Gifts for bakers & bread makers (+10 gift box ideas)

Since I bake for a living, I feel at least a little qualified to recommend gifts for bakers (and bread makers). So what's in this list and why is it better than other lists you've come across?

1. Cookbooks: I read a dozen cookbooks a month (thanks to the library) and buy the ones I know I'll refer to again and again. Those are the ones I recommend (and why).
2. Tools: specific tools for each kind of baker (that I use), with explanations so you know why they'll love it
3. Special ingredients: who doesn't love extra fancy ingredients? I'm recommending unique options that I use regularly

These gift ideas work for bakers who have everything too. As someone who would be labeled as such, I know it can be hard to shop for us. So I've got you covered!

All of the Amazon links are affiliate, so I get a small commission if you end up buying something. I've noted when I own something or when it's for inspiration. Some of the links to other vendors are also affiliate (like King Arthur Baking), and some are not (like the Janie's Mill artisan flours).

Jump to:

• Gift boxes for bakers
• Bread baking kits (6 options)
• The ultimate cookie baking kit
• Mastering macarons kit
• Bakers who brunch
• Fancy cake decorating kit
• Chocolate lovers gift for bakers
• More resources

Jump right to one of the kits:

Feel free to mix and match any of the items to create a great gift for your baker. Each section has links to the products I recommend.

Bread baking kits (6 options)

Bread bakers are great friends and family members to have - it's hard to beat a fresh loaf of bread. I'm here to share the best bread making gift ideas that I'm sure they don't already have.

You can tailor the gift even more by including a specialty ingredient for a type of bread they like. Each bread baking gift idea includes:

• A book (with some free e-book alternatives to save money)
• Specialty flour & ingredients
• Niche tools

I found a family-owned local mill near me years ago, Janie's Mill. They make the best flours I've ever used and are loved by professional Chicago bakers too. It's a unique gift for bakers as they've very likely never come across this brand (or even quality). I've listed their flours for each kit when applicable (this is not paid or sponsored, by the way!)

Beginner-friendly bread baking gift

For someone who hasn't really started baking bread (but wants to) put together a starter kit as a gift. (Note you can buy the yeast and flour at any grocery store - I added it to the Amazon list only so you can see what it looks like).

• Book to gift: The Big Book of Bread by King Arthur Baking. This is an amazing all-purpose book (pun intended) for baking bread and it's deserving of the full 5-star rating. I love the timeline they have at the top of every page to show how long each stage takes (from mixing, to rising times, to baking). It's perfect for visual people.
• Tools worth having
  • A bench scraper is helpful to cut the dough into even chunks to form rolls, baguettes, etc.
  • A digital scale is a must. I don't own this one but it's already better than mine because it uses two AAA batteries (mine uses a watch battery). Make sure to buy one that can switch between grams and ounces, and has a zero-out function.

Want to save money? Skip the book and print out this free e-book from The Fresh Loaf (or print it out as a QR code or text the link if they will be baking from their phone). It's written by someone who moderated a bread baking forum without ever baking a loaf, and then decided to try it. So he answers all of the questions a beginner has!

Hearty rustic loaf lovers

This gift idea is for bread bakers who love those artisan style loaves. Start with the book, Flour Water Salt Yeast. It explains how to make rustic bread, in detail, with a lot of pictures.

She's practical about it too - she says King Arthur's All-Purpose flour is a great option for the white flour found in the recipes, and every recipe is baked in a 4 quart dutch oven (although she says 5-quart ones will work, but create a squatter loaf).

The book starts out with simple recipes that don't require anything fancy. Then it moves on to hybrid loafs that use an overnight 'starter,' eventually moving on to advanced breads that use mature starters (think sourdough).

For specialty flour, get the Ancient and Heirloom Sampler from Janie's Mill.

You can make a really nice kit out of this. If you think your baker would be interested in sourdough loaves (that aren't sour, she promises), you can add on some gift ideas from the sourdough gift basket section too.

Bake a Baguette kit

This makes a great gift for a baker who already makes bread, but would enjoy branching out into something fancier. I've made baguettes and they really aren't that hard.

• Start with the Bread Baker Flour Sampler from Janie's Mill. You can get a small bag bundle for $17 or large bag bundle for $35.
• Add in a specialty baguette pan - it's not required but helps with the shape and adds that classic texture on the bottom.
• Get the Big Book of Bread which has a reliable baguette recipe & instructions.
• Bonus: Add in a baguette baking class from King Arthur Baking (it's online and on-demand).

