Ever wondered if sugar is gluten-free? We’re breaking it all down, from types of sugar, to which brands are gluten-free and more!

So, you’re ready to bake gluten-free, but you’re not sure… is sugar gluten-free?

I GET IT!

Especially at the beginning of transitioning to a gluten-free diet, it’s so overwhelming to have to re-think every ingredients and re-read every label to check that everything is safe to eat. Today we’ll take the guesswork out of sugar.

Here’s what you need to know about gluten-free sugar…

Is White Sugar Gluten-Free?

Granulated sugar IS considered gluten-free. Whether it’s beet sugar or cane sugar, both kinds of white sugar are made with a single ingredient, so they can safely be considered gluten-free.

One thing to note is that commercial white sugar is usually processed with natural carbon (or bone char) to help decolorize it and give it that super white appearance. This is all gluten-free, but does mean that most regular white sugar is not vegan. (Organic sugar in the United States is always made from sugarcane and is not processed with bone char.)

Is Brown Sugar Gluten-Free?

Brown sugar is actually just white sugar with added molasses! Both sugar and molasses are considered gluten-free, so brown sugar is safe for Celiac disease and gluten intolerance.

What about light brown sugar vs dark brown sugar? That’s simply a matter of how much molasses is in the sugar! Dark brown sugar has more molasses than light brown sugar. Both light brown sugar and dark brown sugar are gluten-free.

Is Powdered Sugar Gluten-Free?

Most of the time, yes! Powdered sugar (sometimes labeled confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar) is unique from other kinds of sugar because it usually contains some sort of starch to help avoid clumps. Most brands use cornstarch or arrowroot starch, which are both gluten-free. This is one sugar you’ll want to double-check before using!

What About Other Kinds Of Sugar?

So what about all the other kinds of sugar? There are a lot of kinds of sugar and sweetener out there, but here’s a breakdown of all the common kinds. (Learn all about different kinds of sugar and how to use each one in this post all about sugar!)

• Coconut Sugar – Coconut sugar is made from coconut blossom nectar and is considered gluten-free.
• Date Sugar – This type of sugar is made from dehydrated dates and is gluten-free.
• Maple Sugar – Made from crystallized maple syrup, maple sugar is considered gluten-free. (Read more about gluten-free maple syrup here)
• Muscovado Sugar – This dark sugar is gluten-free!
• Pearl Sugar – Pearlized or pearl sugar, like Swedish pearl sugar and Belgian pearl sugar, is gluten-free. It won’t melt and is typically used for decoration only.
• Superfine Sugar/Caster Sugar – this fine-grained sugar is gluten-free. It’s just like white sugar, simply with smaller granules. It dissolves more easily than other sugar, making it great for mocktails & beverages, simple syrup, meringues, and more.
• Sparkling Sugar & Sanding Sugar – these decorative sugars are both gluten-free.
• Sugar Cubes – Are sugar cubes gluten-free? YES! They’re just sugar or sugar held together with sugar syrup, so they’re gluten-free. (Do check your labels on this one, though!)
• Demerara Sugar & Turbinado Sugar. Raw cane sugar, sometimes labeled Turbinado sugar, Demerara sugar, or raw sugar, is also considered gluten-free. It’s typically used as a garnish or to sweeten coffee and tea.
• Honey, Agave & Maple Syrup. In their pure form, these are all gluten-free.
• Sugar Alternatives – Most alternative sweeteners, sugar substitutes, and artificial sweeteners, such as erythritol (Swerve), sorbitol, xylitol, stevia (liquid and powdered), aspartame (Nutrasweet), sucralose (Splenda), saccharin (Sweet N Low) monk fruit, allulose, and others are gluten-free. As always, read the labels on anything you plan to use!

FAQ + Tips For Buying Gluten-Free Sugar

Avoid Cross Contamination With These Tips!

If you’re baking for a gluten intolerant family member (whether they have Celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity), it’s very important to avoid cross contamination (getting gluten-containing ingredients mixed into gluten-free ingredients.) Even a very small amount of contact with wheat, barley, or other gluten ingredients can cause symptoms of a reaction, immune response, or illness in Celiacs or gluten-intolerance.

