The Best Rolling Pin for Your Baking Needs
Updated: Feb. 01, 2024
There are lots of rolling pin styles out there, like marble, French and stainless steel. It can be hard to know which to choose. We'll show you the best rolling pin to fit your baking style.
Classic Wooden Rolling Pin
You know this rolling pin! It’s the standard model that most folks have in their kitchen, and for good reason. This American or baker’s rolling pin is lighter weight and easy to grip. The downside to this pin is that it can be hard to maneuver, especially with more delicate pastry, but overall this is a good multipurpose rolling pin.
Dowel Rolling Pin
Use a simple dowel rolling pin for rolling out large sheets of cookie dough. These long, straight pins are great for creating big, even sheets—meaning you can cut out more cookies at once instead of re-rolling the dough and making it tough. This is not the pin you want for pie crusts, however (that’s on the next slide).
French Rolling Pin
French or tapered rolling pins are preferred among many bakers because the style provides more maneuverability and control. The tapered shape allows you to move and adjust your pin in a single fluid motion, as compared to rolling and lifting the pin each time with more traditional styles. This control helps roll out more perfectly shaped pie crusts.
But this pin is great for other bakes, too. Without handles, the French rolling pin helps some bakers get a better feel for the thickness and texture of their dough.
Marble Rolling Pin
Not only are marble rolling pins gorgeous, they are supremely useful in the kitchen. These heavyweight rolling pins are particularly good for rolling out doughs that require some extra elbow grease—like big batches of bread dough or chilled cookie dough. (Here’s why you shouldn’t skip that step.)
A good marble rolling pin is also good for making laminated doughs, like puff pastry or even pie crusts. Pop this rolling pin in the fridge or freezer and it’ll keep the butter in your pastry nice and cold as you roll.
Stainless Steel Rolling Pin
As much as we love wood and marble rolling pins, the materials are porous. If you’re looking for a rolling pin that’s easy to clean and won’t stain, opt for a stainless steel version. This is a great choice if you’re rolling out foods with a lot of dye, like colored fondants, or strongly flavored foods that may leave their taste behind.
Like the marble option, stainless steel rolling pins can also be chilled to keep dough cold.
Rolling Pin with Guides
Recipes for cutout cookies and pie crusts often call for you to roll the dough or pastry to a certain thickness. Eyeballing small measurements can be challenging, though. That’s where a rolling pin with guides comes in very handy. This rolling pin with adjustable guides helps you achieve the perfect thickness for all your bakes.
Silicone Rolling Pin
If you’re concerned about your doughs sticking to a traditional wood rolling pin and are sick of sprinkling flour everywhere, try a silicone rolling pin. It’s nonstick, lightweight and a cinch to clean.
Embossed Rolling Pin
While embossed or engraved rolling pins aren’t for everyday use, they’re a great tool to have on hand to create impressive bakes. Rolling this pin across cutout cookie dough gives the cookies a lot of personality without having to go crazy with frosting or sprinkles.
Up Next: Here’s why you need a mini rolling pin in your kitchen.
Originally Published: August 13, 2019
