Ready or not, the holidays have arrived. Some radio stations are already playing the Christmas carols, stores have decked the halls, and the Black Friday sale specials have begun. 

As you begin making your list and checking it twice make sure you’re taking inventory of your baking supplies, too.. This is the perfect time to make sure your pantry is stocked with the staples. 

Right now, a lot of stores have great deals on baking ingredients and supplies. As you’re doing your weekly shopping or picking up items for your Thanksgiving feast, grab a few ingredients to have on hand so you’ll have everything you need when you’re ready to get baking. 

There are a lot of kitchen gadgets out there these days, as well as fancy ingredients. It can be hard to decipher what you really need. So, we thought we’d help you out. A collection of kitchen must-haves for baking, featuring wooden and metal baking utensils arranged on a wooden surface, including rolling pins, spoons, a whisk, grater, bowls, cookie cutters, and a honey dipper.

Here’s are the staples we recommend:

  1. Quality baking sheets. These are worth the investment as they’ll last for years and really make a difference in your baking. 
  2. Timer. An important kitchen tool, especially if you’re busy multitasking. This makes sure you don’t overcook your sweets. 
  3. Pastry cutter. This is a difference maker because it helps cut clean edges to your pie crusts. 
  4. Pastry brush. This handy tool helps with topping your pie crusts or brushing a topping to your rolls or bread loaves. 
  5. Measuring cups. I really like metal or stainless steel. They last forever and you don’t have to worry about your measurement lines rubbing off. 
  6. Brown sugar. This is worth keeping on hand, as a lot of baking recipes call for this type of sugar. 
  7. Basic Flour. Bread, cookies, muffins, cakes – this is a must! It also works great to put on your counter or tabletop when you need to roll out your dough. 
  8. Sugar. Gotta have sugar to make the sweets!
  9. Butter. Stock up on the unsalted, stick butter.
  10. Eggs. You’ll want to be sure to have a least a dozen eggs on hand, so you’ll be ready to bake when the urge hits.
  11. Nuts. Walnuts, cashews, peanuts, almonds – so many options that you can include in your recipes. 
  12. Fruits. Use as a topping, a garnish or in the main recipe!
  13. Baking soda. This is such a versatile ingredient. Many baking recipes call for it, but it also has so many other uses, too! Open a box to help keep your fridge smelling clean, sprinkle on carpets for a quick refresh before you vacuum or use it to make your own soft scrub. 

Before you head to the store, make a shopping list and buy larger quantities so you have enough ingredients to cover a few baking afternoons. Don’t forget to check your pantry, too. You’ll want to see if you have those ingredients, you only use once a year and make sure you have them on hand before you begin. 

Baking can be such a fun activity, especially this time of year. There’s something really rewarding about preparing dessert for Thanksgiving or getting a jumpstart on your Christmas cookies. Allow your family to join in, too. Even if it gets a little messy or takes a little longer, you’re doing more than just baking, you’re making memories. What’s better than that?