The 10 Best Baking Tools for Cookies

The secret to delicious cookies is having a great recipe… and the best baking tools to make ’em. Here are our top 10 favorite baking accessories (plus some extras!) to help bake scrumptious cookies every time.

Love baking holiday cookies? Don’t miss Shortbread Brown Butter Cookies, Potato Chip Cookies and Dark Chocolate Peanut Blossoms!

A tray of various cookies with the text 'the absolute best cookie baking tools'

When I was a sophomore in college and still technically a fine arts student, I spent the last two weeks of school baking cookies for my friends while they prepared for and took their exams.

You see, I had turned in my final art projects, so I had all the time in the world. So I decided I would surprise them all with platters of homemade Tea Cake Cookies and Easy Sugar Cookie Icing as an early Christmas present.

One thing that was a challenge, though, was that I didn’t have the right baking tools to make the cookies, so it took longer than expected.

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      Why do I need these specific products to bake cookies?

      Listen, I’ve baked a lot of cookies in my day… and I cannot stress enough about having the proper tools to make them.

      Why? While these baking accessories and tools might be a bit of a splurge, if you’re seriously into cookies, they are helpful for baking cookies.

      For example…

      • The proper baking products help you mix your cookie dough consistently. (Also, mixing cookie dough with a whisk by hand is exhausting.)
      • The proper baking accessories help your cookies bake evenly.
      • The proper baking supplies help you decorate cookies at home with the kids (or your housemates!) or at a cookie decorating party.

      Also, depending on the type of cookie you’re baking, you may or may not need some of these tools.

      For example, if you’re making a drop cookie like a Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, you will need a cookie scoop. You won’t need a rolling pin or some other baking supplies.

      However, if you’re baking Raspberry Linzer Snowflake Cookies, you’ll need that rolling pin and cookie cutters. You will not need a cookie scoop.

      Some essential baking tools you might want/need include…

      • Baking sheets or sheet pans
      • Stand mixer
      • Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
      • Food processor
      • Cooling rack
      • Mixing bowls
      • Measuring cups and spoons

      Scroll on below to see my recommended brands and tools…

      A cookie scoop holds a no bake cookie on a baking sheet with others

      What are the best cookies to make with these baking accessories?

      Like I said above, every cookie recipe requires a different combination of tools to make ’em happen.

      That said, here are some of my family’s personal favorite cookies to bake:

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      1
      USA Pan Bakeware Half Sheet Pan
      In order to bake cookies, you need at least one good baking pan. I love these from USA Pan because they're sturdy (and don't warp like some of my older ones) and clean up nicely. Also, this half-pan size is perfect and stores easily.
      I have two of this size of baking sheet, and quite honestly, I wouldn't mind having two more since they're great. And they're not just for cookies: you can make sheet pan dinners on this, as well as various snack mixes, too.
      Just don't forget to line it with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper before you bake your cookies.
      Click to Order
      2
      Six colorful stand mixers on a white counter
      www.williams-sonoma.com
      KitchenAid Stand Mixer
      A stand mixer is definitely an investment, but it's an awesome one to make if you love baking cookies, other desserts and even making breads or pizza dough.
      Some people enjoy letting their stand mixer live on their countertop, too, so it's a nice decorative piece to add to your kitchen that also has some major functionality.
      If you don't have it in your budget to invest in a stand mixer, I love, love, love (and use the heck out of) my KitchenAid hand mixer.
      Click to Order
      3
      Le Creuset Stoneware Large Bowl
      I debated adding this because a bowl is a pretty standard kitchen tool, in my opinion. That said, I wanted to put this large bowl on the list because it's not your average bowl.
      It's heavy duty and sturdy. The color is gorgeous. It cleans up so, so, so easily. The sides are a little lower than a standard mixing bowl, so my kids can easily measure ingredients into it.
      The one downsize is the sides are a bit lower, so ingredients can spill or spray if you're not careful. But overall,
      ALSO, make sure you've got measuring cups and spoons to measure out your ingredients, as well.
      Click to Order
      4
      Three rolling pins on marble
      www.williams-sonoma.com
      Wooden Rolling Pin
      Another really important tool for making cookies, specifically any roll-out cookie like a sugar cookie that you'll cut and shape, is a rolling pin! I've had one of these maple rolling pins for years, and it gets the job done every time.
      If you're interested in making patterned cookies, this Scandi Christmas Engraved Rolling Pin is absolute perfection!
      Click to Order
      5
      www.williams-sonoma.com
      Mini Spatula Set
      These mini spatulas are used for everything in my kitchen: cookie dough making, cooking on the stovetop, stirring our sourdough starter after she's been fed. The mini size is fantastic, and it's great for both adult and kid hands.
      Click to Order
      6
      www.amazon.com
      Christmas Cookie Cutter Set with Comfort Grip
      If you're making a cookie that rolls out, you absolutely need cookie cutters! I particularly like these Christmas-themed ones because they have the comfort grip on them, making them easier for my kids to use.
      We also have these Snowflake Cookie Cutters, and they get a lot of use around the holiday months. They're a little more fussy than the Christmas ones linked here because they have a lot finer edges, but they make for a gorgeous cookie if you take the time with 'em.
      Click to Order
      7
      1-Tablespoon Cookie Scoop
      If you've seen any of my cookie recipes, chances are, you've seen me recommend this cookie scoop before. It's the perfect size for a bite-sized cookie, and we use ours weekly.
      If you like a larger cookie, a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop is also awesome!
      This scoop can be used for more than just cookies, too. It can measure muffin batter into tins so they're even, you can use it to scoop frosting onto a cupcake or you could even use it for mini ice cream scoops!
      Click to Order
      8
      A wire cooling rack on a gray background
      www.amazon.com
      Nonstick Cooling Rack
      Once your cookies bake… then what? Using a nonstick cooling rack like this one is awesome, and I particularly like this one. Why? It feels sturdier than some other cooling racks I have, and it cleans up easily. (And hey, that's a win in my book.)
      Click to Order
      9
      Tipless Piping Bags
      Real talk: I like the tipless piping bags for when I'm decorating cookies, especially with my kids, because this is less fuss for me. (However, if you want to do the bags with tips, I recommend this Wilton set.)
      You can use royal icing or just regular 'ol sugar cookie icing in these and decorate cookies until your heart is content!
      Click to Order
      10
      Cookie Gift Boxes
      If you're planning to share cookies during the holiday season (or any season!), having cookie gift boxes is key.
      We purchased these last year to share our baked goods with friends, and I was really pleased with their look, as well as how they held up (and how many cookies they held.) I was able to pack in more than a dozen cookies to each, depending on the size, and the boxes stood up during transportation, too!
      Click to Order

