Anyone who spends a good amount of time in the kitchen knows the right tools make all the difference when it comes to cooking. This is a list of the must-have bread-making tools for the home baker to ease the process of bread making and keep it simple and enjoyable to serve your family fresh bread every week. And speaking of fresh bread, you can find my favorite everyday sandwich loaf recipe here!
Stand Mixer
Let’s jump right in with the most expensive, but well worth it item, a stand mixer. This and a good bread knife are my top two must-have bread-making tools for the home baker. You can without a doubt make homemade bread without a stand mixer. But this is an item that I use every single week, often multiple times a week. From kneading bread, whipping up some cookies, or mashing potatoes it really can save you a lot of time and effort in the kitchen. I have 3 kids 5 and under so I’m all about items that make cooking easier especially when I’m making a lot of for from scratch for a more wholesome diet.
I like this Kitchen-Aid stand mixer.
Flour Container
Easy access to your main ingredients makes making bread feel a lot more convenient. If you have to dig for all your ingredients every time then it feels like a bigger deal to make it. A cute glass jar like this is what I use and I have it sitting up on a shelf right next to my mixer.
A good bowl
If a stand mixer isn’t in the budget then you need a good bowl to mix up your bread in. I recommend a good-sized glass bowl that’s big enough for mixing a couple of loaves of bread in at a time with room to rise. I love the looks of these glass bowls.
Thermometer
We started using a thermometer in the kitchen a few years ago and I didn’t realize I would love it so much. It leaves you with a sense of confidence knowing your food is fully cooked and done at just the right temperature giving you the best texture. Of course, it’s awesome for meat but it’s also super helpful when baking bread. You just slide it down into your baked bread and you’ll know if your bread is fully cooked through. It’s especially helpful if you’re new to baking and still getting familiar with the process. Or if you’re adjusting to a new oven. I’ve undercooked my bread a couple of times and it’s always so sad when you cut into the fresh loaf of bread only to find the center is still doughy.
Flour Sack Towels
When baking bread you always have a rising time or two. These towels are great for throwing over the dough to keep the top of the dough from drying out. You can run them under water to dampen them if your dough has to rise for a while and you want to ensure the top doesn’t get crusty.
Bread Scraper
Bread scrapers like this one are perfect for splitting the dough up into separate loaves. Its also a must for splitting up rolls or tortillas. It’s one of those things that’s nice that you don’t realize you need it until you have it. Makes the process easier for sure.
A Couple of Bread Pans
I have a glass bread pan that almost always sticks! So unbleached parchment paper is great for those loaf pans you already have that seem to stick but having some good ones that don’t is even better! My metal bread pans do well and ceramic bread pans do well too. You can never go wrong with at least two good bread pans on hand.
Bread Knife
A high-quality bread knife is a must for slicing through your freshly baked loaves. Look for a serrated blade that can effortlessly cut through crusty exteriors without squishing the soft, airy interior. A good bread knife will allow you to get uniform slices. My husband got me this bow knife for my birthday one year and we still love it.
Measuring Cups and Spoons
You can never have too many measuring cups in my opinion. If you bake often its nice to have a couple sets of each on hand. Even for you no measure gals, measuring cups and spoons come in handy from time to time. 😉
Cooling Rack
Once your bread is out of the oven, you need a cooling rack for air circulation. It helps prevent your bread from becoming soggy on the bottom and allows it to cool evenly.
Rolling Pin
While not always necessary for traditional loaves of bread, a rolling pin is invaluable for recipes that require dough to be rolled out, such as flatbreads, tortillas, or cinnamon rolls. A good rolling pin provides even pressure, helping you achieve the desired thickness and shape of your dough. A must for the home baker.
Butter Crock
This isn’t necessarily for baking the bread but you can’t have fresh bread without butter to slather on top. A butter crock ensures you always have fresh soft butter ready when that loaf of bread comes of out the oven. This little butter crock is so cute.
Must-Have Bread-Making Tools for the Home Baker Links
