Must Have Baking Ingredients

These must have baking ingredients are staples that are a great addition to your pantry! Check out these essential ingredients you need in your kitchen. 

All-purpose Flour

Ingredients can make or break a recipe. Having the right ingredients is an important part of baking. What’s more, most ingredients are what I like to call “core ingredients”. These are the ingredients that are the foundation of most recipes for cake, cookies, bread, and more. 

Here is a list of ingredients that you’ll bake with most often. 

All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is one of the most versatile types of flour that you can use for baking. Furthermore, you can use this flour to make breakfast, desserts, and homemade snacks. In addition, there are a few options when buying all-purpose flour. 

The three types of all-purpose flour are unbleached, bleached, and organic all-purpose flour. Unbleached all-purpose flour is made from unbleached wheat and vitamins. Bleached flour goes through a process that makes the flour brighter. There are a few chemicals that complete this process.

I use unbleached all-purpose flour. Also, I recommend storing flour in an airtight flour keeper or glass container with a lid. This keeps the flour fresh and prevents particles from getting into the flour.

Gluten-Free and Bread Flour

Gluten Free Flour: Gluten free flour is important for people with celiac disease or other health conditions that prevent them from eating gluten. Likewise, gluten free flour is safe for people that have zero tolerance for gluten. 

On the other hand, all-purpose flour contains gluten. Cake flour contains less gluten than all purpose flour. In fact, cake flour has around 7% gluten, which gives cakes that soft, light texture that we all love. 

Fortunately, there are brands that offer gluten-free bread flour and all-purpose flour. In addition, you can find gluten free flour at Trader Joe’s.

Bread Flour: Bread flour contains more protein than all-purpose flour. Moreover, this flour works well with yeast. If you’re unfamiliar with yeast you can learn more about it in the beginners guide to leavening agents. Bakers use bread flour to bake fresh bread. Best yet, sourdough, baguettes, and bagels need bread flour to rise and have quality structure.

Vanilla Extract

Extracts are an important part of the baking process. However, with no-bake recipes they aren’t always necessary. The number one must have baking ingredient is vanilla extract. Vanilla extract is an ingredient that you’ll use every time that you bake. For this reason, make sure that you keep vanilla extract in your kitchen. 

I use pure vanilla extract because it creates a more well-rounded flavor, that improves the taste of your baked goods. Pure vanilla extract has a dark appearance. It’s made with vanilla beans. I recommend pure vanilla extract or homemade vanilla extract if you bake often. Most importantly, please buy the large bottle of vanilla extract! 

First, this is an ingredient that you will use often and buying the large bottle will help you avoid making multiple trips to the grocery store. Second, vanilla extract is expensive! 

I once paid $4.00 for 2 ounces of clear imitation extract. Paying for 16 ounces of pure vanilla extract is much more beneficial in the end. Plus, you can use it for 3 years! What’s not to love about these must have baking ingredients?

In addition, clear imitation vanilla extract is made with vanillin. Furthermore, vanillin is found in the vanilla plant, but it can also be made without vanilla beans. There are other ways to obtain vanillin. For example, synthetic vanillin can be created in a lab that produces imitation vanilla extract. As a result, imitation vanilla is much easier to find than pure vanilla extract.

Alternative Extracts

There are many baking extracts that are used with vanilla extract or as a substitute. First, bourbon vanilla extract provides rich flavor. Bakers love this baking ingredient for the delightful flavor that’s perfect for baking treats! 

Do you want to try baking with bourbon vanilla extract? Trader Joe’s sells “Organic Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract” that you can find in the baking section.

Almond Extract: Next, Almond extract is commonly used with vanilla extract in cake batters and cookies. It’s nutty flavor compliments chocolate and pastries. 

Tahitian Vanilla Extract: Lastly, Tahitian vanilla extract has a different flavor profile than pure vanilla extract. It’s made with Tahitian vanilla beans. Likewise, your baking style will determine which extract is ideal. For instance, Tahitian vanilla extract has a lighter flavor profile while bourbon vanilla extract creates a deeper flavor.

Must Have Baking Ingredients for Home Bakers

Sugar is an ingredient that every baker needs in their pantry. Sugar adds balance to baked goods. Most importantly, without sugar those delectable desserts tastes underwhelming, bitter, or bland. Also, sugar prevents the texture from being dry. 

Now, you may be wondering about the other sweet ingredients that bakers use. For example, chocolate is an ingredient that bakers use in many forms. Chopped chocolate needs sugar to enrich the flavor. Furthermore, sugar creates a balanced flavor when baking with dark chocolate. 

Dark chocolate has a bitter taste because it doesn’t contain added sugar. In brief, sugar and dark chocolate work together to create a more well-rounded taste.

Primarily, granulated sugar and brown sugar are essential baking ingredients to have on hand. Typically, cookies, cupcakes, and spice cakes need both granulated and brown sugar. Brown sugar adds flavor and moisture. Also, brown sugar compliments popular spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves. 

Likewise, I love to use granulated and brown sugar during the fall season to embrace wonderful fall flavors like pumpkin and ginger. 

Salt

In addition, salt is another essential baking ingredient. Salt is one of the ingredients in self-rising flour. Self-rising flour works with baking powder and flour to allow the dough to rise evenly. Most importantly, salt prevents desserts from having an overwhelmingly sweet taste.

Bakers have different preferences on the kind of salt they choose to bake with. For instance, I usually bake with sea salt. However, there are bakers that enjoy baking with kosher salt or table salt. Table salt is a common ingredient found in the kitchen. Plus, it’s a versatile ingredient that’s great for both baking and cooking. 

Baking Soda and Baking Powder

Lastly, baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents that help baked goods rise in the oven. Furthermore, these ingredients make baking easier because you don’t have to go through extra steps like proving or kneading dough. Best yet, you can find baking soda and baking powder at the grocery store or supermarket. 

Next time you make a trip to the grocery store be sure to look out for these must have baking ingredients! Share your favorite baking ingredient in the comments.