Is it just me, or do the cooler temperatures seem to bring out the baker in all of us?

On the crisp fall days, I find myself in the kitchen, yearning to bake and create yummy treats, the warmth of the oven and the delicious aromas filling the house. 

Fall is the perfect season to bake a batch of cookies, or whip up some muffins, or bake a loaf of homemade bread. It brings a such a familiar coziness to my home.

 As a bakery owner, I love the art of baking. It’s satisfying for me to read recipes, whether they are old favorites or new ones I’m anxious to try. I love combining the ingredients and watching everything meld together. I love how these items combine to create something completely new and delicious.

But you don’t have to have my level of experience or knowledge to enjoy baking. With the right tools and a positive attitude, you can have fun creating in your kitchen, too.  Whether you’re crafting everything from scratch or getting a little help from a boxed mix, there are a few gadgets we highly recommend for the best results. 

Here are the five kitchen must-haves we suggest:

  1. An accurate scale. This is essential for getting exact measurements of weights and ingredients.
  2. A timer. You may be using the timer built into your oven, but we highly recommend a timer when it comes to baking. A timer helps to make sure you don’t under or over-bake. It’s also helpful for the recipes that give specific time instructions when mixing ingredients.
  3. Dough scraper. Also known as a bench scraper, this handy gadget should have a spot in a drawer in every kitchen. It’s a multi-purpose baking tool: you can use it to move dough from the bowl, use it to shape your dough, and get every bit of dough from the bowl without any residue.
  4. Thermometer. This is one you might not think about when it comes to baking, but thermometers are really helpful. Use them to make sure your dough is at the proper temperature, especially bread and yeast doughs.
  5. Cookie scrapers. This 2-in-1 tool and instruments comes in handy for baking and decorating cookies. Similar to the dough scraper, it’s useful for scraping out the cookie dough and spreading icing on your cookies. 

While we can’t guarantee there won’t be some misses now and then, we’re pretty sure these gadgets will help make any baking project easier. And once you’ve added them to your kitchen collection, you’ll use them for years to come. 

So, as the days turn cooler, and you find yourself spending more time indoors, we encourage you to give baking a try. Gather your family around to help and we’re sure you’ll have fun…and hopefully, some tasty treats to enjoy, too.

Happy baking!