With every recipe I share on Serious Eats, I always mention the specific equipment I use at home. Over time, I’ve found myself listing the same pieces over and over again. So, it seemed time to gather up those recommendations in one place—all the baking equipment you need to turn out pastry like a pro.
Of course, it would be impossible to write a guide that could cover every piece of equipment in the realm of pastry.
As the author of a book called Iconic American Desserts, I’m limiting myself to the tools I use most, leaving out more obscure items that will sit around gathering dust.This isn’t an exhaustive guide, but it covers the basics, as well as more specialized tools that can help intermediate bakers step up their game. Whether you’re making layer cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream, candy, or a simple dish of custard, these are the essential tools you’ll need to get the job done.
Any of them can also make a perfect gift for the baker in your life.The following list has been adapted from my book, BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts.
Our Top Picks
An Angel Food Cake Pan:
SALE Nordic Ware Angel Food Cake Pan at Amazon $32 $27
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A Brownie Pan:
Fat Daddio’s Brownie Pan at Amazon $37
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A Bundt Pan:
Nordic Ware Bundt Pan at Amazon $44
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A Cast Iron Skillet:
SALE Lodge Cast Iron Skillet at Amazon $41 $29
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A Cheesecake Pan:
LloydPans Kitchenware Extra-Tall Cheesecake Pan at Lloydpanskitchenware.com
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Extra-Deep Cake Pans:
Fat Daddio’s Round Cake Pan at Amazon $16
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A Cast Iron Turntable:
Ateco 12-Inch Cast Iron Revolving Cake Stand at Amazon $57
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Cookie Cutters:
Ateco Round Cutters at Amazon $15
Cookie Dough Scoops:
SALE Norpro Two-Tablespoon Cookie Scoop at Amazon $21 $17
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An Angel Food Cake Pan
Nordic Ware Angel Food Cake Pan
PHOTO: Amazon
$32 $27 at Amazon
$34 at Walmart
$32 at Target
A basic two-piece aluminum tube pan is perfect for large chiffon cakes and pound cakes, but it’s absolutely essential for angel food cake, which will collapse in a nonstick pan.
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
A Brownie Pan
Fat Daddio’s Anodized Aluminum Sheet Cheesecake Pan With Removable Bottom
PHOTO: Amazon
$37 at Amazon
For quick, even baking and the perfect crust on treats from brownies to hot cross buns, what you want is a nine-by-13-inch anodized aluminum baking pan.
This Fat Daddio’s anodized aluminum brownie/cheesecake pan goes the extra mile with a removable bottom, making it easy to extract fragile desserts for slicing into bars. (Read more about the benefits of this brownie pan here.)
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
A Bundt Pan
Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Anniversary Bundt PanPHOTO: Amazon
$44 at Amazon
$53 at Williams Sonoma
$42 at Walmart
A good bundt pan can transform any cake, however simple, into a work of art.
A dramatic pan can elevate simple cakes to new heights, whether it’s a family heirloom, a find from a yard sale, or a stylish Nordic Ware bundt pan. These pans are perfect for making everything from fluffy Gingerbread to rustic Olive Oil Cake. To learn more about prepping the pan, scaling batter, and adjusting bake times, refer to our guide on how to use a bundt pan. A Cast Iron Skillet, such as the Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, is versatile beyond its savory uses. It’s ideal for roasting fruit on the grill, baking buttermilk biscuits, or even making a fudgy chocolate cake or a hummingbird cake infused with pineapple and banana. If you’re new to cast iron, be sure to read our articles on how to season a cast iron pan, as well as how to clean and maintain cast iron cookware. A Cheesecake Pan from LloydPans Kitchenware offers a solution to the common issues with springform pans. Their Custom 8×4-Inch Cheesecake Pan is four inches deep, with a two-piece loose bottom design that eliminates the need for cleaning moving parts. This pan is the secret to achieving the dramatic height of classic New York-style cheesecake and no-bake Greek yogurt cheesecake, and it’s also perfect for impressive icebox tortes. For more information, see our full write-up on this amazing, custom cheesecake pan. Extra-Deep Cake Pans, like Fat Daddio’s 8×3-Inch Anodized Aluminum Round Cake Pan, are preferred over dark, shallow ones. The additional depth helps cakes rise taller and fluffier, while the reflective metal ensures a delicate crust and a flat top. These pans are also great for messy projects like sticky buns. Anodized metal prevents unwanted reactions with acidic batters, ensuring that baked goods taste and look as they should. All my cakes are based on eight-inch pans for their tall, thick layers. For more information, check out our in-depth cake pan review. A Cast Iron Turntable, such as the Ateco 612 12-Inch Cast Iron Revolving Cake Stand, is revolutionary for those who make layer cakes more than once or twice a year. It makes the process of decorating and assembling cakes much easier.
