Plan your next party like a pro! I’m sharing my best tips and tricks for how much food to serve at a party (drinks too!) because there’s nothing worse than running out of food halfway through the night.

Whether it’s a happy hour party with drinks and appetizers or a full sit-down dinner with main course, sides and desserts, get all the estimates and planning tips you’ll need to have an amazing party that has plenty of food and drink for everyone.

Party Planning Food Amounts

If you’re planning a party and have no idea how much food and drink to plan for you are going to love this post! There’s nothing worse than running out of food and drinks halfway through the party. It’s also painful to blow your budget because you planned for more than you need! So, I’m taking all of the guesswork out and sharing a handy-dandy guide for planning your next party.

I’ve got you covered in all departments – wine, beer, mixed drinks and even ice! In the food department I’m breaking it down for you whether you’re serving simple appetizers or a sit-down dinner or buffet including how to estimate main courses, side dishes, and, of course, desserts.

This guide will help you better estimate what you’ll need and you can adjust based on your guests. You know, because we all have the friend who loves the champagne a little more than the next person or the family member who takes more than their fair share of chicken wings. 

This party food guide is customizable and flexible – use it as a starting point and you’ll be confident you have the right amount of food and drinks to serve your guests.

How do you calculate drinks for a party?

Assume each guest will have a one alcoholic drink per hour, but you know your guests best so use it as a starting point. 

For non-drinkers estimate two drinks in the first hour with one drink an hour after that. 

Tip: Planning a summer party? Estimate more drinks if it’s hot outside!

This list covers the type of drinks per person if that’s the only kind of drink you’re serving. Use it as a starting point depending on your guests and the variety of drinks you want to offer.

Tip: The more drink choices you offer, the less you need of each choice. So, keep this in mind while you’re planning!

• Wine: 2 to 3 glasses or approximately one (750ml) bottle per two guests.
• Champagne: 2 to 3 glasses on average, estimate more if you have a bubbly-loving friend (don’t we all?!).
• Beer: 1 to 2 bottles per hour.
• Punch: 2 glasses. In my experience, people usually switch to wine, beer or cocktails after a couple glasses.
• Cocktails: 3 drinks per person. A 750ml bottle makes approximately 16 drinks if you are doing an average pour. Also, don’t forget the mixers! Plan for a quart of mixers per three guests depending on the kind of cocktails you are serving.
• Non-alcoholic drinks: 2 drinks in the first hour, 1 drink every hour after that.

It’s always a good idea to have extra beer and wine on hand in case you run low on other drinks you’re serving.

How much ice do I need for a party?

It will depend on the kind of drinks you are serving but a good rule of thumb is approximately 1 pound of ice per person. If it’s hot outside you may want to have more.

Great drinks for a party:

• Fruity Vodka Party Punch
• Lemonade Prosecco Punch
• Pineapple Party Punch
• Cranberry Champagne Punch
• Blue Hawaiian Punch

How to Calculate Food for a Party?

Whether it’s appetizers and snacks for a game-day party or a fancy sit-down dinner for a special occasion or holiday dinner one thing is for sure – you don’t want to run out of food! Use my guide for how much food to serve and I think you’ll feel a lot more confident in planning food for your party.

Depending on what you’d like to serve the amount of food will differ. Appetizers only? Buffet-style with main dishes and side dishes? Or a full meal with appetizers, main dishes, side dishes and desserts? I’ve laid it all out here for you so you don’t have to worry about running out before the party is over.

How many appetizers for a party?

Depending on the type of party you’re having you’ll want to estimate different amounts of appetizers to serve.

• Appetizers only: If you’re only planning to serve appetizers and snacks plan on 16 to 20 appetizers per person.
• Appetizers with a main dish: If you’re planning to serve appetizers before a main dish estimate approximately 8 to 12 appetizers servings per person.

Of course, take into account the type of appetizers you’re serving. If they’re light you might want to estimate a few more per person. If they’re on the heavier side you can estimate a little less. Also, like drinks, the more variety you have the less you need to serve of each.

Plan to serve bowls of chips, crackers, nuts or olives that people can snack on, too, in case someone gobbles up your best appetizer!

How much food per person?

If you’re planning a main dish with side dishes here are some estimates to start with as you’re planning your dishes:

• Plan for 6 to 8 ounces per person for your main dish protein.
• For side dishes, estimate 1 cup per person.
• For bread, it’s a good idea to estimate 1 to 2 slices or rolls per person.

How many desserts per person?

Want to offer a sweet treat? Here’s a guide if you want to serve desserts at your party, too!

• For small desserts like cookies estimate 3 to 4 pieces per guest. 
• For big desserts like cake estimate 1 slice per person.