Want to save money? Download the free BBC Maestro bread making guide by Richard Bertinet. It has a baguette recipe!

Sourdough baker gift set

Gift a sourdough bread baking kit to the baker in your life. Even if they've already started making sourdough, they will appreciate the specialty flour from Janie's Mill and another cookbook for inspiration.

The Perfect Loaf cookbook is all about sourdough and it's a really helpful resource. If you want to save money, you can download this open-source, free sourdough e-book instead.

• Weck jar: holds the starter
• Spatula: long and skinny to stir the starter, and smooth enough to easily clean
• Lame blades: score the top of the loaf to make it look pretty
• Proofing bowl: to make a nice round loaf as it rises

Add the Sourdough Starter Kit flours from Janie's Mill (it also comes with one of the Weck Jars for holding the starter). Print out the sourdough starter recipe for Janie's Mill flour too.

Level up your bread baker gift with a Sourdough for Beginners class or an Intermediate class from King Arthur.

For the avid sourdough baker, surprise them with this unique gift that keeps their starter at the perfect temperature. I haven't used one, but the author of The Perfect Loaf recommends this specific product.

Rye & pumpernickel fans

If your bread baker loves dark, flavorful loaves of bread, put together this gift idea.

Start with the Rye flour sampler from Janie's Mill. Add in the Bread Head book, which is by a baker from Publican Quality Bread - an iconic and madly loved bread maker in the Chicago area that also distributes through a local CSA farm share. You can get a SIGNED COPY from Janie's Mill for a really special gift for someone who bakes.

Flag page 149 with the seeded pumpernickel recipe. It's amaaazing. If you also get all of the ingredients for a specific loaf, it will make a unique gift for anyone who bakes. Who doesn't want a little kit that requires no extra thinking or shopping?!!!

That recipe requires the following ingredients:

• Charnushka seeds (also called Nigella seeds). Buy from Burlap & Barrel or Oaktown Spice Shop (this spice is rarely found in stores)
• From the grocery store: sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds
• Cracked rye (in the Janie's Mill Rye bundle)
• Rye flour (in the Janie's Mill Rye bundle)

If you want to be fancy, pile all of the ingredients up in a proofing basket (not required for this recipe but useful nonetheless).

San Francisco Dutch Crunch Rolls

Dutch Crunch rolls originated in the Netherlands but became a popular icon in San Francisco - but they haven't spread in popularity (yet) across the country. They are standard sub type rolls with a crunchy topping, thanks to a rice flour paste that's brushed on before baking.

The Big Book of Bread has a recipe for these rolls. You can buy white rice flour at any large grocery store chain (I included the Amazon listing just so you can see what it looks like before shopping).

Add in Janie's Mill Bread Bakers Sampler flour. You can get a small bag bundle for $17 or large bag bundle for $35.

The ultimate cookie baking kit

Let's start with a gift idea for people who bake a lot of cookies. The trick to a good gift is to get them ingredients, tools, or books that are out of the ordinary. Package them in a cute cookie tin for bonus points.

Grab the cookbook from the list below (I have the digital version), along with a few sprinkles, mix-ins, and tools.

A cookie cookbook

I own a digital version of this cookbook and there's a reason it has a 5-star rating from over 5k reviews.

It's everything you want in a cookie cookbook. It's well thought-out and organized.

• It has 4 kinds of basic chocolate chip cookies to cover every type you might want: from soft and chewy to super thin and crispy, and a 5th specialty 'pan-banging' version.
• There are over a dozen brownies, from the basic to peanut butter swirl.
• She has an entire chapter dedicated to complicated cookies, like meringues, and another section that "levels up" the basics (think: adding lavender as a flavor or making a smoky butterscotch cookie).

Make the gift extra special for no extra cost: Has your baker been searching for the perfect chocolate chip (or other) cookie? Read through the cookie bakeoff tests from the Pancake Princess. She tests 8-10 recipes at a time and shares her thoughts on how each one turned out. Pick some of your favorites and print them out or save them to a QR code that you can share in your gift.

You can also get a couple of free cookie ebooks from some of my favorite bloggers: Ambitious Kitchen and Love from the Oven

Sprinkles & mix-ins

Let me warn you up front: fancy sprinkles and chocolate chips are a bit pricey. But that's also why they make a good gift: your baker probably isn't buying them for herself.

