Whether you're looking for gifts for a birthday, a holiday, or just-because for your favorite bread baker (even if that's yourself) you'll find the perfect present in this list of the 10 best gifts for bread bakers. I've tried to include a variety of items to fit every possible budget and I've made notes about whether something was good for beginners or better for advanced bread bakers. Remember paging through the Sears Christmas Wish Book? Well, grab some coffee and let's take a look!
Know Any Bread Bakers?
Bread bakers are passionate about their bread baking activities! Whether they enjoy watching a homemade sourdough brew come to life or love getting their hands into a bowl of sticky yeast dough the one thing that binds bread bakers together is the love of creating bread.
That can be a little bit of a mystery to the uninitiated!
This list is a great starting point to finding the best gift for bread bakers in your life. Feed their passion for baking bread and they may feed your passion for eating it!
How to Choose
There are as many different types of yeast doughs as there are the bakers that create them.
With big differences from artisan sourdough to old fashioned white bread it can be difficult to decide how to choose what's best - for beginners who carefully measure the yeast, as well as those bread baking ninjas that consistently create crunchy crusts from nothing but some water and a little flour.
There are a lot of possibilities and, especially if you aren't a baker, you may get confused about what to choose. No worries! Here are some tips to help you choose the very BEST gifts for bread bakers.
How long have they been making bread?
This will make a huge difference! Someone who's only been making bread a few months probably won't need special equipment like a couche or scoring tool.
Sure they're nice to have but stick with the basics - cookbooks, a heavy duty mixer, a variety of loaf pans, or maybe even a local class.
On the other hand, if they've been baking bread for years they may be more interested in special pans, a good ceramic cloche, unique ingredients, or a more advanced cookbook.
What aspect of bread making are they interested in?
Someone who loves to bake big, fluffy loaves of old fashioned sandwich bread may not be interested in a cookbook about creating artisan loaves or a unique batch of sourdough starter that originated in Alaska in the Gold Rush days.
How often do they bake?
This is important if you are planning on getting unusual ingredients that might spoil before your bread baker gets a chance to use them.
Best Gifts for Bread Bakers
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Bread baking is one of those activities that doesn't really require specialized gadgets but some of them are sure nice to have!
Read the notes by each product - they'll be helpful. Just click on the image to go straight to the product page.
You'll find even more ideas for the bread baker in your life in the Restless Chipotle & Co. Storefront!
Bread Bootcamp
Y'all will forgive me if I start with my own book, Bread Bootcamp. This is a great book for beginners and advanced bread bakers alike. I've taken my 22 years of homeschooling mom experience and smushed it together with my 40-plus years of bread baking experience to create a book that takes you through the bread making process using an incremental approach. Tips and suggestions for using the book as a text or, if you have experience, use it for the great recipes. Available in softcover or Kindle.
One reader says, This cookbook is probably the best one on bread out! It is easy to follow and the results are phenomenal. I first started using Mary's recipes by an accidental internet search. So I knew that the book had to be a fantastic reference. Some recipes you are guessing with when you try them. You do not have to worry with anything that Mary tells you about baking, it will turn out tasty.
Bosch Universal Plus Stand Mixer
Has someone been an extra good bread baker this year? The Bosch Universal Plus Stand Mixer is pricey BUT it is the mixer I use for all of my bread baking. It's strong and can hold up under the strain of kneading up to 6 whole wheat loaves of bread (I've done it!). Because of the power it makes the loaves rise high and light. I love my Bosch! It's the mixer I recommend to anyone who is going to bake bread on a regular basis.
Gifts for Beginning Bread Bakers
Everyone has to start somewhere! Your favorite bread baker wanna-be will love these gifts that make the bread baking journey so much more interesting... and easier!
Pullman Loaf Pan
This is called a Pullman Loaf Pan. It creates bread with a very thin, soft crust (think store bought bread) that can be cut in square slices. It's perfect for sandwiches or French toast. The Pullman Loaf is also called Pain de Mie. You can find my Pullman Loaf Recipe here
Clay Baguette Baker
This clay baguette baker allows the baguettes to rise and bake in the same pan. It's made from all natural materials, is nonstick, and easy to use. The holes in the base and lid help the dough to rise and create a dry, crispy crust. You'll love my 30 minute baguette recipe in this!
Dough Scraper
No matter how much experience you have baking bread dough still gets stuck to the countertop. A dough scraper helps to get all the dough off the counter and helps to divide it as well. There are lots of uses - a scraper is necessary!
Insta-read Thermometer
Yeast is fussy about temperature. Too cold and it just sits there. Too hot and it up and dies. After 40 some odd years of bread baking I can stick my finger in the water and know in seconds whether it's the right temperature but most people don't have that kind of experience. An insta-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of it and it's perfect for a stocking stuffer.
Gifts for Bread Bakers with Experience
These gifts for bread bakers will take their bread baking to the next level!
Traditional Flax Baker's Couche
A baker's couche is a piece of fabric that's stiff enough to be used to shape dough and let it rise.This is made from the traditional flax. Don't wash it! You just hang it and let it air out. This one comes with a fixed blade lame - used for scoring the dough.
Scoring Tool
Make gorgeous designs on your bread crust with this scoring tool! The comfort grip handle helps you to make those cuts comfortably and evenly.
Bread Knife (a GOOD one)
Cut bread easily with this luxurious bread knife. Ultra sharp serrated edge means it cuts without tearing. The blade is made of 67 layer Damascus steel so it is as strong and sharp as it is beautiful. In fact, it never needs sharpening. The pattern is called Tsunami Rose.
French Culinary Institute Bread Baking Course
Serious about bread baking? The French Culinary Institute's Bread Baking course is available in hard cover. It follows the outline of the 12 week course exactly as if you were taking it at the school! Serious bread bakers only!
More Ideas
You'll find even more ideas in my Restless Chipotle and Co. Store in the Bread Makers department. Take a look!
More Gift Guides
Week 1 Best Gifts for Bread Bakers - The one you just read.
Week 2 Best Gifts for Beginning Cooks
Week 3 Best Gifts for Cookbook Collectors
Week 4 nothing because it was Thanksgiving
Week 5 Best Gifts for Coffee and Tea Lovers
Kirsten Telwak
Link under bread scraper brings me to a dog training collar...just thought I would let you know 🙂 Great article--thanks!
Marye Audet
Oh no! Thanks! I've fixed it. 🙂
Sand
I feel as though I've been baking bread forever, but I'm not that great at it!
BRYAN E.
We have been baking bread on and off for about 15 years.