What are good party foods? 

• Pepperoni Pinwheels
• Pizza Dip
• Peanut Butter Football Dip (can be made into a cheeseball!)
• Ham and Cheese Sliders
• BBQ Turkey Sliders
• Any Cake Roll
• A variety of cookie recipes!

No more guessing! This guide will take all the stress out of planning your party. Everyone will think it was catered and you can focus on having FUN at your party instead of worrying about running out of everything. I hope you’ve found it helpful!

If you’re not sure about how to make pie, follow my pie baking tips for guaranteed success! I’ve been making pie from scratch professionally for over 10 years and have tons of tips on how to do it – easily. I promise YOU can make pie!

Other pie baking tips:

• All Butter Pie Crust Recipe
• How to make a lattice crust
• How to make a crumble topping for fruit pies
• How to make a double crust pie

My favorite pies:

• Blueberry Pie
• Peach Pie
• Raspberry Pie
• Dutch Apple Pie
• Blueberry Crumble Pie
• Pecan Pie
• Pumpkin Pie
• French Silk Pie
• Lemon Meringue Pie

You’ll often see it called for when making pie, croissants, or rolls and if you’ve ever wondered how to do egg wash and which recipe is the best one, then you’ll want to read this post.

We are testing out all the different combinations of egg and milk and water to discover the BEST way to make egg wash for pie!

What is Egg Wash?

Basically, it’s beaten egg either plain, or mixed with milk or water. You brush the wash over your pastry dough before baking so that it browns and gets nice and golden.

Egg Wash Ingredients

This is the question, right? Which recipe is better? That’s what we’re testing out today.

Here are the different ingredients you can use to make a wash for pie:

Egg: You can use a whole egg, egg yolk, or whites. You can even use egg beaters!

Milk: Whole milk, cream, half and half, nonfat milk can all be used, although I do not recommend nonfat milk.

Water: This is an option if you do not want to use milk.

How to make Egg Wash

Regardless of your ingredients, you’re going to do the same basic steps:

1. Beat the egg, yolk or white.
2. Add water or milk and beat with a whisk or fork.
3. Use a pastry brush to brush lightly over your pie crust.

Which is best: Milk or Water or Plain Egg?

I did a test using several combinations:

• Whole egg plain, with milk and with water
• Egg yolk plain, with milk and with water
• Egg white plain, with milk and with water
• Plain Heavy Cream – no egg at all

You can see the results in the photo:

Egg White didn’t brown at all, whether mixed with water or milk.

The whole egg and egg yolk browned about the same, regardless of whether we used water or milk.

The heavy cream didn’t brown at all – so never use plain milk!

Which is best?

My recommendation is to use a whole egg or egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon milk/cream or water. Your choice!

Having the choice makes it easier because if you don’t want to separate eggs you can use the whole one. If you don’t have milk or are allergic, you can use water.

FAQ

Ways to Use Egg Wash

• Butter Pie Crust
• Raspberry Pie Recipe
• Peach Pie Recipe

Print

Basic Egg Wash Recipe

This easy wash will help your pies and pastry get golden brown in the oven.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 recipe

Calories 123kcal

Author Dorothy Kern

Cost $1

Ingredients

• 1 large egg or just the yolk
• 1 tablespoon cream or milk or water

Instructions

• Whisk the egg to break up the yolk. Whisk in milk or water.
• Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the wash over your pie crustl.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

• May substitute egg beaters for the egg.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 207mg | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 80mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 491IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

This is such a simple thing, but I often get asked why I line baking pans with foil. I also am often asked if it’s really necessary and if parchment paper can be used instead.

I think lining your pan with foil or parchment for baking is super important and this post will explain why.

Why Line Baking Pans?

Whether you use foil or parchment is personal preference and I’ll go into each, but first let’s talk about reasons why you should line your pans when baking.

Just like how I use parchment paper or Silpat baking mats on cookie sheets, I always line my cake pans as well as pans for brownies and bars.

Read here for how I line my cake pans.

1. Easy Removal: If you line a pan with foil or parchment, it’s easy to remove the baked goods from the pan all at once. As long as you’ve left some overhang you can just pull the entire slab of brownies out of the pan all at once.
2. Nonstick: Parchment paper is nonstick, so lining your pan with it helps your baked goods release easy. With foil, I always use nonstick cooking spray, so it comes off easy.
3. Easy Clean Up: Once you remove your bars or cake from the pans, there’s nothing to clean!

Foil vs Parchment Paper

This is all personal preference. When I first started baking I never used parchment because I never had it. It was new to the mainstream market at that point so it wasn’t my go-to. I always had foil on hand, so I always just used that.