The Supernatural brand of sprinkles have a lot of fun options as does the Fancy brand. I've used both of them and am happy to recommend them for other bakers.

For chocolate chips, Valrhona is one of the best premium chocolate makers for baking. I buy their chocolate wafers for making peppermint patties every year. Gift their chocolate chips to your favorite cookie baker and they will enjoy making a special batch.

Vanilla flavored sea salt

One of the best ways to elevate a chocolate chip cookie is to add salt. Think: salted caramels, but for cookies.

I found a vanilla sea salt that I loooove. It's from a store I used to live near in Oakland, called Oaktown Spice Shop. They ship nationwide. This isn't a paid endorsement and I didn't receive free products to promote them - just a genuine love of their spices.

If you need to round out your order, I also buy a lot of their cypress mushroom sea salt (amazing on ravioli and... everything) and late harvest peppercorns.

Tools

Throw in a handful to tools to complete the cookie baker gift basket.

• Cookie scoops are for people who want to make evenly-sized cookies. This includes perfectionists, people who cook for bake sales, and those who like a pretty presentation.
• The silicon spatula is worth gifting to a baker because it doesn't have a wooden handle. Those handles eventually lose the glue keeping them together and fall apart.
• KitchenAid beater: If they have a KitchenAid mixer, make sure you know what size and type before you buy the special beater. It's a great gift for bakers because it scrapes the side without her having to do it manually.

Mastering macarons kit

A great gift for bakers who like a challenge, get them the tools and knowledge to make macarons. Not sure if they've ever made them? Then they probably haven't - if they have, you've probably heard about it because it's a pretty big achievement that they'd be excited to talk about.

Gift your baker a macaron class

Give her the gift of confidence with a macaron baking class. I've taken King Arthur classes before but not the one for macarons. I haven't taken the Pies & Tacos class either but adore her blog, which is full of macaron recipes and advice.

• King Arthur live online class for macarons
• In-person class with King Arthur (in select cities)
• Pies & Tacos on-demand class with over 70 video lessons

Personalize the gift without added cost: print out some free macaron templates from Pies & Tacos (if you don't have a printer, try your local library or UPS store).

Special ingredients

There are two special ingredients required for any macaron recipe: super-fine almond flour and cream of tartar - both of which you can find at your local grocery store.

Dried egg whites are optional, but make the macarons easier to bake up perfectly, according to Camila over at Pies & Tacos (an amazing macaron resource).

Adding flavors

Macaron batter can't handle extra liquid. To flavor them, you need to add vanilla powder, fruit extracts, or things like freeze dried fruit (which you pulse into a powder at home with a blender or food processor).

You can find freeze dried fruits in the snack isle of Trader Joes (usually by their flavored snack nuts). I included an Amazon link so you can see what they look like, but really, save money and get them in the store!

Add colors

Freeze dried fruit also adds color to the macaron shell. That said, a food color set is really helpful, since macarons are known for their fun colors. Whatever you shop for, make sure it's either powdered or gel-based. The water-based ones require too much to dye the batter, adding too much liquid.

The Supernatural brand is a plant-based powdered dye, and the Wilton brand is a trusted option (which I have) in gel-form. The dyes are not natural, if that matters to you.

Tools

You'll want to make sure they have some piping bags and tips, a fine mesh sifter for the flour, and some silicon mats dedicated to macarons. If cakes or other things are baked on the silicon, it can leave them greasy, interfering with how the macarons bake - which is why a dedicated mat is helpful.

Macarons are technical and require precision. If you want to go the extra mile with your gift for someone who bakes, get an oven thermometer and a humidity sensor.

Bakers who brunch

There are no shortage of fun things to bake for an indulgent brunch - homemade English muffins, bagels, scones, donuts, cinnamon rolls, and bakery style muffins. This makes it really easy to put together a fun gift for any baker.

My book choice here would be King Arthur's All-Purpose Baker's Companion because it has a lot of breakfast recipes, including:

• Bagels
• English muffins
• French toast (and variations like banana bread french toast)
• Pancakes (and variations like gingerbread pancakes)
• Waffles (and variations)
• Cinnamon rolls (I've made these and they crush all other recipes!)
• And all other types of baking recipes, including quickbreads, cookies, cakes, and bars

Add on a baking class for bagels and throw in some Everything Bagel Seasoning (Trader Joes carries a good one, available year-round in stores).

If you want to save money, you can download the free BBC Maestro bread making guide by Richard Bertinet, which has a bagel recipe.

