Ten Things Any Baker Would Love to Unwrap this Holiday Season

Long time no post, huh? I've been doing crafty things and baking, but I've been busy and forgetful when it comes to pictures. I'm sorry. But to make it up to you and your loved ones, today I'm featuring 10 gifts any baker would love to receive this holiday season.

1. Kitchenaid Stand Mixer.

If your favorite baker doesn't already

have one of these, you will

score huge points by giving them

one. They're expensive folks, so I understand that it may not be within

your reach. If it is, and

you can't make up your mind. Ask yourself this one question, "how often does my baker need to mix things?" Because if the answer is more than once a year, this is a perfect gift. The first time I made cookies after I bought my mixer? Amazing. www.kitchenaid.com

2. Extra bowl for the Kitchenaid Stand Mixer.

If your favorite baker already has a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer then I am willing to bet they've

discovered what I have: one bowl is not enough. I can't tell you how frustrating it can be to have to stall out on a baking project because you have to wash your mixing bowl before you can whip

up frosting or the other half of your dough, or whatever it is. Another mixing bowl will solve that problem. www.kitchenaid.com

3. BeaterBlade for your Stand Mixer.

If your favorite baker is anything like me, they get annoyed by th

e fact that their mixer (and these come for other Stand Mixers, not just

Kitchenaid's) leaves ingredients along the

edges and bottoms of the bowl. This

means we have to stop the mixer, regularly, so we can scrape down the sides (and bottom) of the bowl to ensure that all of our ingredients are incorporated. This blade has spatula like pieces on every side of it that scrape the bowl as you mix. Don't believe that it actually works? Head on over to the website to check out their side by side video comparison. I promise you won't be disappointed. www.beaterblade.com

4. A Spoonula.

What's a spoonula, I can hear you asking. Well, it's just what it

sounds like. A spoon and a spatula all rolled into one. A spoonula

will really help your favorite baker scrape their mixing bowl, to ensure they get all the dough, batter, frosting, or whatever out. Good for rolling up that last cookie, filling that last cupcake liner, or eating leftover dough. The price is so nice you should buy two.

www.crateandbarrel.com

7. Rolling Pin Bands

Does your favorite baker ever use a rolling pin? Chances are, they could use a set of rolling pin bands. Sure you can live without these, but why would you want to? These bands stretch and fit

over most rolling pins- one on either end. The bands then work to ensure that your dough is an even, consistent thickness. That means your cookies should cook for roughly the same lengthe of time, and no one's going to whine about how they got the "small"

cookie. Win, win, win! www.amazon.com

6. A Silpat Mat

Is your baker constantly complaining about cookies sticking to baking sheets or having to buy more parchment paper for baking

? This is a perfect solution. Silpats are reusable, washable mats that you can use on cookie sheets or jelly roll pans in place of greasing your bakeware or using parchment paper. They may cost a little more, but they're worth the price. www.silpat.com

7. A Cookie Spatula

I know, I can hear you asking me why in the world you need a special spatula for cookies. Is this 100% necessary? No, probably not. Is it extremely useful for someone who bakes a lot of cookies? Definitely. This particular cookie spatula is made out of silicon and has saved some of my more finicky cookies from breakage. This could even be a stocking stuffer! www.crateandbarrel.com

8. A Cake Stand

If your baker doesn't really decorate cakes, you can feel free to skip this one. However, if they do- this is a great gift. This cake stand tilts and rotates, allowing you to get into all the nooks and crannies of your cake without accidentally jamming a finger into the frosting. I have one that just rotates, which is nice, but not as nice as this one. www.wilton.com

9. Off Set Spatulas

This is another instance in which I recommend buying more than one. Off set spatulas are going to make your favorite baker's life so much easier when they're frosting a cake or cupcakes- or even just filling up their piping bags. They allow you to put just enough pressure on the frosting that you can smooth the surface without pushing too hard and leaving

uneven dents. Buy them in more than one size. Small is good for cupcakes, medium for cakes, and extra large is great for filling your piping bag. www.wilton.com

10. Cupcake Courier

I don't even want to talk about how I used to transport my cupcakes. The Cupcake Courier is a lifesaver! This thing holds and transports up to 36 (3 dozen) cupcakes. You can use one tray or all three at a time. Plus, the space between trays (and the lid) is big enough so that your beautiful frosting doesn't get smushed. The trays are all dishwasher safe. Plus, it comes in three very chic colors. www.cupcakecourier.com

So, there you have it. 10 amazing gifts for the baker in your life.

Wait, what's that you say? You have a baker in your life but you're not sure if they have these tools. So, you want ideas that won't overlap with any tools they might have already? Umm. Ok, no problem. I can do that.

2 Bonus Tools that your Baker will love:

1. Hostess Aprons

Hostess aprons are about the cutest things out there. These are stylish aprons (sometimes half aprons, sometimes full aprons) that are just asking to be worn when you have company. This isn't that dirty apron you abuse when you bake- this one is a special occasion apron. It's not something most bakers would buy for themselves, but it is something that every baker would love to have. I couldn't pick just one, so I encourage you to head over to www.etsy.com and search for "hostess aprons." Etsy is a website that features handmade products ranging from aprons to soaps to cards to patterns. Support handmade items and make your baker smile.

2. Deni LED Cake Tray

Alright, this is definitely a luxury item. I found it while I was looking around for recommendations and I thought it was so clever I couldn't resist posting it. Are you always struggling to cut the right amount of slices in your cake? This is the perfect product for you! You put your cake on this tray and then use the LED input screen to tell it the number of servings desired. The LED lights around the tray will then light up, showing you exactly where to cut your cake. Viola! You have the perfect number of slices. Unnecessary? Yes. Fun? Definitely.

Happy Holidays everyone. I hope you're all baking up your favorite holiday treats.