Baking Ingredients

If you're nuts for nuts like I am, then buying in bulk is the way to go! Almonds can be so expensive when you buy them in teensy packages in the baking aisle--I much prefer to buy mine in large quantities to save some dough. Be sure to keep them in a cool place so they don't go rancid before you can use them up!

Sure, you could make your own almond meal, but who has time to blanch almonds, dry them, then process them? Plus, even when you make your own, it probably won't be as finely textured as the kind you can buy. I like to save myself some time and effort and buy my almond meal by the bag. I use it in all sorts of baking recipes, from bread, to muffins, to cookies--even granola!

Red gel food coloring changed my LIFE. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's safe to say that it changed my red desserts! Trying to get a pure red color with liquid food coloring is impossible. Gel food coloring can provide a much bolder, more vibrant red, so you can get a stronger color while adding less coloring. Win-win!

Unflavored powdered gelatin is my (not-so) secret weapon for making perfectly set mousses, custards, pastry creams, and more. I actually prefer to use gelatin sheets, but they're not as readily available, so for most of my recipes, I turn to the powdered stuff. It gives great body to soft desserts without adding any flavor.

Gummy eyeballs are one of my favorite ways to easily jazz up cakes, cupcakes, and more! Drop a few onto any dessert to give them a spooky vibe, or put them in cocktail glasses to make your drinks extra-creepy. In addition to Amazon, they can often be found at craft stores (like Michael's or JoAnn's) or dollar stores around Halloween time.

Pistachios add amazing flavor and color to all kinds of desserts!

These large candy eyeballs are perfect for making adorable, edible faces!Try them on cupcakes or cookies to create the perfect character. Confession time: they don't taste amazing (they mostly just taste like sugar) but the perfect cartoon appearance they give your baked goods totally makes up for it.

Life is better with sprinkles! These chocolate sprinkles add great texture and chocolate flavor to any dessert. Dip an ice cream cone in 'em, use them on top of cakes or cupcakes, or roll your truffles in them.

When you need to make a spooooooky green candy, only Vibrant Green candy melts will do! I believe Wilton's releases this as a seasonal color that's only available around Halloween, so I always make sure to stock up on a few extra bags so I have a year-round supply. This sickly yellow-green color is perfect for Halloween goodies, and can be used to make witches, Frankensteins, oozing slime, etc.

After ignoring regular Rolos for most of my life, I've fallen in love with Mini Rolos! They're the perfect balance of caramel and chocolate, and they are delicious when mixed into chocolate chip cookie dough and brownies. I also love using them as a quick and easy cake border!

I love the larger size of these chips, the smooth melt, and the strong, rich chocolate flavor. I typically use these in chocolate chip cookies or brownies, but in a pinch I've melted them and used them in truffles and ganache, and they work well there, too.

I've gone from being a butterscotch hater to a butterscotch lover! I used to think these chips are too sweet, but now I can't get enough of them, especially when they're mixed with sea salt or another sort of savory flavor in desserts. I buy them in bulk whenever they go on clearance!

Pumpkin's not just a fall flavor to me--it's welcome in my kitchen year-round! I love adding pumpkin puree to muffins, quick breads, cakes, and even hot chocolate, to give them a moist texture and great flavor.

Black sugar sprinkles are the best of both worlds: they bring dark drama AND glitzy glamour! I love them on cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more.

Just as its name implies, black cocoa powder is black...not just the usual dark brown of cocoa powder, but a bold, saturated black color. It's ultra-alkalized so it has a deep, dark color and an intense chocolate flavor. This is the cocoa you want if you're looking to make Oreo-esque cookies or black chocolate cakes! Also, try mixing some of this cocoa powder with hot water to make a paste, then adding it to buttercream--you'll get a dark black frost;ing with an intense chocolate flavor. Black cocoa powder pro tip: I do find that it's more drying than other cocoa powders when I add it to baked goods, so I usually use a combination of regular and black cocoa powder when I'm baking. Try substituting 1/3 of your regular cocoa powder with black cocoa, and see how you like the results!

Finding gel food coloring was a revelation. If you've been using liquid, you'll be amazing at the difference! Gel food coloring is much more vibrant, and you'll need much less of it to give your baked goods a bright color. I like using it to color batters, fondant, and frostings. Americolor is my favorite brand for its consistency, quality, and the easy-to-use squeeze bottles, and this orange color gives all of your desserts and baked goods a nice orange shade.

How can something so small taste so good?? These gorgeous little chocolate pearls aren't just for looks--they taste great too! Their glossy chocolate appearance adds the perfect touch to cupcakes, cakes, and many other desserts, but watch out--they're so pop-able you might find yourself eating them by the handful!

Sure, you can make dulce de leche yourself from sweetened condensed milk, but sometimes you just need instant gratification! This dulce de leche is perfect, straight from the can, and is great in baking and candy recipes, and as a toast and muffin topper. My husband even likes eating it straight from the can with a spoon!

Sometimes, nothing but an 11 lb block of chocolate will do! When I have big baking projects coming up, I forgo the smaller dark chocolate options and head straight for this big boy. Buying a large block is more economical and as always, Callebaut makes excellent chocolate. When stored properly the chocolate will last for months, so if you're a regular baker or candy maker, there's no reason not to invest in some quality chocolate.

"Callets" may not be a familiar term, but all it means is that this chocolate comes formed in large, equally-sized drops. Buying callets is great because it eliminates the need for chopping large blocks of chocolate, and all of the pieces melt quickly and evenly. This dark chocolate has a smooth, fluid melt and a wonderfully dark, rich flavor.

When I need milk chocolate for baking, these Callebaut callets are my choice. Callebaut chocolate isn't too costly, but the quality is outstanding, with a rich flavor and perfect texture for dipping and enrobing. Buy callets means I don't have to chop my chocolate, and the small pieces melt quickly and easily. Watch out: it tastes so good, it's also a great chocolate for eating plain!

I use chocolate candy coating all the time, and one of my favorite brands is Merckens. Candy coating is a useful shortcut when you don't want to temper chocolate for candy making, so I always keep a big bag on hand in the kitchen. Candy coating hardens quickly and produces shiny chocolate-covered candies that have a satisfying snap. Some varieties are thick and gloopy when they're melted, but Merckens always has a texture that's not too thick and not too thin--perfect for dipping chocolates and molding candies!

Hands down, my award for MVP of the nut world would go to hazelnuts. They may not be the cheapest, and they may be the devil to skin, but their flavor is my absolute favorite. I love making my own hazelnut butter by blending hazelnuts and a bit of oil in the food processor, then substituting hazelnut butter for peanut butter in recipes. Chopped hazelnuts are also delicious in cookies, brownies, and other baked goods.