Baking Bites 2009 Holiday Gift Guide

With the clock counting down the last few weeks before the holidays, there is no time like the present to start picking up some holiday presents! The best thing about baking gifts, or food gifts, is that they’re usually a little bit more useful than another sweater with a reindeer on it, so there is no harm in picking out something for yourself while shopping for others.

• The Baking Bites Cookbook is at the top of my gift-giving list this year. It’s great for bakers of all ages, foodies and fans of this site. It also makes a great hostess gift for parties.
• When you already have your copy of my cookbook,  other good reads include The Ungarnished Truth and The Sweet Life in Paris, both very entertaining foodie nonfiction. As for cookbooks, try to take a peek at your recipient’s book case, then browse through some of the books I’ve mentioned throughout the year to find one that seems like a good fit. There are so many to choose from!
• A kitchen scale is a great gift if you don’t already have one. The EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Scale is lightweight, easy to use and measures from a single gram to 11-lbs, making it extremely versatile.
• When it comes to baking pans, I always recommend the Baker’s Edge pan as a great gift. A really nice bundt pan will always be well-received, too, but novelty pans like mini donut pans and cakesicle pans are fun to work with, as well.
• A copy of Julie and Julia on DVD should make any foodie happy. Add a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking in case they’re inspired to try some of the recipes themselves!

• If your giftee has a stand mixer, put a Beater Blade at the top of your list. This mixing tool eliminates the need to scrape down the sides of the bowl and lets you mix even small quantities easily in a stand mixer.
• A cookbook stand is another good gift for any cook, not just bakers. There are models that sit on the floor and others that sit on the countertop, so there is one to suit all tastes.
• It’s a little bit of a splurge, but a 14K Cupcake Necklace is a very sweet treat for the baker in your life.
• Finally, for the baker who has everything, a Pizzelle Maker is fun to use. The crisp pizzelle cookies are tasty on their own and can be shaped into little ice cream cones, too!

These last few ideas fall into my “stocking stuffer” category. They’re smaller and sometimes sillier, but no less enjoyable. I’m always tempted to throw a few things like these into my cart when doing holiday shopping.

• Foodie bandages are available in bacon, bacon & eggs, toast, cupcakes, beef and pickle shapes. Something for everyone!
• A Twinkie Coin Purse is very cute and will be more useful than the real thing
• A Mini Adjust-A-Cup is a cute little measuring device that will hold even the smallest amount
• Silicone Baking Cups will never replace regular baking cups (which also make a great stocking stuffer), but a set can actually be quite handy in the kitchen.

If you’re shopping on a budget, keep an eye out for sales at online retailers – they change the prices so often that it’s often hard to keep track! – but take note of what the retail price of something is so you can be sure you’re getting a good deal. Also, take a look at the kitchen/cooking aisle at discount retailers like Marshall’s and TJ Maxx (among others) because they often have overstock from more expensive retailers (like Cooking.com) at a big discount.

Don’t forget that a plate of holiday cookies can go a long way, too, so have some butter, sugar, eggs and flour in stock for last minute batches, too!