A cast iron turntable is a versatile kitchen tool that not only helps to evenly spread creamy icings like Swiss buttercream or marshmallow frosting on cakes but also serves as a convenient lazy Susan for meals with multiple condiments.
Cookie Cutters are essential for any baking project. A set of Ateco Graduated Round Cutters (Set of 11) is ideal for common baking tasks, while Ateco Fluted Edge Round Cookie Cutters add a decorative touch to cookies. Additionally, plunger cutters offer a variety of shapes and patterned textures, making online shopping a treasure trove for finding a set that suits your style. For portioning cookie dough and other batters, a spring-loaded Cookie Dough Scoop like the Norpro Two-Tablespoon Cookie Scoop is indispensable. It simplifies the process of creating uniform portions for chocolate chip cookies, muffins, and drop biscuits. A one-tablespoon scoop, such as the Norpro model, is also useful for mini muffins and cookies. A Digital Scale, like the OXO 11-lb. Stainless Steel Food Scale With Pull-Out Display, is a game-changer for bakers. It allows for precise measurements in both ounces and grams, with a pull-out display that prevents obstruction by large bowls or cutting boards. This scale can handle up to 11 pounds, making it suitable for direct scaling into heavy glass or ceramic bowls. For those who prefer to weigh lightweight ingredients like spices and leavening agents in grams, a micro-scale is necessary for accurately measuring small quantities. A Digital Probe Thermometer, such as the Polder Classic Combination Digital Leave-In Probe Programmable Meat Thermometer and Timer or the ThermoWorks ChefAlarm, is a reliable alternative to traditional candy thermometers. They provide steady and accurate readings, essential for long-term stovetop projects like toffee or fudge, where constant monitoring is required.When working on pastry projects, it’s advisable to use a digital thermometer with a clip-on attachment. This way, you can closely monitor every second of the candy-making process, which can quickly turn from a success to a failure. (Most instant-read pocket thermometers need three or four seconds to register the temperature.) My top pick is Polder’s In-Oven Thermometer. It has a temperature alert function, so I don’t have to constantly the readout.