      Bonus Cookie Baking Tools and Products

      Because sometimes, you need some extra things to make the best cookies. Right? Right.

      11
      www.containerstore.com
      Anchor Hocking Glass Cracker Jars with Aluminum Lids (Case of 4)
      We have a baking section of our pantry, and instead of leaving ingredients in their packaging, which can become compromised, we transfer them to these glass cracker jars. I love this pack of four because it's perfect for flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar and any additional flours you might have on hand.
      Click to Order
      12
      Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
      When you're baking cookies, you oftentimes need vanilla extract. And Nielsen-Massey is simply the BEST. I always have a bottle or two on hand for holiday baking because you never know when you're going to need a cookie.
      Click to Order
      13
      All-Clad Stainless-Steel Measuring Cups & Spoons
      These are my favorite measuring cups and spoons because they are SOLID. You don't have to worry about these warping or changing color because they're stainless steel, and they're especially easy to grip. My girls enjoy these, too, and have an easy time handling them.
      Click to Order
      14
      Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat
      If you are baking a lot this time of year, investing in a silicone baking mat is a great idea! Not only does it create a nonstick surface for your cookies to bake on (without the need of cooking spray), but it cleans up really easily, too. Silpat is an excellent brand, and I have a few of these.
      Click to Order
      15
      ChicWrap Baker’s Tools Parchment Paper Dispenser
      If you don't have a Silpat and prefer using parchment paper to bake, consider investing in a beautiful dispenser like this one from ChicWrap that has a loooong roll of parchment already inside. Just cut it down to the size you need it and bake to your heart's content.
      Click to Order
      16
      Cuisinart Set of 3 Fine Mesh Stainless Steel Strainers
      Some cookie recipes require you to sift your dry ingredients, and these fine mesh strainers are my favorite tool for that. While you could invest in a traditional sifter, I like these better because you can use them for more things than just sifting. (Mine get a workout for straining liquids, as well as draining pasta when my colander is dirty.) This brand holds up well, too, as I've had mine for several years, and they still work like a charm.
      Click to Order
      17
      OXO Good Grips Silicone Cookie Spatula
      You have to have a way to get cookies off the sheet pan, right? These spatulas were specifically made for cookies and work like a charm in transferring your cookies to a cooling rack.
      Click to Order
      18
      Big Red House Oven Mitts
      If you've ever had the unfortunate instance where you've burned yourself on the oven, you know the importance of oven mitts. These ones have a high heat threshold and come in multiple colors to match your kitchen!
      Click to Order
      19
      riflepaperco.com
      Rosa Kid’s Apron
      OK, could we TALK about how precious this apron is? If you're baking with kids, chances are, your kitchen (and clothes) might become a little… messy… during the process. And that's OK! We love our H&B aprons to wear while we bake because it cuts down on the amount of our laundry on baking day.
      Click to Order
      20
      www.etsy.com
      Rifle Paper Co. Floral Fabric Apron
      This is the grown-up version of the previous apron, and I love the floral pattern. As previously mentioned, wearing an apron while baking is a good way to protect your clothes. I highly recommend investing in an apron (ANY apron) to wear as you bake. This also makes a really lovely present, too!
      Click to Order
      A woman with dark curly hair wearing a black tank top in front of a white wall

      About the Author:

      Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

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      One Comment

      1. I love my Kitchenaid Standmixer for all things baking… and I just picked up a food grinder and cookie attachment for it.
        I also got that exact cooling wrack at Target last week 🙂

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