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Ok. So excited to announce that we closed on a house..and officially have begun moving in! Ahh!
Buying a House Is:
a) Exciting
b) Scary
c) Expensive
d) All of the above.
You picked D, right? Hope so. Because boy it is all of those things, especially the last one!
So as I’ve begun the move I started packing up my kitchen. Um, whoa you guys. I have like A LOT of kitchen stuff. Like overflowing. Into the dining room. The basement. It’s bad. So many boxes labeled “kitchen stuff”. I’m wondering if the new house can house it all. Having an apartment all these years meant most of pans had to sit in the basement. So packing up all these crazy pans got me thinking, if I had to, (and I’m using the word IF here in capital letters) because let’s face it I’m not actually getting rid of any. But IF I had to pick my top go to pans that I seriously could not live without and would recommend anyone who is looking to up their baking anty in the kitchen what would I choose?
So hence this post. I narrowed down all my pans to pick out my top 10 pans I could not live without.With each pan I included why I love it and what I own as well. This is my essential baking pans list. Just don’t tell the rest of my pans 
#1 Half Sheet Pan
What I Own and Love:
Nordicware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet
Islandware Heavy Duty Half Sheet Pan
#2 Square Pan
I love my square pans- I have both an 8×8 pan and a 9×9 pan. These square pans are perfect for brownies and blondies- like oh some M&M brown butter blondies for instance? If you are just starting out building your kitchen aresenal, you can start with either. The 8×8 pan will give you thicker bars and less of them. The 9×9 pan will give you a less thick bar but you can get a few more bars out of the batch. Just like my cookie sheets, I love my heavy duty metal ones with straight edges to give perfect straight edges on my dessert bars. I also own a glass baking dish as well as it comes with a lid which is perfect for transporting to parties!
What I Own and Love:
Calphalon Classic Bakeware 8-inch Square Nonstick Pan
Pyrex Easy Grab 8-inch Square Baking Dish
#3 Springform Pan
Even if you only make cheesecake once a year, a springform pan is a definite must. What makes a springform pan different from a regular cake pan is the removable bottom. The removable bottom makes it a cinch to remove your cake when it’s all said and done. I’ve also used my cheesecake pan to make fancy looking icebox cakes so they do not need to be just for cheesecakes.
What I Own and Love:
KitchenAid KB6NSO09SG Classic Nonstick 9″ Springform Pan
Baker’s Secret Signature Springform Pan, 10-inch
#4 Large 13×9 Rectangular Pan
This is probably a dish I use the most. Not just for desserts but for casseroles a plenty. There is just not a more versatile dish. Is there? It’s great for a carrot sheet cake, some Reese’s Pretzel blondies, or a yummy caramel apple crisp. A 13×9 pan is great for making a dessert to serve a bunch of people. If you aren’t sure where to start to which pans to get first- this one is an absolute MUST.
What I Own and Love:
Pyrex Basics 3 quart glass oblong baking dish
#5 Loaf Pan
Banana bread. Do I need to say more? I didn’t think so. You need a loaf pan in your life. Because well you need banana bread in your life. I recommend having two in your cupboard. I love when I am making banana bread to make more than one loaf. You can give one away or freeze one while you immediately start snacking on the first loaf. #nojudgementhere
What I Own and Love:
Cuisinart 9-inch Chef’s Classic Nonstick Bakeware Loaf Pan
Fat Daddio’s Aluminum Bread Pan
#6 Muffin Pan
Ok whether you use this pan to make muffins or cupcakes, you will definitely want a muffin pan in your cupboard. I have about 10 to my name. Ok you don’t need 10 but I do just like the loaf pans and cookie sheets, I recommend two. Two allows you to be able to swap one pan out and put your second batch in immediately. Again, quality is key. I also like to bake my muffins and cupcakes in aluminum pans. I do not recommend using dark non-stick pans because I find they bake too fast and sometimes do not get that perfect dome on top.
What I Own and Love:
Chicago Metallic 12 cup muffin pan
#7 Pie Plate
Oh my pie. I really can not say no to pie. As Fall creeps up on us, I can’t help but get in pie mode. A pie dish is definitely one dish I couldn’t live without. You really will use this dish all year round, just not during Thanksgiving and holidays times. Whether its to make a strawberry pie, a deep dish cookie pie, or a pumpkin oreo pie the possibilities are endless.
What I Own and Love:
9.5 inch clear glass baking deep pie dish plate
#8 Cake Pan
Ok friends, I own well a lot of cake pans. Shocking right? Ok maybe not. I own square ones, round ones, character shaped ones, small ones, large ones. It’s a bit ridiculous. BUT where is a good place to start? I think if you are just starting out, getting two 9-inch cake round cake pans is the best place to start. When you do decide to bake a cake, these cake pans will be used the most in most recipes. The Wilton brand is a great place to start as well. You can purchase those at your local craft store, such as Michael’s, Jo-Ann Fabrics, or A.C. Moore. They come in a two-pack on Amazon, which is super convenient! If you already have the 9-inch cake pans and want to expand beyond those, I also included my other go to cake pans I use most below!
What I Own and I Love:
Wilton Aluminum 9-inch Cake Pan Set
Fat Daddio’s Aluminum 8-inch by 3-inch Round Cake Pan
#9 Bundt Pan
Now you might be asking just what the heck is a bundt pan?! For whatever reason, everytime I say the words “bundt pan” all I can think of is the scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding, when the in-laws meet and they are trying to explain what a bundt is. “Oh it’s a cake!”. Yes it’s cake. Basically. A cake with a a hole in the middle. My very first recipe on this blog was a sourcream citrus pound cake that I baked in my bundt pan. And one of my most popular recipes on this blog are these 6 ingredient overnight cinnamon rolls. So clearly, I’m a big fan and supporter of the bundt pan. Now there are lots of fun designs out there, so the sky is the limit. My one tip for using this pan is to make sure to grease thoroughly because of all the nooks and crannies these pans offer. A bundt cake though is such an easy way to have a showstopper of a dessert!
What I Own and Love:
Cuisnart 9 1/2 inch fluted cake pan
#10 Donut Pan
I considered leaving this pan out of the list and making this a list of the NINE essential baking pans, but I just couldn’t do it. Having a donut pan is just super fun to have. I don’t use it all the time, but when I do want to make some donuts, like some red velvet donuts it’s right there waiting for me. And the best part of making homemade donuts with this pan, is they are BAKED..hello way healthier! Way less guilt using this pan! Now I only own one. Whoa. I own only one? Hmm, I think that may need to change soon super fast. Do yourself a favor and invest in two!
What I Own and Love:
Wilton Nonstick 2 pack Donut Pan
Looking to grow your baking arsenal beyond the 10 essential pans? Then keep reading..
These pans are less used in my kitchen but I still love them
#11 – Wilton 24-count Mini Muffin Pan
#12- Chicago Metallic Mini Cheesecake pan
#14- Fox Run Quiche/Tart Pan with Removable Bottom
#15- Chicago Metallic Madeleine Pan
#16- Wilton 10-inch Angel Food Cake Pan
I could probably go on and on when it comes to my go to baking pans. In the end, I love them all. I hope you found this post useful and has inspired you to get baking!
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