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My Favorite Products

Updated July 18, 2026

Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend ingredients I use daily in my own kitchen.

The right kitchen ingredients and tools make a difference. These are the ones I reach for again and again in my own kitchen.

Not because they’re new or trendy, but because they work. Over time, I’ve found I don’t need very many things, just a few that make cooking easier and help me get consistent results.

My Absolute Favorite Baking Essentials

Over the years, I've found that the secret to consistent baking structure and perfect flavor comes down to using reliable ingredients. These are the staple products from King Arthur Baking Company that I keep permanently stocked in my kitchen hierarchy.

King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

Why it's in my pantry: This is my absolute go-to for bread machine sandwich loaves and homemade pizza doughs. It features a precise 12.7% protein content, which is a full point higher than standard national brands. That extra protein strengthens the gluten structure, ensuring your yeasted breads achieve a lofty, dependable rise every single time.

King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Why it's in my pantry: The ultimate workhorse flour for cookies, quick breads, and everyday baking. Because it is never bleached and never bromated, it retains a clean flavor. It is carefully milled to be tough enough for yeast doughs but gentle enough to keep pastries and cakes beautifully tender.

Half-Sheet Baking Parchment Paper (Flat Sheets)

Why it's in my pantry: If you are still fighting with curly rolls of supermarket parchment paper, these are a game-changer. They come packaged completely flat so they nestle perfectly into a standard half-sheet pan without rolling back. They are heavy-duty, silicone-coated, and durable enough to be reused multiple times for batches of cookies or roasting.

SAF-Instant Gold Yeast (1 lb. Bag)

Why it's in my pantry: The absolute gold standard worldwide for yeast. There is no need to dissolve or proof it in water first—you just add it right in with your dry flour ingredients. The Gold label formula is specifically optimized to excel in doughs with higher sugar levels (like sweet sandwich breads, cinnamon rolls, or brioche) for a strong, steady rise.

SHOP MY AMAZON STORE FOR MORE FAVORITES

My Amazon Storefront Departments

My essentials for household plant care
Homemade ice cream essentials
Breadmaking essentials
Entertaining made easy
Small appliances that have earned their space on the counter
Everyday Kitchen Essentials
Baking Must-Haves
Grilling Favorites

Cutting Boards, citrus juicer, ice cream scoops, cheese boards, silicone spatulas, stainless steel kitchen utensils, charcuterie board, baking racks, olive wood kitchen utensils

For Grilling

This Weber gas grill has become an essential everyday tool for me. It only takes one push of a button. Don't let its portable size fool you. Ten steaks fit on this grill!

My Kitchen Essentials

Counter space is precious, so the appliances I keep out must earn their spot. These are the small appliances I use again and again, from my coffee maker to my bread machine.

Simple Tools that Make a Difference

These are the tools that make daily cooking easier. If you are looking for the basics, start here.

My Bread Machine Favorites

Making professional-quality bread at home shouldn’t be a mystery or a chore. I’ve spent years testing recipes to find the perfect balance of "No-Fuss" and "High Quality." Here is the exact setup I use in my kitchen to ensure my bread passes the "Poke Test" every single time.

A loaf of freshly baked bread cooling on a rack.

Get my helpful guide: Bread Machine Success Without Guesswork

This $10 guide will help you avoid inconsistent results when baking your bread.

A picture of the thumbnail for a bread machine success guide.

Comments

Rum Punch for a Party

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Artisan Bread in Your Bread Machine

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How to Make a Perfect Bacon and Eggs Breakfast

In my opinion, the best breakfast consists of two perfectly fried eggs, crispy bacon, and toast made with hearty bread. This bacon and eggs recipe delivers. Bacon and eggs or eggs and bacon? No matter, it is definitely the breakfast you want on those lazy mornings when you have time to relax around the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee or two. The Best Bacon and Eggs Breakfast (This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. When you make a purchase using these links you help support this blog.) How to Cook Bacon and Eggs My technique was learned from my mom, by watching her make our family's breakfast over and over again, year after year. This is a basted egg recipe which means the eggs are cooked in bacon grease. Cooking eggs in bacon fat is easy and takes just a little practice to perfect.

The Best Asian Dipping Sauce You'll Ever Taste

If you're looking for a versatile, easy-to-make Asian dipping sauce perfect for sushi and dumplings, then you've come to the right place. This recipe for the best Asian dipping sauce is perfect for any time you want a kick of delicious Asian flavor. An Asian Dipping Sauce for Sushi and Dumplings Try this if you are looking for a dipping sauce that is a little more flavorful than you typically get with your takeout order. You'll love it with dumplings, too!

Traditional New England Whoopie Pies

These old-fashioned whoopie pies are soft, chocolatey, and filled with a rich, creamy filling, just like the ones many of us remember. What is an original New England Whoopie Pie? This is a true New England-style recipe. If you’re looking for a true whoopie pie recipe—the kind made in New England with a cooked filling—this is it. Whoopie pies are a beloved treat, a nostalgic dessert that evokes childhood memories and continues to delight today. My mom would make them for us every once in a while. Oh, what a treat to come home from school to a platter of chocolate whoopie pies! This recipe, inspired by traditional Maine-style whoopie pies, comes from my family recipe box. It delivers soft, chocolatey cakes with a rich, creamy cooked filling, no marshmallow fluff needed! The Best Whoopie Pies Recipe (Soft Cakes & Creamy Filling) This post includes affiliate links. Whoopie pies are essentially handheld cake sandwiches: soft, round, cake-like cookies embracing a ...

Grandma's Soft and Chewy Date-Filled Cookies

One of the things I can count on as the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons arrive each year is a feeling of nostalgia. The traditional foods we serve at our family's holiday tables can surely bring out all the feels. Now that it is officially cookie season, we should kick it off with an old-fashioned homemade date-filled cookie recipe. This is a soft, tender cookie with dates that is a special, nostalgic, family recipe. An Old-Fashioned Date Cookie Recipe What are old-fashioned date-filled cookies? Old-fashioned date-filled cookies are a nostalgic, soft sandwich cookie featuring two rounds of tender sugar cookie dough with a sweet, homemade date jam filling in the center. This vintage 1930s recipe is a traditional holiday favorite, prized for its soft texture and the perfect balance of buttery dough and naturally sweet dates. This old-fashioned, date-filled cookie was my dad's favorite cookie from his childhood. My dad was born in 1932, so this...

Five Keys to Growing A Healthy Ficus Tree

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The Ultimate Cinnamon Swirl Bread: A Bread Machine Recipe

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The Best Way to Cook Bacon: Oven vs. Stovetop

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Just~One~Donna

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