gift guide : baking stuff for kids + teens

bake me a cake as fast as you can

MY BOYS used to spend hours making me ‘special treats’ out of playdough, sand, mud, grass, bath water, pine needles and any other nondescript material they could find. I think all kids do, it seems to be a built-in instinct to tinker with ingredients, mixing and smoothing and stirring and then popping it all in the ‘oven.’ So it’s no surprise that as kids get old enough to mess around with legit ingredients, this love for baking and cooking can develop into a real passion. From edible slime to doggie cookies to super elaborate cakes and pies, there’s just something so satisfying about making super yummy creations to share with friends and family. It’s such a FUN mix of science, art, math and SUGAR that keeps kids engaged and coming back for more. Plus, it’s a fantastic activity to do with buddies or loved ones.

WE LOVE several kids of varying ages who LOVE to bake and the gift options for these aspiring pastry chefs is kind of endless and so fun. AND you get to support an emerging passion. PLUS they might make you something delicious with their shiny new gadgets. Bonus. There are a few tools of the trade that every baker just ‘needs’ and lucky for us, there are SO many adorable ones to choose from. There are also awesome Cookbooks for Kids + Teens, so make sure to scroll all the way through [or click to jump] to check out a few.

Brands I love: Hedley & Bennett

photo / Hedley & Bennett

THE FIRST ‘tool’ that any legit baker or chef needs is a good apron. I mean, you don’t want to mess up your favorite outfit with blobs of gooey chocolate or melted butter. And if you’re talking seriously about aprons, you’re probs seriously talking about Hedley & Bennett. H&B is THE gold standard in aprons for both industry and home chefs. Known for their attention to detail and high quality craftsmanship, they’ve taken the same principles and scaled them down for little sous chefs, so the kids can have pro kitchen cred, too. They have three sizes to fit most kiddos from 2-12, so just about everyone can get in on the action. They also have identical adult versions in some prints, so you can mix and match your little kitchen helpers. Order up!

baking gifts for kids + Teens

+ Great Jones’ Bakeware is more than a SUPER pretty face. It’s scratch-resistant, dishwasher-friendly, PFOA-free and designed to release your goods with ease. They make bright, fun Cake Pans, Loaf Pans, Pie Dishes, Muffin Pans and more all in fabulous colors that would appeal to stylish tweens, teens and adults. I love mine. + from $30

+ Why ‘just’ bake when you can also teach your kids science in the process? With KiwiCo’s Science of Cooking: Bread & Butter, you get an experiment and gorgeous baked goods all in one. And if your kid chef loves the whole idea, sign them up for a Yummy Crate to keep the lessons [and yummy food] going for 1-12 months. + $34.95

+ Flour Shop founder, Amirah Kassem, has built a whole big magical rainbow and sprinkles empire from her iconic Explosion Cake and it’s SO ripe for gifting. Of course, you can order one of her seriously mind-blowing already-baked cakes OR check out her rad collaborations with a host of topnotch brands to find a unique non-edible gem for any lover of sprinkles and joy. + from $14.95

+ The Kids Set from Material Kitchen is just the perfect gift. It includes a sweet mini version of The Air Whisk and The Spatula, plus a super cute Cook Deck [a kids’ recipe card game]. The tools come in two colors and sport the same high quality and style as their biggie cousins. + 45

+ Every legit baker needs a Chef Hat, right?! This one is adjustable, machine washable and just super cute. Your little chef will look and feel like a pro. + $9.95

+ Make it personal with an Alphabet Cookie Cutters set of letter and numbers to customize their sweets. + $30

+ Every baker needs a good set of oven mitts and Laura Michelle on Etsy makes adorable ones that are handmade, totally functional and sized for kiddos. She has some other super cute stuff, too, and some of it can even be personalized. Such a sweet gift. + $16.99

+ GIR’s Silicone Baking Cups were designed in conjunction with a professional pastry chef, so you know they ‘got it right.’ They’re reusable, easy to clean, dishwasher safe and have a fill line for even sized muffins or cupcakes. The set of 12 comes in 2 really pretty color ways or as part of their awesome Baker's Bundle. + $16

+ Give your little bakers a worthy way to display their hard work with a pretty Bamboo Cake Stand. It’s super cute, sustainable, reusable and comes in 3 different sizes. They’ll feel so special. + from $32

+ Why use regular old sprinkles when you can jazz everything up with Fancy Sprinkles? They have a super awesome collection of sprinkles mixes for holidays and every day of the year + from $12

+ More inspiration than tool, this adorable Palm Pals Claire Donut is too cute to leave out and could be an awesome sous chef for your little baker. It’s sooo soft and sweet. + $9

+ Make perfect-sized cookies every time with a stainless Oxo Cookie Scoop. You can also use it for ice cream, sorbet or to nibble the cookie dough right out of the bowl. + $16.95

+ Your little bakers can whip up a batch of their favorite poochie’s favorite treats with this Nordic Ware Dog Treat Pan.It has space for 16 adorable bone-shaped cookies at a time. WOOF. + $23

