Cookie Baking Equipment and Gadgets

Are you ready for holiday baking?  Here are some items that will help you be successful in your cookie baking efforts this year or to add to your Christmas list for Santa.

Let’s start with measuring – besides the usual glass measuring cups and dry measuring cups take a look at a better set – there are liquid measures that help you measure by ounces, tablespoons, etc. – very useful.  When purchasing a dry cup set I try to find ones that have at least 6 cups – I don’t like to have to combine cups to get 2/3 or 3/4 cups measures.  I love measuring spoon sets that have MORE – especially half tablespoon and 1/8 teaspoon and 1/16 teaspoon  sizes – so I can halve recipes easily if I want. 

Let’s take a look at cookie pans – they should be shiny and low sided like the ones on the top left.  You need at least 2 - so they can cool off before baking another batch.  Mini muffin pans come in 12 and 24 cup sizes – very handy for tassies and bite-size brownies.  
A half sheet with a rack is a real workhorse – for baking, roasting, cooling cookies, frosting (the pan catches the drips) – I have 3 of these sets, each with a plastic cover, and work them hard.  The 10x15” jelly roll pan and the 13x9” quarter sheet pan both come with covers – great for bar cookies and jelly rolls, as well as toting assorted cookies to parties, pot lucks and picnics.  A rack that fits in these half sheet pans is great for cooling all your baked goods.
I use parchment paper almost exclusively for baking cookies, as well as lining quick bread pans and brownie pans.  If you haven't tried it - this may be your year to make baking easier.  I like the heavy parchment available at Costco, and the precut half-sheet size parchment from King Arthur Flour.  I cut some of the precut half-sheet size in half for 13X9" pans.  I use it frequently, and I don't want to run out!

Shaping cookies call for cutters – often available at yard sales and thrift shops.  The old ones are Myrna's – from our Mom's and Grandmother’s kitchens - treasured old favorites.  The nested sets in the metal containers are ideal for cookies of any size, biscuits, pastry (cut out dough to fit in muffin tins, hand pies,etc.), fancy sandwiches, petit fours, etc.  
I purchased my cookie press for $2, complete with the original box and recipe book, at my church thrift shop.  They had a boxful to choose from.  It’s handy for cookies and cheese straws, etc.  
Cookie scoops make drop cookies go fast and evenly sized so they bake evenly too.  I also use them for meatballs and the like.  Buy the best quality scoops - I have one I have used at least every week for 40 years.  I like a size 100, a size 50 or 60, and a size 24 for standard muffins and muffin mixes.  The sizes are usually on the scoop scraper bar, or on a tag, like the red button, on the handle.  I like Zeroll for a good brand that are about $10-$15 each.

I personally use my kitchen scale all the time for baking and portioning – I can weigh ingredients right into the bowl – no counting how many cups – as well as weigh out bread batters and doughs to get even-sized loaves that bake in the same amount of time.

A good quality mixer is very helpful, either a good stand mixer or a good-quality portable mixer or both.  You also need a reliable rolling pin and board – whatever kind you like.  A good oven – and you’re set!