Smart Planet Mini cupcake maker. Great for small tasty snacks

I love the books "Hello cupcake" and What's new cupcake " that is if cupcakes are your thing

I love the books "Hello cupcake" and What's new cupcake " that is if cupcakes are your thing

Anonymous wrote:If she's only into baking, not other cooking, skip the magazines and go with King Arthur Flour's "Baker's Companion." It's a great, great cookbook with a little bit of everything (quick breads, cakes, cookies, yeast breads, etc) and lots of background discussion of ingredients and techniques, but not at an overly complex level. Cook's Illustrated also has a great all-baking cookbook, but I find the KAF version friendlier for a beginner.
And I agree with the scale. Makes baking so much easier and more reliable - just make sure she has cookbooks with weights indicated. (Such as: aforementioned KAF book...)

This is spot on!

Cooking class with a pastry chef.

If she's only into baking, not other cooking, skip the magazines and go with King Arthur Flour's "Baker's Companion." It's a great, great cookbook with a little bit of everything (quick breads, cakes, cookies, yeast breads, etc) and lots of background discussion of ingredients and techniques, but not at an overly complex level. Cook's Illustrated also has a great all-baking cookbook, but I find the KAF version friendlier for a beginner.
And I agree with the scale. Makes baking so much easier and more reliable - just make sure she has cookbooks with weights indicated. (Such as: aforementioned KAF book...)

I was just at Dinner Done and they have measured everything measured out, with instructions, to make a batch of 4 different holiday cookies.

An electric hand mixer is such a great thing to have. Should last a few decades. I'm guessing around $25? Save the stand mixer for when she gets her grown up house around age 30.

Pyrex measuring cup for liquids. Minimum of the 1 cup measure. Add 2 and 4 cup if you have the storage space.

Dry measuring cups. I love our metal ones (wedding present?). They might be Williams-Sonoma. But basic ones from Target are fine.

Set of measuring spoons. I prefer the ones on a ring so none get lost in the drawer.

Silicone pastry mat. This is for rolling out dough without it sticking to the counter. Also has different circles so you know how far to roll out pie dough. It is on my wishlist.

My favorite oven mitts are silicone covered fabric. The flexibility of fabric with the protection of silicone. And rinse off pretty well! Get them in a color she likes, even if they clash with your kitchen.

Silicone scraper. More durable than the rubber ones of yore.

Cute apron from Jessie Steele. Www.jessiesteele.com

Stainless nesting measuring cups , set of 8, from sur la table (hint this will be a present for you too -- you will love them. So excellent how they nest and take up minimal room but cover so many sizes) read the online reviews of these -- everyone loves them. We have lots of kitchen stuff but every time I use these, I think "wow, these are great." And we've had them for years.

did someone already say a gift cert to a local cooking class for kids focusing on baking? my DS just did cookology with boys from his soccer team and they were so into it

a cute apron - check out anthropologie
a cookbook - any of the king arthur flour ones are great
pretty measuring cups/spoons
cute cupcake liners/boxes for her treats - try michaels/hobby lobby

There's an Etsy vendor who does cute personalized wooden spoons.

Get her this book and a scale
The professional pasty chef fundamentals of baking and pastry by Bo friberg

She will learn great fundamentals and be able to make anything!

Her own apron
Her own set of quality tools: measuring cups (solid and liquid), measuring spoons, nesting mixing bowls, good whisks (several sizes), couple of spatulas, rolling pin and pastry scraper if she's doing pie dough.
Big round container of some kind to keep the spoons, spatulas, and whisks in.
Oven mitts. Let her try silicone and see if she likes them. Not everyone does. If she doesn't, then traditional oven mitts in a pattern she likes.
Mini-muffin pans. Mini-loaf pans. She'll think mini loaves are cuter than full loaves, and she can make a bunch of them to give as holiday gifts.

Anonymous wrote:OP here: thanks to all for these lovely ideas!

I especially love the idea of a magazine subscription. Does anyone have a favorite magazine that just covers baking or desserts? Sadly, so far she is not interested in cooking anything else.

Taste of Home is a good, simple, starter cooking magazine.