As the holiday season approaches, I'm pleased to present my baking gift guide, which is back for a third year in 2023. This year, I've carefully curated new tools discovered during my baking profusion (and, sometimes, obsessive) efforts. These tools are sure to make a fantastic gift for any baker (or yourself!). Now, I'm not a baker who buys tools to buy tools, but often, the right tool makes any job much easier, or if not easier, much more enjoyable.
Each of the articles in this overview will help you—um-Ie your favorite baker, take their bread to the next level. Whether you're looking for a small or large tool, this list of the best gifts for bakers has it all. Read more!
The best potato breeder
It seems strange to start with a potato, but if you've ever done this at home, you know how challenging and time-consuming it can be. Well, not anymore.
This ricer absolutely wipes out the potatoes in a way that my old metal clip style ricer couldn't. Whether you're cooking potatoes for gnocchi, bread, or something else, this will turn our starchy friend into neat little tubes of flavor. The climbing motion is similar to how you would trim a bush outside with scissors, but the shape and body of the handles make it so easy to turn.
Trust me, you'll want this in your kitchen – especially if you often make bread with potatoes added to the dough – and if you don't, you really should Try this potato focaccia recipe.
A home for your sourdough starter
I helped Brød and Taylor design this sanctuary (hot or cold) for you the beginning of sourdoughand now I can't imagine baking without it. I put my engine in, set the temp to exactly what I want, and trust that it's strong and ready to go when I want it.
Is it a specialized device dedicated to bread? yes! But you know what, if you're like me and baking sourdough bread is a passion, you owe it to yourself (and your hardworking newbie!) to make things easy and sustainable.
The best spice grinder
I like to equate freshly ground spices with fresh coffee or even fresh flour, and it's hard to go back to anything else once you've tasted the difference.
I love this compact spice grinder because it holds everything neatly in the bowl, you can use it with one or two hands, and it allows you to grind to different levels of fineness. Plus, it's super easy to clean!
Amazing baking pans
If you want fresh bottomed focaccia, deep dish pizza or soft sourdough rollsthese LloydPans are for you. These non-stick pans are incredibly lightweight and effective at conducting heat, resulting in crispness and crispness exactly where you want it.
Plus, they're made in the USA and virtually unbreakable. It's so rare to find a gem that checks all of these boxes—they're pans I plan to keep and use forever.
(Another) Amazing baking pan
Like the round focaccia pans above, this rectangular Lloyd Pan is perfect for taking out fresher pan pizza. It has a non-stick coating and conducts heat just as effectively as their other great pans. When the neighbors ask to borrow a pan, you pick another because, at least for me, it's never leaving my kitchen.
Between this pan and the round pans, you have all your baking covered.
Comfortable oven mitts (not hot).
These handles are thick, but not too thick, giving you plenty of dexterity when using dutch ovens or other pans. And yet, they provide incredible insulation, allowing me to keep all things hot for much longer than I would have thought possible.
My Cookbook (One Year Later)
My cookbook would make an incredible gift for any baker, whether you are a beginner or have years of baking experience. I wrote this book to grow with you as a baker in the kitchen, from starting your own sourdough to advanced baking like natural yeast croissants—and every step in between.
Yes, this was on the list last year, the year it was released. But even after that time, there's so much bread packed inside that it'll likely carry you through a few more. It is a gift that is an investment. An investment in yourself as a baker or your favorite friend/family/neighbor you want to bake for you more often.
Another great cookbook
Gosh, there have been so many this year it's hard to recommend just one. And technically, this book came out late last year, but since I'm a baker of complicated (not always) and long-fermented doughs with formulas and fermentation schedules, it's nice to get a book focused on simple baking. . Actually, the word simplicity it's even in the subtitle!
Gâteau: The surprising simplicity of French desserts it has been on my kitchen island every week since I bought it. The writing is evocative and inspiring, and the recipes are just as delicious.
If you like baked goods with a high reward-to-effort ratio, this is the cookbook for you.
RackMaster 2020 Bread Oven
(Press play, above and watch me operate the oven.)
This is a new addition to my home “micro oven”. RackMaster 2020 Bakery. The oven is superbly built, with deliberate detail and quality materials, and has completely changed the way I bake bread here at home. But it is more than that.
Here's why I love the RackMaster oven (and why you will too):
- it's SIMPLE to operate without unnecessary electronics (which are prone to breaking and are expensive to replace).
- it's closed very well, which leads to excellent steam retention (and because of this, in some cases, you may not need to spray water in the oven, the dough will steam the oven itself).
- of large handle makes opening and closing the oven door extremely easy.
- You can use any of the three decks independently. This means you can bake just a few loaves on the top deck, use only two decks, or fully load the oven and use all three.
- of baking surfaces are too thick and efficient in retaining and conducting heat. This means you can bake consecutive batches with minimal downtime.
- There is one large window where you can see the dough being baked on all decks.
If you are looking for a larger oven, especially if you have a micro oven, this RackMaster 2020 oven is for you.
The best bench knife (scraper)
I have used this jewelry knife for years, and has yet to show a scratch, bend or mark. Made of steel, the ergonomics are perfect and its non-stick surface means nothing sticks. But beyond those things, I just love the weight and size of the thing. It's a bit longer than most other bench knives (there's even a smaller one), but as the barista who always reaches for the same glasses despite a wide array of options, or the woodworker who always picks up the same chisel, this knife is always in my hand when there is dough to handle.
Join me in membership
I raised it baker's membership here at The Perfect Loaf for over five years, and I've continued to add more baking tools, discounts, and perks. Plus, it's a fantastic place to show off your baking and get help.
Or, invest in your baking and join the membership yourself!
All my favorite tools
If you're all the way down and haven't seen what you're looking for, check out mine roundup of the best baking tools for bakers. Everything would have one unbelievable gift for any baker!
What's next?
I hope you have a happy holiday season and a fresh pack soft sourdough rolls headed for the table!