Additionally, it comes with a timer. (Editor’s note: After testing, our overall favorite leave-in probe thermometer is the ThermoWorks ChefAlarm.) Even if you don’t often make candies, this thermometer has a heat-resistant cord, making it great for keeping track of long-term savory projects like roasting a turkey. (Note: This thermometer is not suitable for use on the grill. We recommend several thermometers for grilling in our roundup of the best grilling accessories and the best high-tech gear for grilling. ) Serious Eats / Will Dickey A Docking Tool Fox Run Dough Docker PHOTO: Amazon $15 at Amazon Sure, you can use a fork to poke a rolled dough repeatedly, but a proper docking tool can complete the task in just a few seconds. It leaves a crisp pattern of well-formed dots. (This looks especially good in copycat recipes such as the homemade graham crackers in my book or the Carr’s-style whole wheat crackers on Serious Eats.) Serious Eats / Vicky Waisk An Electric Griddle Presto 22-Inch Electric Griddle PHOTO: Amazon $60 at Amazon View on Lifeandhome.com $54 at Houzz This tool may not seem like a baking essential at first glance. However, between batches of Sunday morning English muffins, fluffy pancakes (not to mention French toast), it gets a lot of use. Sasha has conducted an in-depth review of the best electric griddles, and my favorite among them is Presto’s 22-Inch Electric Griddle. Its slim design and removable legs allow for easy storage with my baking sheets. It’s an excellent choice for cooking various breakfast items in bulk. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik A Fluted Pastry Wheel Happy Sales Pastry Wheel PHOTO: Amazon $16 at Amazon A fluted pastry wheel is equally useful for making classic ravioli and lattice-topped pies. There are numerous options on the market, and many are cheaper than my personal favorite. However, not all are of the same quality. Look for those with a wide metal wheel and an exaggerated “zig-zag” design. Those made from thin, wavy metal sheets will leave patterns that disappear once the dough puffs up. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik A Food Processor Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor PHOTO: Amazon $250 $200 at Amazon $200 at Williams Sonoma $200 at Walmart Magimix 14-Cup Food Processor PHOTO: Amazon $595 at Amazon $400 at Williams Sonoma A food processor is essential for recipes like my magic bagels and homemade Wheat Thins. It also simplifies the process of creating custom flours, such as the freeze-dried fruit and cake flour blend in my double strawberry cake, the honey-roasted-peanut flour for the peanut butter cookies in my book, and the apple flour in my homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies.Investing in a high-quality food processor is crucial, especially for bread making. I personally own and recommend the Breville Sous Chef, which is a top pick from our food processor review, available in 16- and 12-cup versions. For those seeking a processor with an innovative dough blade and efficient processing, the Magimix 14-cup processor from Robot Coupe is our top recommendation at a similar price point.
For casual use, such as making whipped cream or homemade biscuits, the Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor has proven to be reliable and is also on our list of recommended models. A two-quart baking dish is perfect for most baking projects, whether you’re making a rhubarb crisp or tiramisu. Common sizes are seven by 11 inches or eight by 10 inches. While a three-quart baking dish can be useful for larger gatherings, I find that two quarts is usually sufficient to avoid food going mushy or stale. My favorite is the Pyrex Basics two-quart baking dish, which comes with a lid, but Staub’s stoneware dishes are also excellent for cobblers, crisps, and puddings. Every pastry chef appreciates a simple aluminum sheet pan. Our favorites are the sturdy Nordic Ware Naturals Baker’s Half Sheet and the Chicago Metallic Commercial II Traditional Uncoated Jelly Roll Pan, both suitable for baking cookies, roasting sheet pan dinners, and organizing mise en place. An ice cream maker is a must-have for achieving the perfect texture in American-style ice cream. Stand mixer attachments often result in a gummy, greasy, or icy texture due to poor scraping mechanisms. A dedicated ice cream machine, like the Cuisinart 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, & Sorbet Maker, is more effective and usually more affordable.My favorite, and the winner from our ice cream machine review, is the Cuisinart ICE-21. I use it at home and in the Serious Eats test kitchen. It does a great job with scraping and aeration, resulting in ice cream that’s always silky-smooth. As with any canister-based ice cream machine, success depends on the temperature of your freezer. Make sure it’s set to 0F (-18C). (This can be tested by wrapping a bag of frozen vegetables around a digital thermometer.) If not, the canister won’t be sufficiently chilled for use, and you may need to adjust the dial.