+ Honor your bakers in a different way with these adorbs Birthday Cupcake Earrings. Lilliput hand-makes the cutest little studs in New Orleans and they have a fun collection of Food + Drink themed pairs. + $12

+ Fancy Sprinkles has a range of really fun Silicone Baking Molds to make super clever desserts, along with some super inspiring ideas on how to use them. Oh, and AH-MAZING Sprinkle Blends, too. + from $12

+ Meri Meri makes THE cutest party + baking accessories in a broad range of themes. They have Cupcake Kits, Cookie Cutters, Cake Toppers, Candles and more to create super adorable treats for birthdays or regular old Tuesdays. + from $4.50

+ If your special person is still dipping their toes in the water, try this Klutz Magical Baking Kit. It has everything they need, including 25 recipes, to get them started. + $21.99

+ Dash makes a whole huge line of super cute machines to make Mini Donuts and Mini Waffles in a bazillion adorable shapes. They’re priced perfectly for gifting. + from $14.99

+ When the baking is done, wrap up your goodies in cute Wax Paper and gift it to your friends. It’s food-safe, grease-proof and adorable. Pink Lemonade on Etsy has a fantastic selection of cake toppers, boxes, bags and fun stuff to glam up your baked goods. + from $5

+ Handstand Kitchen makes a bunch of really cute baking sets for kids of all ages, including some adorable themes that aren’t all about rainbows and unicorns [they have those too!]. + $29.99

+ Your little baker will feel super special with a Custom Cookie Stamp with their name, their ‘bakery’ or a sweet phrase. There are 3 different fonts to choose from to match their style. + $8.99

+ Measuring Cups are essential and these Bamboozle ones are made from biodegradable, dishwasher-safe, sustainable bamboo. They’re super durable, but when you’re done with them you can actually compost them. Plus they’re cute and come in 3 different pretty color ways. + $18

+ It’s easy to see why GIR’s Sprinkle Baking Set is sooo popular. I mean, it’s cute as pie, made with pharmaceutical grade silicone, so no gross BPA or BPS in your cookies. It comes with the Baking Mat, Mini Spatula and Ultimate Spatula. And there are 2 other fab colors if Sprinkles aren’t your thing. They also have a whole collection of Mini Tools sized perfectly for smaller hands [or big hands with smaller jobs]. + $35

+ If you love a full-on cake artist [or aspiring one], this 55-piece Wilton Cake Decorating Set will give them all the piping tips they need to make next-level creations. + $35.99

+ This Metallic Edible Art Paint is next level and will make your creations super wowie. There are 24 colors to choose from and it won’t rub off most edible surfaces. Art project + baking = huge creativity. + $7.80

+ This pretty Joseph Joseph Nesting Bowl Set has all the stuff in a compact little package. It comes with 3 mixing bowls, a sieve and 4 measuring cups. The non-slip bases and easy-carry handles will help avoid accidents. They have a coordinating Measuring Cups + Spoons Set, too. + $49.99

+ If you love a massive Star Wars fan like I do, this Williams Sonoma Cakelet Pan is the cutest. I used it for my son’s birthday treats last year and it was a huge hit. + $39.95

+ Supernatural makes sprinkles, sanding sugar and other bright, fun baking treats that are dye-free, vegan and made in the USA. They have such a clever variety of products, you won’t miss the junky stuff. + from $7.99

Baking Cookbooks for Kids + Teens

+ Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi’s Kids Only cookbook is a treasure trove of creative and over-the-top fun recipes for everything from Fluffernutter Cookie Sandwiches to Corn Dog Waffles to Popcorn Shakes. + $22.99

+ The Ultimate Kids’ Baking Book is beautifully photographed, instructive and uniquely put together with sections that call ou specific holidays and special occasions, including things like Gotcha Day, Grandparent’s Day and Snow Days. Plus the recipes sound so yummy, of course. + $22.99

+ I have it on good authority that this American Girl Baking book is one of the best cookbooks for young bakers. They also have a Holiday edition or a My First Baking Collection that would be fantastic gifts. + $19.95

+ Kawaii means ‘cute’ in Japanese and YouTube sensation, Rachel Fong, will teach you how to make 75 super adorbs treats in her Kawaii Sweet World Cookbook. + $24.99

+ Baking Class has won a bunch of awards for its awesomeness. There are 50 easy-to-follow sweet and savory recipes for more experienced bakers. Check out Cooking Class, too. + $18.95

+ Celebrity chef, Duff Goldman, host of ‘Ace of Cakes’ and ‘Kids Baking Championship,’ teaches kids how to make super fun treats in Super Good Baking for Kids. + $21.99

+ This Baking Cookbook for Teens is a beginner-friendly book for older kids. It has 75 sweet and savory recipes to help them chef it up. + $18.99

+ 5,000 kids tested the recipes for America’s Test Kitchen’s The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs. I feel pretty darn confident that it’s a good one. + $19.99

MORE GIFT GUIDES FOR … tweens + teens