Buzz
In a commercial bakery, you’ll find a variety of versatile tools and shelves filled with gadgets that might as well double as scalp massagers or even medieval devices. While there’s a purpose for all of these tools, I opt for simpler alternatives in my home kitchen—like swapping the docking roller for a fork. No need to have years of professional experience to determine which baking tools are essential for home use and which are better left to the experts. I've compiled a list of 10 professional, non-electronic tools that will become your go-to favorites.
Wire cooling racks in a grid design
Many baked goods spend more time cooling than actually baking. Give them a designated spot to cool down. A large wire rack with a criss-cross pattern is one of the most essential tools in my kitchen, second only to pots and pans. Not only do I use it to cool cakes, but I also use it for glazing desserts with ganache or thin icings, allowing excess to drip off. It's also perfect for resting hot grilled cheese sandwiches, ensuring they don't become soggy, baking bacon, or roasting meats, keeping them above their fat drippings.
The grid pattern is key, along with the large rectangular size. Single-direction racks are fine, but small items may fall through, and delicate cookies can get ruined if they slide off a wire. Rectangular racks are often designed to fit perfectly into rimmed baking sheets, so make sure to measure yours before buying. These two tools can work together to cool large sheet cakes or catch stray crumbs. I usually need two racks to flip a hot cake out of its pan, so save your fingers and buy two racks.
Purchase a set of wire racks for your kitchen:
Grid-style wire racks for baking and cooling
Cardboard cake boards
Before I started working in a bakery, I would place a cake on a plate and get frustrated when it wouldn't sit flat. Most dinner plates have a slight curve, which can cause delicate desserts like tarts and cheesecakes to crack. A cardboard cake board gives you a firm, level surface. It's not only better for your knives when cutting, but it also makes it easier to move the dessert without it sticking to the first surface it touches.
Always choose a board that's one inch larger than your dessert:
Wilton 10-inch cake board
9-inch cake board
Offset spatulas
Whether you're spreading peanut butter on toast or covering sheet cakes with frosting, the right tool makes all the difference. To smoothly and evenly apply pastes, frostings, or sauces, an offset spatula is ideal. They come in various sizes, and I find myself using both a mini offset and a medium offset the most at home. The unique feature of this spatula, compared to a straight cake spatula, is the angled blade near the handle. This bend lets you easily reach into rimmed pans without tilting the tool. You'll effortlessly spread the thinnest layer of béchamel in a lasagna pan or a delicate layer of jam in a tart shell. The offset design keeps your knuckles above the food, keeping them out of the way when spreading sauces or frostings on items with no rim or pan.
Use a large offset for broad strokes and a small one for detailed work:
OXO 2-piece offset spatula set
Wooden rolling pin with rotating handles
I can't create a list of essential baking tools without mentioning the ultimate workhorse of any bakery: the rolling pin. There are various types of rolling pins, each suited for a different task. My personal favorite is the unfinished wooden pin with handles that rotate freely. Unfinished wood is a bit rough, unlike the smooth, shiny surface of finished wood. This texture prevents sticky, buttery doughs from sticking to the pin while allowing flour to stay in place.
Some rolling pins lack handles, but I prefer those with handles because they keep your knuckles from touching the dough, and they provide a more natural grip for better control. The rotating handles make the job quicker, and if you're rolling dough consistently, your wrists will appreciate the ease. Use a rolling pin to flatten pie crusts, cookie dough, dumpling wrappers, or even tenderize meats and butter by smashing.
Make rolling dough a breeze:
Martha Stewart Beechwood Rolling Pin
Pizza cutter
You might assume that a pizza cutter is only for slicing a hot slice of Sicilian pizza, but this rotary blade is a true multitasker. Just imagine how quickly it can slice through a 24-inch pizza, and now think about how fast it can cut through any flat dough. This round knife lets you slice dough quickly, with precision, and in any direction you need.
I use a pizza cutter to cut homemade pastry dough into the right shapes, long strips of puff pastry for cheese straws, or brownies and bars about an inch thick. It’s much faster than a knife in these situations, and the circular blade ensures that sticky dough won’t ruin your work. Since there’s only one point of contact during cutting, buttery doughs or pastries filled with jam or chocolate won't stick. If you're cutting thin strips of dough and worry about it wrapping around the wheel, just hold the end closest to you to keep it in place.