Personally, I like how foil lines the pan and hugs it better than parchment. Parchment doesn’t really fold and cling to the pan like foil.

Parchment Paper is nonstick, so you don’t usually have to grease or spray it with nonstick spray, which is a plus. Foil, on the other hand, does need to at least be greased with nonstick cooking spray.

There have been some discussions on whether it’s safe to bake with aluminum foil and that is also personal preference. If you’re worried about it, then use parchment.

If a recipe calls for foil can I use parchment paper?

Most of my recipes call for lining a pan with foil. Newer ones may say foil or parchment paper because I know people have preferences. If one of my recipes says to line your pan with foil you can use either foil OR parchment paper.

Likewise, you can use foil in place of parchment paper, but you need to spray it with nonstick cooking spray so your baked goods don’t stick.

Is wax paper the same as parchment paper?

No. Whatever you do, don’t line your pans with wax paper. Wax paper is coated with wax and will melt and burn in the oven.

How to line your pan with foil

Here’s a step by step for how to line your pans with foil. If you’re using parchment paper you do basically the same thing, except parchment doesn’t lay nicely.

First, press the sheet of foil into the pan.

Second, form it to the bottom edges and wrap the excess over the sides to secure it.

Third, spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Tip for lining your pan with parchment paper

• When lining your pan with parchment paper, crumple the paper into a ball then flatten it out. This helps it not roll back up when you’re lining your pan.
• Always leave a bit of overhang so that you can easily lift the entire sheet out of the pan.
• Parchment is nonstick so you shouldn’t need spray unless the recipe calls for it.

If you’re new to baking or just need a refresher, I’m sharing 10 tips for baking cakes including how to prep your cake pans, tips for reviewing recipes, and the best temperature for your ingredients. After you’ve read through this list, you’ll be ready to make a cake like a pro!

Making a cake is not complicated but a certain amount of precision and know-how can make a big difference in how the cake turns out. If you’ve ever made a cake that was too dense or collapsed or wouldn’t release from the pan, I’m here to share my best tips that doesn’t happen again!

No matter where you are in your cake baking journey, I think you’ll feel a lot more confident after you read through these 10 tips for baking cakes. 

Tip 1: Read the Recipe Before You Start

I know it seems obvious, but I’ve even been guilty of not reading the entire recipe before I start baking. And, you know what? When I just dive in without reviewing the recipe I usually end up with a not-so-great cake. So, take it from me, reading the recipe all the way through first makes a big difference! Here’s why:

• It’s good to familiarize yourself with the steps before you start so there are no surprises. There’s nothing worse than having the mixer flinging flour all over the place while you try to figure out the next step in the recipe.
• If you take the time to read the recipe you can ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand. Making substitutions is risky business in baking, especially with cakes, and you’re always better off using exactly what is called for in the recipe. Don’t wait until your halfway through before you realize you’re out of an ingredient.
• Reading the recipe first will highlight details you wouldn’t want to discover halfway through making it. Have you ever started making a cake only to discover that an ingredient needs to be chilled or softened or frozen halfway through? And you need the cake, like, now? Read through all of the steps first and you won’t be caught off guard!

Tip 2: Start with Room Temperature Ingredients

Unless it’s otherwise noted in the recipe, it’s always a good idea to let your ingredients come to room temperature before you make your cake. This is especially important for dairy ingredients and eggs.

• First, it’s a lot easier to combine room temperature ingredients instead of cold ones. If you’ve ever tried to cream cold butter with sugar you know what I’m talking about. Emulsification, the process of combining ingredients that normally don’t mix well together, is a lot easier when the ingredients are at room temperature.
• Ingredients that are easier to combine will create a smoother batter faster. In other words, you don’t risk overmixing which can give your cake a tougher texture.
• Using room temperature ingredients will make a big difference in the texture of your cakes. If a light and fluffy cake with a tender crumb is your goal (and it should be!) then start with room temperature ingredients.

So, if your recipe does not specify room temperature ingredients it’s always best to use them unless it specifically says otherwise.

Tip 3: Use Full-Fat Milk and Real Butter

If you’re going to the trouble to make a cake, let’s make it great! And by great, I mean make it with the good stuff – full fat milk and real butter.

Part of what makes a really great cake taste so good is fat. So, substituting a lower-fat milk or fake butter will do nothing for your cake except make it not so good. It’s should be a treat, right? So, treat yourself and use the real stuff.

Of course, if the recipe you’re using calls for a different type of milk or another lower-fat ingredient follow the recipe. But, when in doubt, always go with full-fat milk and butter.

