It’s that time of year! The time of year for hot cocoa, curling up by the fire, and frantically trying to figure out what gifts your loved ones will like under the tree. Let me make things just a little easier on you by giving you a list of gifts anyone who enjoys cooking will love. And if you are the one who loves to cook, just surreptitiously leave this gift guide open on your computer while your loved ones are around, ok? 😉
Things on this list range from big-ticket items to stocking stuffers, and are all things I either use myself or are on my own Christmas list.
The Big
KitchenAid Stand Mixer
Ok, so I know you’ve probably heard all about Kitchenaid mixers, but there’s a good reason for it. This thing is a work horse. I’ve had mine for more than a decade and it’s still working strong. I have an older model that isn’t even available anymore, so I can’t imagine how well these newer models hold up!
Do you or your loved one already have one? No worries, I have some accessories listed below!
Food Processor
I got this food processor a few of years ago at Christmastime and it’s one of my favorite things ever. I’d had a cheaper Black & Decker food processor before and it mostly caused me tons of frustration. It chopped unevenly and wasn’t powerful enough to make nut butter. This one, even though it’s not the most expensive out there, has given me consistent results every time. It’s powerful enough to handle whatever I’ve thrown at it, and it’s so much quieter than my old one. Worth its weight in gold!
Ok, this one is pretty expensive. It’s something that had been on my list for a long time, and finally a few years ago I happened to find an amazing deal on a refurbished one and it has rocked my socks off. It can easily make smoothies, but it can also turn whole flax seeds into flax meal and it can even make and heat soups! And did you know that the refurbished ones still come with a fantastic warranty? Totally worth looking into either the new or refurbished ones.
Instant Pot
If you haven’t heard the hype surrounding the Instant Pot, you must be living under a rock. These things have been around and continue to be popular for very good reason. We picked up the 8 quart version and I use it all the time. It’s all the convenience of a slow cooker, without the slow part. Did you know you can even cook some meats from frozen?! Which is perfect for me because I’m the absolute worst at remembering to thaw the meat I’m planning to cook. Anyone else? No? Just me?
Oh, and did you know you can make bone broth in one of these babies in an hour?!?! Amazing.
Mid-Range
If the full stand mixer is out of your budget, this hand mixer totally pulls its weight. I find myself reaching for it for smaller jobs because it’s easier to clean and works great. If it’s still a little more than you’re looking to spend, the KitchenAid 6-Speed Hand Mixer
also has good reviews at a lower price point.
I have this stick blender, and prefer it to my old Cuisinart one. I believe every home cook should have an immersion blender. It makes it so much easier to make velvety soups and sauces without having to transfer hot liquids to a separate blender.
If your loved one (or you) already has a basic Kitchenaid stand mixer, why not give it a little upgrade with a gorgeous glass bowl? This bowl is bigger than the one that comes with the older stand mixer that I have, but still fits in the base. So it’s great for when I need to make a huge batch of something. Plus it just looks pretty on my counter. There are also pretty ceramic bowls
as well!
A good food scale is indispensable in the kitchen. Weighing ingredients is so much more accurate than measuring by volume, especially if you’re baking cakes or other pastries. And if it weren’t for the fact that this is too big to fit in a stocking (well, I guess I don’t know how large your stockings are) the price point is in the range of a stocking stuffer!
Stocking Stuffers
I have this beater for my stand mixer and I love it! It scrapes the sides of the bowl as you go and helps to incorporate the ingredients of stiffer doughs like cookie dough without having to stop & scrape all the time.
I use ramekins all the time. All. The. Time. And while I’ve collected mine from all over the place over multiple years, I’ve had great luck with Norpro as a brand and these have great reviews.
This is something I’m hoping to get in my own stocking this year. How adorable are these? Grab a couple and you can make personal sized deep dish cookies! (Keto cookies for me, of course!)
Microplane Professional Series Ribbon Grater
The original Microplane Classic Zester/Grater
is awesome and useful and I love it. But this ribbon grater rocks my socks off. It’s so sturdy and it works great for cheeses but also vegetables and I use it all the time to actually grate garlic into dishes I’m making. It’s so much easier than chopping!
Ok, this one is funny. One year a few years ago, Little Man (maybe three years old at the time?) saw one of these and wanted to get it for me for Christmas. It was super sweet, but both Hubs and I thought it would just be a silly thing that would probably end up in the back of a drawer somewhere. But we were totally wrong! I would not have guessed how useful this teeny tiny spatula would be. It fits perfectly under bars and brownies to lift single servings without disturbing the rest of the pan. And it’s absolutely perfectly stocking-sized!
Want to know how I got my gorgeous patterned stand mixer you saw in the first image? They’re decals! While I can’t find the ones I got, check out these awesome options from Etsy!
It’s not too late to get your gifts, either! I’ve been a loyal Amazon Prime member for years now and I find it such a stress-saver at Christmas time especially. If you’re not already a Prime member, now is the perfect time to sign up for a 30-day free trial. You can get your holiday shopping done from your couch and get free 2-day shipping on thousands of items, with no minimum order needed!
Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial
Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments if I missed one of your favorite kitchen tools! Who knows, maybe I’ll add it to my personal wish list! 😉