Cut with a circular blade:
OXO Small Pizza Cutter
Piping bags
Piping bags, both disposable and reusable, are incredibly useful tools in the kitchen. They come in a range of sizes, from small piping bags for precise filling or decorating, to large piping bags perfect for bulk work. These bags excel at dividing large amounts of batter, sauce, fillings, or dough with speed and accuracy. Using a spoon for filling or pouring can be slow and messy. The conical shape of a piping bag keeps the food flowing neatly to the tip, and the flow can be stopped cleanly with a simple cut.
Use a piping bag to fill deviled eggs, pipe out 100 mini cookies, prepare a batch of 36 cupcakes (without the mess), or pipe sausage filling into casing. You can opt for piping bags with various shaped tips for intricate patterns or shapes, or use one without a tip for a straightforward round shape.
I like to have a few different sizes available:
Ateco 8-inch reusable piping bag
Ateco 21-inch disposable piping bag
Ateco cake decorating tips
Parchment paper
Parchment paper is the most versatile liner in the kitchen. It's a non-stick, heat-resistant, and food-safe material. For sheet trays and cake pans, it's the most reliable option, but it can also be used for baking fish en papillote or as a liner in a steamer for delicate steamed buns. Beyond its use as a liner, parchment serves as a non-stick surface for rolling out pastry dough, can be twisted into a quick cornet, torn into small squares to separate crêpes, or used to wrap sandwiches for a picnic.
I prefer the roll of parchment over pre-cut sheets:
Reynolds Unbleached Parchment Paper Roll
Seasoned baking sheets may not have the same gleaming appearance as a brand-new, shiny sheet pan, but they are far superior in terms of functionality. With their darkened color, they distribute heat more effectively and encourage better browning. More browning means more flavor, whether you're baking cakes or roasting a Cornish hen. The discoloration also contributes to a naturally nonstick surface.
The seasoned, darkened finish on baking sheets helps with even heat distribution and enhances flavor through browning, making them more effective than their shiny, new counterparts.
Still building the patina on your baking sheets? Just like with cast iron, oil is essential. Coat your pan with oil, add some seasoned vegetables and meats, and roast away. When cleaning, do so gently, and don’t worry about any discoloration or spots that seem impossible to remove. These marks are a sign that your seasoning process is just getting started.
Embark on your seasoning adventure: Nordic Ware Aluminum Baking Sheets
Choose dark pans for a head start: Baker’s Mark Aluminum Pan
Wet and dry pastry brushes
I can’t get enough of my pastry brushes. They consistently make my baking and cooking process quick and effortless. In fact, I own three, but they all serve different purposes. One is dedicated to wet ingredients, while the other two are for dry ingredients (one is small for precise dusting, and the other is wide). Think of pastry brushes as miniature paintbrushes for food – they’re perfect for any task that requires a delicate touch. Use them for egg washing pies, pastries, and doughs, or brush a thin layer of simple syrup onto cake layers with just a few strokes.
For gently brushing off excess flour, turn to a dry pastry brush. You’ll need a generous coating of flour to prevent dough from sticking to the surface, but leaving too much can result in an unwanted mouthful of flour after baking. Use the brush to sweep off excess flour from pizza dough, pastries, and rolled cookies. Technically, a single brush should suffice, but be sure to clean and dry it thoroughly after each use.
Keep a variety for wet or dry applications:
Thermohauser 3-piece Brush Set
Rubber spatulas
Maybe it’s just the way I was raised, but I get uneasy when any leftover bits are left behind in a mixing bowl. If it’s still usable, I want to make sure it’s all scraped out. The rubber spatula is flexible, comes in various levels of stiffness, and is made from non-stick silicone rubber. You can easily scrape down a bowl full of marshmallow fluff, brownie batter, or oil-based salad dressings, and the spatula will conform to every curve, leaving the bowl surprisingly clean. Silicone spatulas are heat-resistant, with many able to withstand up to 500°F, and their 12-inch handles make them just as great for handling high-temperature sugar work as for mixing up a boxed cake mix.
This spatula has been a trusted tool for a long time:
