this is what I’d buy first. It’s a small thin, flat piece of stainless steel that shoots out from the handle to create a surface that glides onto surfaces with ease. Its small size is easy to handle, too. These qualities make it an essential tool in terms of cake making, since it can spread icing on with ease. It’s also great to decorate cookies with, to spread batter in a pan, to spread chocolate or brittles for confections, and you can even use it to fluff whipped cream onto pies. Its thin shape also makes it easy to release cakes and other baked goods from the sides of the pan cleanly. 

KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

Hand mixers can certainly be useful for folks who aren’t baking often, or are keeping recipes simple. However, I am a huge proponent of a stand mixer if you have the space to get one. Because it mixes away on its own, you have the time to multitask. The secret to baking is efficiency, and those little pockets of time are actually incredibly helpful. Not only that, but they’re more consistent and oftentimes have a little more control. I love this KitchenAid mixer for the job — I’ve owned it for roughly two decades. It's a powerhouse and comes with everything you need like a 4.5-quart bowl and the three attachment heads.  

Escali Primo Digital Food Scale

You should always try to use a scale when you’re baking. It offers way more precision, which ultimately yields a better made, more consistent recipe and end result. It's even more helpful during busy times like the holidays too, since it adds extra reassurance that you’ve done the recipe as accurately as possible with less of a chance of messing up. This scale is my favorite for the job because it’s easy to use, accurate, and has all of the weights I need from ounces, to grams, to pounds. I also love that it has a raised platform so I can see the numbers more easily. It’s easily one of my most used, most relied on tools in my kitchen. 

Pyrex 3-Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set

You can also weigh liquids, which I tend to do, though I still prefer to own a classic fluid measuring cup in my kitchen. I love these Pyrex ones because they make measuring easy when you want to use them for that, since the lines are clear and easy to read. But, I also love the versatility of their design. Even when I’m weighing liquids I pop them in these because they pour everything out neatly instead of regular bowls or containers. I also love that they’re microwave-safe, so I can heat up water, milk, or melt chocolate in them without having to worry about swapping containers out. The three piece set offers a variety of volumes, from 1 to 2 or 4 cups, and trust me, you’ll use them pretty much every time you bake. 

OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop

It’s officially cookie season, and I can’t wait until my kitchen is filled with tins of this year's creations. Aside from a good mixer and some baking sheets, you’ll absolutely need a cookie scoop. As with everything in baking, results really come down to precision. And apart from using a scale, a scoop is the best way to make sure your cookies are even in size and in shape. I personally own a few sizes of the OXO cookie scoop. It’s like an ice cream scoop (and I use it for that too) and it has a release lever that removes the dough from the scoop with ease (an essential, when you’re spending the day making batches). 

Gir Premium Silicone Spatula

If you don’t already own a silicone spatula, you need to add this to your cart right now. I’ve been using this red one for a few months now, and so far I’m really enjoying its design. It’s sturdy enough to scoop heavy icings onto a cake, but tapered and flexible enough to get leftover bits in bowls and containers. The length of this one works just perfectly for me — I love that I can wiggle it into deeper areas with ease. 

Emile Henry 9-Inch Pie Dish

If you plan on making pies this year, investing in a stoneware pie dish is a must. I love this particular pie dish because of its quality. It has the look and feel of an heirloom piece, and bakes my pies to perfection. The stoneware heats up just enough (and maintains the heat) to evenly brown my crust and bake any filling. The nonstick coating makes slicing and cleaning it a breeze. Plus, it has a deeper interior for a more filled-out pie that's just as showstopping as it is tasty, which I love. It definitely deserves a spot on my holiday table this year. 

USA Pan Bakeware Round Cake Pan

It goes without saying that cake pans are key in a bakers kitchen. I love USA-pan’s bakeware specifically because it's very sturdy and holds heat well, ensuring my cakes bake consistently without warping or denting. These pans are no exception, they’re made with aluminized steel and have a slick nonstick coating for an easy release. I use all sizes, from 6 to 9-inches, and they have the perfect 2-inch walls to allow for proper rising. These, coupled with my favorite turntable, make for the perfect set up for my holiday cakes.  

ThermoPro Digital Candy Thermometer

Whether you’re making jam, merengues, brittles, puddings, or doughnuts, a candy thermometer is vital. These thermometers are specifically key for baking though, because they’re usually designed in a way that they’re hands-free and constantly gauging the temperature. I just bought this one for the holiday season because it ticks all of my boxes, and so far it's already proving to be useful. It can pull a temperature within a few seconds, and its long shape and clip keeps it hands-free. The display is also bright and clear, which I love. 

J.K. Adams Maple Wood French Dowel Rolling Pin

You can’t make sugar cookies or pies without a rolling pin, and this one is an amazing choice for just $15. Its dowel style, which I would recommend for folks that are already comfortable with rolling pins, since there’s no designated grip. You’ll have plenty of room for your hands though, since this is nice and long at 20.5 inches. I find that this dowel allows me to roll and push dough out with a little more simplicity and ease. I still use my upper body weight to apply pressure (which is better, as opposed to just my hands and wrists), and it stays precise and controllable. This coupled with my bench scraper is the perfect match for holiday baking.

Pyrex Smart Essentials 3-Piece Prepware Mixing Bowl Set

Every kitchen needs a mixing bowl set for prepping ingredients. I prefer a set that isn’t too big, that’s heat-safe, and easy to maneuver. This Pyrex option is the best in my opinion because it covers all of those factors for me. The three sizes are all I need — it comes with a 1, 1.5, 2.5-quart bowl. I can use them in the microwave, over a double boiler, or to just mix up ingredients and batters. I also love that they’re see-through, because I can easily see from the bottom up which is helpful when mixing ingredients, or when using it on top of a double boiler, since I can make sure water isn’t touching. 

Yellrin Magnetic Measuring Spoons Set

Smaller measurements that come in teaspoon to tablespoon sizes are harder to weigh out with smaller recipes, so I do prefer to measure them with spoons. These spoons have been extremely helpful in my kitchen because they have a multipurpose design. They’re dual-ended, and one end has a tapered design that can easily fit into spice jars and other small spaces, while the other has that classic rounded design. I also appreciate that I can use both ends to switch from dry to liquid measurements, since it saves me cleaning time. With their magnetic design, they’re easy to pull apart and pop back together. 

Emile Henry 13 by 9 Inch Rectangular Baker

For folks that plan to make slab cobblers, crumbles, or any other dessert that gets baked in a larger dish, investing in a good one is key. Not only is this baker the ideal material (its stoneware, which helps bake your recipes evenly) but it’s also chic enough to bring it right to the table for serving. I also love that it is sturdy and will keep your dessert intact and easy to pass around if you need to — no more using those flexible aluminum pans, since they can break crusts.