• To avoid this, the best practice is to use a separate bag of sugar JUST for gluten-free baking.
• Additionally, do not use tools that have come in contact with wheat flour to scoop or measure gluten-free sugar when baking.
• Either pour the sugar out into your measuring cup or use clean or separate measuring tools for gluten-free ingredients.

What About Flavored Sugar?

If you’re buying an infused or flavored sugar, it’s important to check the label to ensure it’s gluten-free. Many infused sugars and flavored sugars use simple ingredients, like vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon, etc. that are clearly gluten-free, but it’s important to double-check before using. Avoid extras like malt, which is made from barley.

When In Doubt, Ask A Doctor!

As with any food you’re unsure about with a gluten-free diet, consult a doctor, registered dietitian, or nutrition professional for medical advice about your specific situation. They can help you learn what intake works best for you, how to balance your blood sugar, and how to deal with any digestive symptoms you may be experiencing (headache, constipation, blood sugar spikes, etc.)

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It’s no secret that we LOVE using butter here at Sweets & Thank You. It finds its way into cookies, epic brownies, fluffy cakes, luscious caramel sauce, frosting, snack mix, and more.

I know it sounds simple, but whether it’s learning how to measure flour correctly (GAME CHANGER!), or learning an easy trick to get eggs to room temperature fast, we love sharing baking tips that improve every bake! That’s why today, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about measuring butter.

It’s easy to get mixed up when you’re baking! (“Um, how many sticks are in a cup again?” “Wait, how many tablespoons of butter are in a stick?”), so we’ve got common weights and measurements, a free printable cheat sheet you can use for quick reference, and our best tips and tricks for getting those measurements right every time.

Let’s jump in! Here’s everything you need to know about how to measure butter…

How Is Butter Measured?

Universally, the most accurate way to measure butter is by weight, but different countries have different methods of measuring butter in everyday baking:

• In the United States, butter is often measured by the stick or cup
• In Canada, butter is often measured by volume (cups)
• In Europe, Australia & New Zealand, butter is typically measured by weight in grams

How Much Is A Stick OF Butter?

In the United States, butter is often packaged and wrapped in “sticks” of butter. A standard stick of butter is 1/2 cup butter or 8 Tablespoons. Many brands of butter in the united states have wrappers with markings denoting each tablespoon to make it easy to measure. Each line on the stick is usually 1 Tablespoon.

European-style butter (like Kerrygold butter) or butter sold in bulk is sometimes packaged and wrapped in blocks rather than sticks. A block of butter is often packaged as 2 cups of butter (4 sticks/1 pound/454 grams) or 1 cup of butter (2 sticks/8 oz./227 grams). Always reference your package before you start measuring so you know what you’re working with!

Common Butter Measurements & Equivalents

So how do tablespoons match up to sticks of butter? Let’s look at some common butter measurements and equivalents to make baking with butter easier than ever.

• 1/4 cup butter = 4 Tablespoons = 1/2 stick = 2 oz. = 57 grams
• 1/3 cup butter = 5 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 2.66 oz. = 75 grams
• 1/2 cup butter = 8 Tablespoons = 1 stick = 4 oz. (1/4 pound) = 113 grams
• 2/3 cup butter = 10 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 5.33 oz = 151 grams
• 3/4 cup butter = 12 Tablespooons = 1 1/2 sticks = 6 oz. = 170 grams
• 1 cup butter = 16 Tablespoons = 2 sticks = 8 oz. (1/2 pound) = 227 grams
• 1 1/2 cups butter = 24 Tablespoons = 3 sticks = 12 oz (3/4 pound) = 341 grams
• 2 cups butter = 32 Tablespoons = 4 sticks = 16 oz (one pound) = 454 grams

Save Time With Our Printable!

Get our butter equivalent cheat sheet sent right to your inbox. You can print it out to keep on hand for baking projects big and small!

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How To Measure Butter, Step BY Step

Weigh Butter On A Scale

Measuring butter in ounces or grams on a scale is the single most accurate way to measure butter for a recipe. Here’s how to weigh it on a digital scale/kitchen scale:

1. Tare The Scale To Zero. For a digital scale, turn the scale on and tare/set the kitchen scale to zero. (I usually place a piece of parchment or a plate on the scale and then tare to zero to account for the weight of the parchment/plate & save me the hassle of clean-up later.)
2. Add the butter to the scale.
3. Add or remove butter as needed until you reach the desired weight.
4. Use butter as directed in your recipe.

Measure By The STick

1. Use The Markings On The Wrapper. Use the markings on the butter wrapper to measure how many tablespoons or cups you need for your recipe. Typically each line on the butter represents 1 Tablespoon of butter. (Remember that 8 Tablespoons of butter are in a stick, and a stick is 1/2 cup butter.)
2. Slice With A Sharp Knife. Use a sharp knife to cut the butter carefully along the line you need.
3. Use butter as directed in your recipe.

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For Measuring Butter

Do You Use A Measuring Cup To Measure Butter?

Not usually. Butter is usually measured by weight in ounces or grams on a scale, or in Tablespoons or cups. However, you typically use the measurements on a stick of butter rather than scooping the butter into measuring cups.

Do You Measure Butter Solid Or Melted?

It’s easiest to measure butter solid, even if you plan to melt it later. If your recipe calls for the butter to be melted at some point, I recommend measuring the butter cold (weighing or cutting the butter to size) and THEN melting it as directed in your recipe. That said, always follow the instructions in your recipe.

How Much Butter Is In A Pat?

If a recipe calls for a “pat of butter,” this typically means about 1 Tablespoon of butter, sliced from the stick (or individually wrapped at hotels & restaurants).

The post How To Measure Butter (Sticks, Tablespoons & More!) appeared first on Sweets & Thank You.

Need a little lemon zest for a recipe? We’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to zest a lemon!

Lemon is one of my favorite flavors to use in cooking and baking. It feels like lemon goes with almost everything! From sweets like cookies, cakes, pies, and bars, to savory options like chicken, salads, dressings, sauces, and vegetables, lemon zest adds delicious flavor!

Many of my favorite lemon recipes pack the biggest lemon punch by using both lemon zest and lemon juice. I’m all about that lemon zest!

If you’ve ever wondered “what does it mean to zest a lemon?,” “how much zest is in a lemon?” or “what exactly is lemon zest?” you’re not alone! Thankfully, zesting a lemon is a SUPER easy culinary trick that will instantly add vibrant fresh lemon flavor to recipes and baked goods of all kinds.

Here’s what you need to know about how to zest a lemon (and other citrus fruits, too!)…

What Is Lemon Zest?

So what exactly IS lemon zest? Is it the same thing as lemon peel? Let’s talk about it!

• Lemon zest is the yellow lemon peel–the thin, porous outer layer or rind of a lemon. It’s important to note that lemon zest is the yellow part of the peel ONLY. It’s is full of lemon essential oils that are so fragrant and flavorful.
• Lemon zest does NOT include the white part beneath. This white layer is called the pith. It’s bitter, spongy, and can add an unpleasant taste and texture to recipes.

How Much Lemon Zest Do You Get Per Lemon?

The general rule of thumb is that 1 lemon yields about 1 Tablespoon of zest. If your lemons are smaller or larger, you may get less or more zest.

What Are The Different Ways to Zest A Lemon?

Now that you know what lemon zest IS, how do you get the zest off of a lemon? There are several ways you can try, ranging from easiest and most effective, to most difficult and least effective. (You can use zest citrus fruits, like oranges, limes, and grapefruit using the same methods!)

1. Use A Microplane Zester (Easiest)

The easiest, most effective way to zest a lemon is to use a microplane zester or rasp grater. Microplane is a brand name, but (much like Kleenex and tissues) it has kind of been adopted as the description for a rasp grater.

This type of grater has an exceptionally fine toothed texture which makes for fine, delicate grating. It’s perfect for getting the thin layer of zest off of citrus fruit, finely grating parmesan cheese, etc. You use it much like a traditional grater.

For the best stability and visualization, I recommend placing the lemon on a stable surface (countertop, cutting board, etc.) and using the zester upside down, so that you can easily see when you reach the white pith. If you prefer, you can instead brace the zester against the stable surface and hold the lemon in your dominant hand. Move the over the zester, trying to JUST get the yellow zest and not the white pith.