Tip 4: Measure Your Ingredients Correctly

Making cakes requires precision in measuring. Too much flour, not enough sugar or other mis-measured ingredients can have a big impact on your finished cake.

There are basically two things to remember with measuring: use the right kind of measuring cup for the ingredient and use the right method for filling the measuring cup with the ingredient.

So, for liquid ingredients use liquid measuring cups. For dry ingredients, use dry ingredient measuring cups.

• How to measure flour: lightly spoon it into a dry measuring cup and use a dinner knife to level it off the top.
• How to measure sugar
  • For granulated sugar, you can use a dry measuring cup to scoop it out of the container or package. Level it off with a dinner knife so it’s completely filling the cup.
  • For powdered sugar, use the spoon and level method like you would for flour
  • For brown sugar, fill the cup and use the back of a spoon to tightly pack it in the measuring cup. When you turn it out of the cup the sugar should hold its shape.

For liquid ingredients (including sticky ingredients like honey and molasses) use a liquid measuring cup! Learn all about measuring cups here.

Tip 5: Prep Your Cake Pans

Preparing your cake pans before filling them with batter makes a big difference in your final cake. There is nothing worse than spending the time to make a cake batter only to have the cake stick to the pan when you try and remove it. 

You should prep your pans before you make your cake batter. You don’t want your cake batter sitting around too long after you mix it so have your pans ready to go.

Follow these tips and your cake will release from the pan with no problems. Here are my in depth posts on baking pan substitutions and how to grease a cake pan.

• Thoroughly grease the pan with butter or shortening first and be sure to get into the corners, too. 
• Add some flour to the pan and evenly coat the sides and bottom of the pan and then remove the excess by lightly tapping the pan.
• You can also use baking spray in place of butter and flour. Just be sure to use the kind that has flour in it – regular cooking spray won’t work as well.
• Cut and fit a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan.

Tip 6: Don’t Overmix the Batter

When you add dry ingredients to the wet ones you want to mix just long enough to combine them but not too long. Overmixing the batter will overwork the gluten in the flour which will make your cake dense with a tough and chewy texture. 

Most cake recipes have you mix the dry ingredients before you add them to the wet ones. Even though it requires two bowls (I know, more dishes!) it’s important to follow these instructions. Mixing the dry ingredients first makes it easier to incorporate them fully into the butter and eggs without having to stir too much. 

Mixing your batter until it’s “just combined” means that you should stop stirring once there is no flour or dry ingredients visible. It is at this point that they have been absorbed into the wet ingredients.

Tip 7: Preheat the Oven

Once your cake batter is in the cake pan, you want to get it in the oven right away, especially if your batter has baking soda. Baking soda will lose its effectiveness if the batter is left sitting out too long.  (Learn about baking soda here.)

So, be sure your oven is preheated to the right temperature. In most cases, you should turn your oven on before you make your batter so it has plenty of time to get to temperature.

Tip 8: Give the Cakes Space in the Oven

If you are making a layer cake, don’t bake the layers right next to each other in the oven. If you do this, they will rise towards each other as they bake which will leave you with misshapen layers or two cakes that baked into each other.

Depending on the size of your oven, you may need to bake the layers separately so this doesn’t happen.

Tip 9: Don’t Peek! Keep the Oven Door Closed

As tempting as it is, resist the urge to open the oven door while your cake is baking. When you open it, heat will escape and lower the temperature of the oven. This not only changes the amount of time you will need to bake the cake, but the change in temperature can also cause the cake to collapse or sink.

Tip 10: Do the Toothpick Test

I think the easiest and most effective way to check if a cake is done is with a toothpick. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean the cake is done. If it comes out with batter sticking to it the cake needs more time.

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful! There’s nothing better than a homemade cake, so I hope you feel inspired to crank up the oven and make a deliciously light and tender cake!

Learn my secrets to baking the perfect cake! These 10 easy tricks and hacks for beginners will help you bake a cake from scratch in no time.

I’ve made a lot of cookies in my life and today I want to share some of my favorite Tips for Cookie Baking! These little hacks will make it so you have perfect cookies every single time.

No matter what kind of cookies you’re baking, doing these few simple things will make them turn out perfect every time!

Cookies are one of the easiest things to bake, but sometimes it’s good to know a few extra tips and tricks to make sure they turn out just perfect. These are simple hacks for cookie baking that are not always stated in every recipe, but are really good tips to know.

1. Non-tip Tip

I’m listing this as the first tip, but it’s also a non-tip because it’s an obvious one: READ AND FOLLOW THE RECIPE.

Make sure you read the entire recipe before you start, that you have all the ingredients before you start, and that you follow the recipe without making any substitutions.