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik A Loaf Pan Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Pro Nonstick Loaf Pan PHOTO: Williams Sonoma $35 at Williams Sonoma Aluminized steel isn’t my favorite material for layer cakes as it encourages the development of a heavier crust. But for that very reason, it’s great for baking an evenly browned loaf, whether it’s classic banana bread or a sour cream pound cake. In our review of loaf pans, we liked the sharp corners and tall sides of this nonstick loaf pan from Williams Sonoma. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik Muffin Pans USA Pan Nonstick Muffin Pan PHOTO: Amazon $32 at Amazon $32 at Williams Sonoma $35 at Michaels OXO Nonstick Pro 12-Cup Muffin Pan PHOTO: Amazon $32 at Amazon $27 at Walmart $28 at Kohls.com Reflective metals like aluminum keep muffins from browning along the bottom. That’s why I prefer to bake them in a dark nonstick muffin pan. By the same token, those pans aren’t the best for cupcakes, which do best in aluminum pans that keep their crusts delicate and pale. Since baking is what I do for a living, I have both. But if I could recommend only one, it would be a nonstick pan for muffins, with greaseproof foil liners to reduce browning in cupcakes. See our muffin pan review for more information. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik Stainless Steel Strainers Rösle Stainless Steel Round Handle Kitchen Strainer PHOTO: Amazon $56 $53 at Amazon $80 at Walmart $56 at Sur La Table Most bakers know a sturdy mesh strainer is one of the most useful kitchen tools around. But not as many folks realize how important it is for that mesh to be stainless steel. Bringing acidic liquids, like lemon juice or blackberry purée, in contact with aluminum can cause foods to discolor or develop an unpleasant metal twang. At home, I use an eight-inch strainer for all sorts of tasks, including sifting flour and straining ice cream base. For smaller projects, I like to keep a three-inch strainer on hand as well. We’ve reviewed larger fine mesh strainers, and our favorite is the Rösle Stainless Steel Round Handle Kitchen Strainer. It’s well-made and catches even the finest particles. Serious Eats / Eric King Offset Metal Spatulas Ateco 8-Inch Offset Spatula PHOTO: Amazon View on Amazon Ateco Ultra Offset Spatula PHOTO: Amazon $8 at Amazon $10 at Walmart For years, my husband thought I’d been calling it an “upset spatula”. Frankly, he’ll never live down because there’s nothing upsetting about this amazing tool. If you’re crumb-coating a cake or loosening Oreo dough from the counter, this Ateco eight-inch offset spatula will always get the job done.When it comes to baking, having the right tools can make all the difference. Here are some essential kitchen utensils that can elevate your baking game.
A Mini Offset Spatula: Ideal for frosting cupcakes or homemade Lofthouse cookies, a mini offset spatula is a must-have. While it’s technically a 7.75-inch spatula, the size is just right for precise frosting. An Oven Thermometer: Serious Eats recommends the Rubbermaid Stainless Steel Instant Read Oven Thermometer. It’s crucial to check if your oven runs true to dial, as incorrect temperatures can ruin your baked goods. A cheap oven thermometer can help you figure out the best setting. Pastry Bag and Tips: DecoPac 18-Inch Disposable Pastry Bags are a great alternative to traditional canvas bags, which can absorb odors and colors and breed bacteria if not cleaned properly. The Ateco Stainless Steel Piping Tip Set (6-Piece) covers most pastry tasks, from profiteroles to homemade Oreos. For more decorative work, consider adding couplers and fine tips to your collection. Pie Plates: To achieve a crisp and flaky pie crust, avoid heavy stoneware or thick ceramic plates. Glass or aluminum options, like the Norpro Stainless Steel Pie Pan, conduct heat better and result in superior crusts. For more information and comparisons, see the in-depth guide to pie plates. Rolling Pins: Personal taste plays a significant role in choosing a rolling pin. The J.K. Adams FRP-1 Maple French Rolling Pin and Algis Crafts Paisley Embossing Rolling Pin are both good options. A good rolling pin should feel light and smooth, allowing for easy maneuverability.When it comes to rolling pins, you can choose the K. Adams French rolling pin. But if you prefer one with handles, make sure it rolls smoothly. I’m not a fan of those fancy marble pins though; they’re too heavy and awkward for me, and there are easier and cheaper ways to keep pie dough cool.
