11 Essential Dessert Tools for Baking Brownies and Bars
Updated: Dec. 05, 2023
Love to make the best brownies or tasty dessert bars? We've rounded up our favorite dessert tools for making these simple (yet delicious) treats.
Looking for an easy bake that’ll please everyone? You can’t go wrong with good dessert bars and brownie recipes. These treats are simple to make, but it never hurts to have a few specialty dessert bar and brownie baking tools on hand (in addition to the must-have baking supplies) to make these bars their best yet.
Mixing Bowls
Whip up a batch of dessert bars or brownies of any size with these nesting bowls ($64). These stainless steel bowls are dishwasher and freezer safe, plus they come with lids for easy food storage. Use them to make these ooey-gooey layered dessert bars.
13×9 Pan with Cover
We know your 13×9 pan is a kitchen go-to. When you bake bars, use a pan with a well-fitting cover like this oblong baking dish ($18). A good lid makes packing this pan easy and it keeps your best cookie bars fresh in case they aren’t all eaten at once.
Serving Spatula
Don’t scoop your super fudgy brownies with an oversized spatula or a butter knife! Instead, grab a small serving spatula to slice and scoop your best bakes. This small spatula ($9) is a favorite in our Test Kitchen.
Flour Sifter
Get light and fluffy brownies with a flour sifter ($17). You can also use this tool to aerate your cocoa powder to ensure it mixes evenly in the batter. Score! Here are some more tips for making the best brownies ever.
Nonstick Baking Pan
A nonstick baking pan, like this one from our line of Taste of Home bakeware ($16), is a must in any kitchen. It makes baking and serving up gooey bars, like these caramel brownies, a snap. Try it in a smaller, 8×8″ size, too.
Scraper
Kiss the days of messy brownies and bars away with this handy scraper ($10). The stainless steel edge on the scraper is great for making clean and even cuts for all your favorite dessert bars. Learn how to properly cut brownies and dessert bars.
Baking Chocolate
Let’s be honest, the most important thing when it comes to brownies (and most desserts) is the chocolate! Make sure you’re getting the best of the best by picking up a pack of Baker’s unsweetened baking chocolate ($15 for 4). It’s so good, it was awarded the top spot in our baking chocolate taste test.
8×8 Pan
Be sure to stock your kitchen with an 8×8 pan—a must for when you want to make those smaller 8×8 dessert recipes. This ceramic pan from Lodge ($35) will last for years to come, though you can check out some of our other favorite 8×8 pans, too.
Powdered Sugar Duster
A pan of brownies or lemon bars is never complete without a good dusting of confectioner’s sugar. Be sure to have a small dusting wand ($10) on hand to give all your bars that finishing touch. These are the amazing brownie recipes you’re not making (yet!).
Corner Brownie Pan
Okay, we know it’s another pan but if your family fights over the corner pieces, this is a must. The Corner Brownie Pan ($25) from Bakelicious makes 12 crispy, crunchy brownie squares that your kids won’t be able to keep their hands off of. If you’re short on time, check out our favorite brand of boxed brownie mix.
Compact Food Chopper
So many of our favorite bar recipes include handfuls of chopped nuts—especially these nut bar recipes. Chopping nuts, chocolate or dried fruits by hand can be a bit fussy, but the job doesn’t seem to require a hefty food processor. That’s where a compact food chopper ($40) comes in especially handy. It’ll make quick work of chopping up all your favorite mix-ins.
Now that you’ve got all the right supplies, get the insider tips & tricks from our brownie baking guide!
Originally Published: July 30, 2019