Baking is a science and while switching the flavor of chocolate chips won’t affect the outcome, changing things like butter or baking soda or flour will. You can’t make substitutions as easily for cookies as you can for other baked goods, so be sure to keep that in mind.

Turning a chocolate chip cookie into a gluten-free dairy-free sugar-free recipe WILL change the outcome, so it’s best to find a recipe for what you want in the first place before beginning.

Read my post about how to read a recipe if you need extra tips and tricks.

If the recipe calls for chilling the dough, chill it.

If the recipe calls for melted butter, melt it.

If the recipe says bake immediately, bake it immediately.

Read the recipe. Follow the recipe.

2. Use a Cookie Scoop

It’s important to have some basic equipment when you’re baking or cooking (see all my important cookie baking tools here) but my absolute MUST HAVE is a cookie scoop.

Using a cookie scoop ensures that all your cookies are the same size, which makes them bake evenly, which is the key to uniform cookies.

Plus, cookie scoops are great for scooping cake and muffin batter, meatballs and ice cream too!

Get my favorite cookie scoop here.

3. Bake on Parchment Paper or Silpat Baking Mats

Right behind cookie scoops on my must-have list for cookie baking would be my silicone baking mats. The main brand is called Silpat and they are fantastic. They’re great for cookies, candy, toffee, anything you don’t want sticking.

Silpats are expensive, but they are reusable, and as long as you’re careful with them (read: don’t cut them with a knife by accident) they last for years. I’ve had some for over 10 years – and I bake way more than the average user.

If you’d rather use Parchment, go ahead. Reynolds has some that is reusable up to 3 times, so it’s more eco-friendly than regular parchment.

I love using parchment or Silpat for a few reasons:

1. They are nonstick for easy removal.
2. Because they’re nonstick, you don’t need to add any extra grease to the pan.
3. Cookies brown more evenly when not baking straight on the pan.
4. Cleanup is a breeze.

Get my favorite Parchment Paper or Silpat Baking Mats.

4. Rotate Your Pans During Baking

A lot of people say you should only bake one pan of cookies at a time, in the middle of the oven, and I do agree with that, but I am lazy (and want to be done baking) and I bake a lot of cookies, so I don’t want my oven running all day.

Every oven cooks differently. That’s the biggest issue I have as a recipe writer, that everyone has different equipment and even the same oven will have hot spots in different homes.

My oven, even when brand new, cooks faster in the back and hotter on the bottom. That’s why I rotate my pans during baking, even if I only have one pan in the oven.

No matter what I’m cooking:

• If I have one pan in the oven: I bake on the middle shelf and rotate the pan 180° halfway through baking.
• If I have two pans in the oven: I rotate the pans on the racks (top to bottom, bottom to top) AND I rotate each of them 180° halfway through baking.

Is it annoying? Yes. Is it necessary? Also yes. Rotating the pans will ensure all cookies are baked evenly.

5. Measure ingredients correctly

This is SUPER important for any baking. Baking is a science and if something is off then the whole recipe can get thrown off.

Biggest mistakes people make:

• Using too much flour because they measure wrong. Learn how to measure flour!
• Not packing their brown sugar.
• Not using the right kind of measuring cups. Did you know that there are dry and wet measuring cups? Make sure to use the correct ones by reading my post about liquid vs dry measuring cups.

Learn how to measure ingredients and you’ll have success in every recipe, not just cookies!

FAQ about cookie recipes

Here are some of the most asked questions I get about any/all of my cookie recipes:

My favorite cookie recipes:

• BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Peanut Butter Cookies
• Snickerdoodles
• Chewy Sugar Cookies
• Oatmeal Cookies (The ULTIMATE Guide)

Even More Cookie Hacks

Sign up for my Cookie Baking Hacks Guide and get all my favorite ideas delivered to your email!

Worried about kids losing math skills while off school? Get your kids to cook and bake with you in the kitchen and use it as a teaching tool. Baking is full of important math skills and with these easy ideas you can incorporate learning into cookies and cake!

From fractions to conversions, shapes, telling time, doubling a recipe and more, these easy math ideas through baking are great for ALL ages!

When I was a teacher (and even as a parent) I constantly hear(d) Why do I need this? and When am I ever going to use this? in relationship to math. And I get it; you may not ever solve an equation for X and Y after you take algebra, but you will use basic math skills for the rest of your life.

One of the ways you use math every day is in the kitchen. Reading recipes and baking and cooking are full of important math concepts. If you’re baking with your kids then you can also use it as a math lesson (and science and reading!) for kids of all ages.