Pick some tools you think they might like:

I own those donut pans and the English Muffin rings (and like them), and a regular-sized USA muffin tin and it's my favorite brand these days. I linked the jumbo muffin tin for bakery-style muffins (and there's a good chance your baker doesn't have one this size yet).

But I don't own the waffle maker. The one I linked is larger than others and has great reviews, but I can't speak to it beyond that.

Specialty coffee, flavored sugars & other goodies

Start the morning right with my favorite mug - it's giant and perfect. They are pricey but the brand recognition will delight any baker.

Gift her some specialty coffee from Gigawatt - a small batch roaster that they've never tried (unless they live in the Chicago suburbs!). It's run by the nicest people, always willing to chat at the farmers market around here. They have sampler packs that make great gifts and ship nationwide.

Consider picking up some real maple syrup. I've been buying this brand from my farmers market and it's seriously legit - especially if you get the darkest version.

Fancy cake decorating kit

Do you know a baker who makes fancy cakes and seems to have everything? Let's see if we can make a gift basket that can still surprise and delight an avid cake baker.

This is the one category where I'm not the expert. I bake a lot of cakes and fancy layered cakes, but I'm not an avid decorator. I have several friends & colleagues who are, so I've come up with this list after talking with them.

First, pick a cookbook. You can start with the Sift baking book by Nicola Lamb. It's such a good resource, explaining ratios of flour:sugar, and other science-related baking techniques. It is not dedicated to just cakes.

The other option is The Cake Bible, which cake bakers swear by as a resource. The author, Rose Levy, was the first to introduce reverse creaming, making cakes easier and faster to bake. I don't own this book, but I know several bakers who highly recommend it.

Then grab some tools, with the ultimate gift of a cake decorating airbrush set!

Some very important notes about these gift ideas:

• KitchenAid bowl: an pro tip - having a second bowl is never a bad thing, especially when making cakes where one bowl has batter in it and you want to make a frosting. Make sure you know what type and size of mixer they have before buying a bowl.
• Airbrush set: An extremely fun and unexpected gift for someone who loves baking cakes. This set it pricey but comes with everything you need from the bottles of dye, to the airbrush with a built-in mini compressor. I don't own this so I can't speak to the quality but reviews look good.
• Parchment paper rounds: these save soooo much time compared to trying to cut a circle to fit in the pan. Note they come in 8" or 9" sizes. 9" is the more common cake pan size, but it might be worth double checking.

Chocolate lovers gift for bakers

Everyone loves a specialty bar of chocolate, but you can gift something even more fun for your baker: put together a gift basket for making their own chocolate treats.

The Chocolate & Confections book is my go-to resource. Before this book, I failed at tempering chocolate for homemade peppermint patties over and over. This book explains it so well, that I get it right every time now. I highly recommend this book as a gift.

What else to include in this chocolate baking gift bundle:

• Varlhona chocolate wafers: these are the gold standard for tempering chocolate. If you don't want to buy them on Amazon, King Arthur also sells the brand. You won't find it in a grocery store - and don't buy melting wafers from the store (they are filled with waxy ingredients and take away from the flavor).
• Metal bowl: tempering chocolate is done in a metal bowl (for heat transfer) over whatever pot you own that's filled with a couple inches of water. Make sure they have a metal bowl to use.
• Bonbon mould: making bonbons is not as hard as you might think. Pour tempered chocolate in the mold. Wait for a minute, tip it upside down and let the chocolate drip out. Scoop in the filling, then cover with more chocolate to make the bottoms. (I own this set of moulds).
• Chocolate dipping tools: these are thin metal forks and circles to hold onto things you dip in the tempered chocolate. Regular forks are too thick to work well. I make peppermint patties at least once a year and use a set similar to the one listed above.
• Thermometer: your baker will need a high quality instant-read thermometer to measure the chocolate temperature (which is key for tempering). I hate bulky candy thermometers so I use my Thermapen instead (listed here), or the cheaper version (same brand) listed above.

Want to save money? While the cookbook I recommend is really worth having, I get it, it's expensive. I found a really unique, free gift option online. A chocolate cookbook written in the early 20th century and is public domain now. You can get a copy from Project Gutenberg.

There's also a mini free chocolate e-book with 10 recipes that you can download or print out.

More resources

Looking for other gift lists? My other specialty is gardening, so I've grouped ideas into gift kits for them too!