For experienced bakers wanting to enhance their cookie-making, having an embossed rolling pin is great. However, many manufacturers focus more on form than function, creating beautiful designs that can be a problem for dough. So, it may take some trial and error to find a great one. The paisley pin mentioned above is carved to the perfect depth, with the right amount of white space to prevent dough from sticking. I can recommend it without hesitation (although it still takes practice to master). A Serrated Knife Tojiro F-737 Bread Slicer PHOTO: Amazon $56 at Amazon Whether slicing a whole wheat bread loaf, leveling a layer cake, or cutting almond biscotti evenly, a reliable serrated knife is essential for any baker. Our favorite from Tojiro costs $35, but check out our complete review of the best serrated knives for more options. Flexible, Heat-Resistant Spatulas GIR Spatula PHOTO: Amazon $13 at Amazon View on Gir.co I have strong opinions about spatulas. It’s the tool I use most often, so it needs to feel like an extension of my hand. That’s why I won’t tolerate useless spatulas. If a silicone spatula is too thick to scrape a bowl well, or a flexible spatula can melt in caramel sauce, it’s a waste of space. A Stand Mixer KitchenAid 7 Quart Bowl Lift Stand Mixer PHOTO: Amazon $600 $530 at Amazon $530 at Williams Sonoma $530 at Target Hands-free mixing is convenient, but it’s not the main reason I prefer a stand mixer. First, a stand mixer has more wattage than a hand mixer. This allows it to handle ingredients like cold butter and eggs better, making it easier to maintain proper batter and dough temperature and ensuring cakes and cookies turn out right. Hand mixers need slightly warmer ingredients and more time to whip. The combination of temperature, extra time, and friction often results in warmer batters and doughs, which can be an issue for many recipes, especially cakes and cookies. In addition to power, stand mixer attachments produce better results in creaming and whipping. Compared to the thin beaters of a hand mixer, the wide paddle attachment blades fold rather than cut through butter and sugar, trapping more air. This leads to more cookies and better cake rises. Also, the stand mixer’s large balloon whisk and higher wattage mean more volume in whipped cream and meringue compared to a hand mixer’s narrow beaters.Due to those issues of wattage and beater shape, there are many projects hand mixers simply can’t tackle, like homemade marshmallows, nougat, and my whole-egg ladyfingers.
If I could have only one piece of cookware, it would be a three-quart stainless steel saucier. Its size can handle almost any stovetop task, the nonreactive metal prevents any funky flavors from developing, and the tri-ply construction conducts heat at the perfect rate. The curved-side shape of a saucier is designed to facilitate stirring, scraping, and even heat distribution, so it’s the ideal vessel for persnickety pastry projects. A one-quart saucier is handy for small batches of ganache or brown butter, and a two-quart saucier is convenient for medium-sized batches of candies and custard. They’ll function equally well in savory applications, too. Serious Eats / Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm Stainless Steel Sauciers Made In Stainless Clad Saucier PHOTO: Made In $169 $161 at Amazon $129 at Made In Cookware I’ve written in depth about whisks before, but the short story is that, for my needs and equipment, I prefer a simple set of balloon whisks. They conform to the curved shape of my sauciers and can handle heavy custards, like the one in my chocolate cream pie. Serious Eats / Tim Chin Whisks GIR Premium Stainless Steel Whisk PHOTO: Amazon $14 at Amazon View on Gir.co OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Balloon Whisk PHOTO: Amazon $12 at Amazon $12 at Target View on Webstaurant Store Stella Parks was the pastry editor at Serious Eats from 2016 to 2019. She is the author of BraveTart, an award-winning baking cookbook. She has written multiple gear-related articles for Serious Eats, including a guide to choosing a whisk and a review of cocoa powders. Baking Sheets and Cooling Racks Belong in Every Kitchen Bakeware