This post is going to tell you several of the ways that math is used in baking so that you can use the ideas to help your kids keep learning, even if they’re on break. Don’t let those math skills get lost in the summer slump (or the “social distancing slump”).

Teaching about colors and shapes

For young children, getting them in the kitchen to bake or cook with you is about identifying colors and shapes. You can point out:

• The shapes of baked goods (cookies are circles, brownies are squares, etc)
• The shapes of objects (oranges are spheres, a box of crackers is a rectangular prism)
• How to turn one shape into another (i.e. cutting a square brownie into triangles)
• Teach color and dimension (2D vs 3D)

Teaching early counting

Also for young children, you can start them counting by getting them in the kitchen. Ways you can do this:

• Counting the number of cookies in a batch
• Counting the number of ingredients needed for a recipe
• Counting the number of marshmallows in a cup (when making Krispie Treats) or the number of graham crackers in a pie crust, etc.

Weights and Measuring

A large part of baking is measuring out ingredients; baking is a science and things need to be exact. While you might throw a pinch of this and a bit of that into a pot when making sauce, you need exact measurements for baking.

A child’s age will determine what sorts of weighing and measuring you can teach, but it’s never to early to get them in the kitchen and introducing them to the idea. As they get older, you can move onto conversions, etc.

• For pre-school and younger, get the kids used to using the measuring spoons and cups. If you’re using a scale, you can talk to them about ounces vs pounds and have them learn the numbers.
• For early elementary school, you can start talking measurement and weights in simple terms, and estimating weights of ingredients, and talking about which measurement is appropriate (i.e. would I use ounces or pounds to measure a bag of flour or if I’m measuring out vanilla extract should I use cups or teaspoons).
• Upper Elementary School: Starting in about 4th grade, kids are learning about metric conversions, comparing them, adding/subtracting them, reading recipes, converting one measurement to another. Apply this to the kitchen by talking about conversions of teaspoons to tablespoons, etc., as well as doubling recipes (more on that below) and converting from metric to U.S. measurements. This is also a good time to talk about °F vs °C, converting between them, and discussing measuring differences between cups and ounces/grams/mL (have different people measure 1/2 cup flour and weight each of them – are they the same or different? Why?)

Time

Measuring time is an important part of baking – you don’t want to over bake cookies! From the time kids learn how to tell time, they can be reinforcing it in the kitchen.

• For pre-school, start them on telling time, comparing clocks, and counting backwards (using the timer on the oven).
• For early elementary school kids, they are learning reading clocks, so you can reinforce telling time and change in time (i.e. it’s 1:30 now and the cookies will be done in 10 minutes, what time will it be?)
• Upper elementary school: talk about stop and start times, calculating times, and changes in times (i.e. if this cake takes 70 minutes to bake and 2 hours to cool what time should I put it in the oven by if I have to leave the house at 5:00?)

Fractions

Fractions are a HUGE part of baking: all the measurements in the U.S. deal with cups and teaspoons in fractions. From just choosing the right measuring cup to comparing the sizes and then later, doubling and converting, fractions are a huge part of math AND baking.

• Pre-school: talk about fractions of ingredients (i.e. break up a baking chocolate bar and talk about simple fractions), compare sizes of measuring spoons and cups.
• Early elementary school: more about fractions of ingredients, equal parts (using the same baking chocolate example), explaining fractions in terms of cup and teaspoon measurements and how they relate to each other, and comparing fractions (compare 1/2 cup and 3/4 cup of chocolate chips).
• Upper elementary school: this is when they are all in with fractions (converting to decimals, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing). Some ideas include: doubling or halving recipes (see below), converting fractions of ingredients to decimals (the recipe calls for 2 1/3 cup flour, how much is that in a decimal), comparing fractions of ingredients between recipes (i.e. the chocolate chip cookie recipe has 1/2 cup brown sugar but the oatmeal cookie recipe has a full cup), etc.

Doubling Recipes

It’s really easy to double most recipes, and most recipes work ok when doubled. Cookies, bars/brownies and cupcakes are the easiest things to double, but you can double almost any recipe with success (baking time is sometimes affected).

Math concepts kids can learn when doubling a recipe:

• Doubling fractions and reducing them to measurable ingredients (i.e. doubling 2 tablespoons makes 4, which is 1/4 cup).
• Doubling fractions can be done by adding fractions or multiplying by 2, depending on what your child is learning in school.
• If you’re doubling a bar, brownie, cake or quick bread recipe, you can change the pan size. Pan size is all about volume, and different pan sizes have different volumes. See all about pan size equivalences here.
• Converting fractions (if you double 3/4 cup by adding fractions you get 6/4, which you must convert to 1 1/2 to measure it out)
• Reducing fractions (if you double 1/4 you get 2/4 which must be reduced to 1/2 so you can measure it using a measuring cup)

Halving a Recipe

Cutting a recipe in half is harder than doubling, because some ingredients can’d be halved (like eggs). When cutting a recipe in half, look for one that has an even number of eggs so that it will divide easily.

What kids can learn about math from halving a recipe:

• Dividing fractions
• Changing the pan size ( Pan size is all about volume, and different pan sizes have different volumes. See all about pan size equivalences here.)
• Converting and reducing fractions

Learning Science and Reading When Baking

Math isn’t the only thing kids will learn when baking and cooking. There are opportunities for science and reading as well!

• Reading comes into play when just reading a recipe. It’s important to read the recipe before starting cooking, and there are nuances to recipes that mean different things, which is an important thing to learn (not just about recipes!) Learn about how to read a recipe.
• There is so much science in baking, too much for me to even detail, but two main things come to mind: baking soda and yeast. Teaching a child about leavening a recipe with baking soda (watch it interact with vinegar in my mom’s banana bread recipe) can teach them about scientific reactions, as can baking with yeast. Make my ultimate pizza crust two ways: once with active dry and once with instant yeast to see the difference.
• Learn about baking soda vs. baking powder and about cream of tartar, which all have to do with science.
• Learn more about the science of baking here.

Be sure to check out my best recipes for baking with kids!

Leave a comment below with more ideas!

This list of the best baking tools that every kitchen needs is a great starting point! Broken down into must-haves and wants, this list will prepare you to bake any recipe!

If you’re just starting out building your kitchen tools, you may be wondering where to start, or maybe you’re shopping for a Christmas gift or wedding gift. I’ve compiled this list of items and grouped them in order of importance to help you know what your kitchen needs!

Best Baking Tools every kitchen needs:

Pans

In order to start your baking off right, you need to at least have a few basic pans: cake pans, muffin tins, rectangular pans. The basics will allow you to make a majority of the items on my site. If you have extra room or budget, work off the second list of extras too.

Must-Haves:

• 9×13-inch pan
• Cookie sheets (several)
• 9-inch round cake pans (2)
• 9-inch square pan
• Pie plates
• Muffin pan (2)

Good-to-haves:

• 8-inch round cake pans (2)
• 8-inch square pan
• Cast-iron pan
• Pizza Pan
• Springform Pan (10-inch or 12-inch)
• Mini Muffin Pan
• Cake Roll Pan

Small Appliances

While you can do everything by hand, some small appliances will come in handy when making most recipes. A hand mixer is the #1 most important tool in my kitchen!

Must-Haves:

• Hand Mixer
• Waffle Iron
• Blender
• Food Processor
• Slow Cooker

Good-to-haves:

• Stand Mixer
• Electric Griddle
• Pressure Cooker

Basic Tools

There are some basic tools you need to have for baking, like measuring spoons or cups. There are also some optional yet amazing products, like spatulas and peanut butter measuring cups, if you have the extra budget and room.

Must-Haves:

• Measuring Cups
• Measuring spoons
• Rolling pin
• Wooden spoons
• Silicon spatulas
• Whisks
• Pastry Cutter
• Cookie Scoop (get a few different sizes)
• Candy Thermometer
• Instant read thermometer

Good-to-haves:

• Silpat baking mats
• Parchment paper
• Offset spatulas
• Roul’Pat
• Pie Crust Shield
• Microplane
• Peanut Butter measuring Cup

Have questions about baking? Check out my Baking FAQ!

This post contains affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

This Glossary of Common Baking Terms will come in handy whenever you’re making a new recipe. This list covers some of the most common words we use in our recipes so that you can learn the difference between whip and stir, chop and dice or boil and simmer. Keep this list handy or bookmark it so that you can easily reference it for recipe success!

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Glossary of Common Baking Terms

Bake – To cook in an oven. Make sure to preheat the oven first!

Baking Soda – a leavening agent that needs acid to create a chemical reaction when baking. Recipes that use baking soda often must be baked immediately after mixing. Read more about baking soda.

Baking Powder – a leavening agent that contains both baking soda and the acid agent. Read more about baking powder.

Beat – to stir fast in a rapid circular motion. Beating can be done with a whisk, spoon or mixer.

Blanch – when you partially cook something in boiling water for just a few minutes then plunge it immediately into cold water to stop it from cooking. 

Blend – to thoroughly incorporate ingredients into each other. This is another word for beat but is often also used when ingredients are turned into liquid (i.e. in a blender).

Boil – heat liquid until bubbles rise continuously, come to the surface and break. Water boils at 212°F.

Caramelize – when sugars brown and get caramel in color. You caramelize sugar when you make Creme Brûlée but you can also caramelize things that have sugar on them (like when you grill pineapple).

Chop – to cut into pieces. Chop usually just refers to the cutting. Sometimes other words are used in conjunction with chop: a rough chop would be larger pieces or a fine chop would be smaller pieces.

Coats the back of a spoon – when making pudding or sauces that thicken, you know it’s thickened enough when the back of a wooden spoon is covered with the liquid. When you run your finger over it a line is created and the liquid doesn’t run off the back.

Cream – as a verb, creaming is when you beat butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy with a light and creamy texture.

Crimp – finish the edge of a pie crust by pinching between two fingers. See more about crimping and pie crusts here.

Cut In – usually done with a pastry cutter, this is a way of incorporating butter, shortening or other fat into dry ingredients. It’s a process that’s done often when making pie crust, crumbles, biscuits or scones. The mixture will be the size of dry peas once you’re done cutting in. In lieu of a pastry cutter you can use two forks or two knives to cut in ingredients.

Dash – measurement that’s less than 1/8 teaspoon (but more than a pinch)

Dice – cut into small uniform square pieces, usually bite size.

Drizzle – usually done with icing, glaze or melted chocolate, this is the process of dripping the icing off a fork or spoon onto your finished recipe.

Dry Ingredients – ingredients that have no liquid and can be measured in dry measuring cups (i.e. flour and sugar)

Dust – a light sprinkling of powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar or other spice over the top of a recipe.

Fold – a process of stirring that gently combines something heavy into something light so that the heavy ingredient doesn’t ruin the light one. For example, you often fold whipped cream into a thicker mixture (like peanut butter for peanut butter pie). Folding ensures the mixture will still set up at the end of the recipe.

Glaze – this is a light layer of icing that is more liquid in form than frosting. Glazes can be drizzled over recipes or baked goods can be dipped in glaze (i.e. glazed doughnuts).

Glossy Sheen – this is what cookies get in the oven. Once the glossy sheen is gone, the cookies are done baking. Learn more about cookie doneness here.

Grease – to prepare your pans so they don’t stick to the food. Greasing your pans can be done with nonstick cooking spray or butter, shortening or oil.

Grease and Flour – this is when you grease your pan with butter or shortening and then add a bit of flour. Tap and swirl the pan so that the flour coats all of the fat. This is usually done when making a cake, for easy removal.

Knead – done most often when working with biscuit or yeasted dough, kneading is the process of folding, pushing and turning the dough until it becomes malleable and not sticky.

Leavening – an ingredient that helps your baked goods rise. See Baking Soda and Baking Powder.

Lukewarm – a temperature that is neither hot nor cold. Usually around 100-105°F.

Mix until moistened – stir or beat just until the wet ingredients and dry ingredients are mixed together, then stop. Also called “mix just until combined”.

Pinch – less than a dash, literally the amount you get when you pinch a spice or other ingredient between your thumb and forefinger.

Preheat – to heat the oven before baking. Always fully preheat the oven at least 15 minutes before baking.

Proof – to let dough rise and rest. When talking about activating some yeast, proofing means mixing yeast with hot water and allowing it to bubble and awaken.

Punch – in between risings of bread or other such dough you’re asked to deflate it by punching it down in between.

Rolling Boil – rapidly boiling with lots of bubbles.

Scant – in terms of measurement, a scant cup of flour is measured just below the cup line (just less than the amount called for).

Scald – to heat a mixture just below the boiling point.

Simmer – just before a mixture boils, after it scalds, is when it simmers: little bubbles form around the edge of the pan.

Softened – when butter or cream cheese or another similar ingredient is no longer hard to the touch. Often called room temperature. Learn about how to soften butter.

Soft Peaks – when referring to egg whites or whipped cream, soft peaks are when the mixture is soft and rounded when the beaters are pulled away from the mixture.

Stiff Peaks – when referring to egg whites or whipped cream, stiff peaks are when the mixture holds its shape when the beaters are pulled away from the mixture.

Stir – to combine ingredients in a circular motion.

Wet ingredients – liquid ingredients or ingredients that are wet (i.e. oil, water or peanut butter). Learn more about measuring wet ingredients.

Whip – beating or stirring rapidly with a whisk to add air and volume into a recipe.

Yield – the amount of servings estimated for a recipe

Zest – the colorful outside peel of citrus fruit. Also known as grated peel, you want to just use the colorful part not the white pith underneath. To grate zest, use a microplane grater or the smallest part of a box grater.

These common baking terms will help you have success with any recipe!

What did I forget? Leave it in the comments below!