2. Use A Box Grater

If you don’t have a microplane zester/rasp grater, you can use the finest side of a box grater or hand-held grater (cheese grater) for a similar effect. Again, focus on getting just the yellow zest, and avoiding the white pith.

3. Use A Citrus Zester With Channel Knife

This type of citrus zester is best if you’re looking for larger curls or slices of zest. Larger strips of lemon zest work beautifully for garnish, cocktails, or mocktails, since they have a bigger visual impact.

There are two parts to this type of zester. The small, circles at the top are the zester, while the indented grater on the side is called the channel knife. The zester will form long strings of zest, while a channel knife will make one large curly peel.

It can take a bit of practice to get this tool down, so I only use it when I need to for garnish. To use the zester end, hold the tool in your dominant hand and gently press the zester down into the lemon zest and scrape towards your body, doing your best to remove just the yellow zest.

To use the channel knife, hold the zester tool in your dominant hand. Press in and scrape to make long strips of zest. (This video gives you a nice visual of ways to use a channel knife to make decorative accents!)

4. Use A Knife

Okay, but can you zest a lemon without a grater? If you don’t have any type of grater or zester available, it is possible to remove the zest from a lemon with a knife. This requires good knife skills and a sharp paring knife or small, sharp serrated knife. Carefully use the knife to cut away the zest in large sections, trying your best to avoid the white pith.

From there, you can use the large pieces, or you can mince or slice the strips of zest into smaller pieces, as needed.

5. Use A Vegetable Peeler

In my experience, this is the least effective and most difficult way to zest a lemon. If you have a very sharp vegetable peeler and a firm lemon, you can use it like a paring knife, to carefully remove the zest in long strips.

I find many of us don’t have a strong enough veggie peeler or the peeler tends to also scrape off the white pith underneath. It’s very easy to cut yourself with this method, so I only recommend it if it’s your only option and you’re an experienced cook/baker.

10 Ways To Use Lemon Zest In Cooking & Baking

Now that you know how to zest a lemon, I thought I’d share some yummy ways to use it! Here are 10 of my favorite ways to use lemon zest in baking and cooking projects:

1. Lemon Bundt Cake. Light, fluffy, and bursting with lemon flavor, this Gluten-Free Lemon Cake, well… takes the cake!
2. Garnishing Green Veggies. Add a little lemon zest and lemon juice to steamed, roasted, grilled, or sauteed green veggies. Try Lemon Asparagus, Lemon Broccoli, some zucchini, artichokes, peas, or Spinach With Lemon and Garlic.
3. Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins. Want to add some serious lemon flavor to your muffins? Try these Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins which use plenty of lemon zest for serious lemon flavor.
4. Energy Bites. Adding a bit of zest to these Lemon Energy Bites makes them taste like dessert. Really. No sugar required!
5. Lemon Shrimp. Seafood and lemon are a classic pairing, and this super quick One Pan Lemon Shrimp recipe makes for a fresh, easy dinner any night.
6. Pesto. Next time you make pesto, add a bit of lemon zest and lemon juice. You’ll never be the same!
7. Chicken Marinades. Pair lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, garlic, and some fresh herbs and you’ve got an instantly delicious chicken marinade.
8. Lemon Brownies! You’ve had brownies, you’ve had lemon bars, but have you had LEMON BROWNIES? They’re like a fudgier version of lemon cake, and they’re not to be missed!
9. A Pretty Mocktail! Add thick strands of lemon zest to a glass of our Strawberry Basil Lemonade or Raspberry Lemonade!
10. Cheesecake. Adding the zest of a lemon to our Gluten-Free Cheesecake Recipe adds such a gorgeous layer of brightness to the velvety cheesecake filling.
11. SO MUCH MORE. Use it in dressings, sauces, pasta, cupcakes, smoothies…even deviled eggs!

PRO TIP: Flavor Pairings. Lemon plays nicely with LOTS of flavors–honey, berries, garlic, basil, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, dill, black pepper, seafood, ricotta, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, chicken, almonds, cream cheese, yogurt, tahini, ginger, butter, mushrooms, feta, chili pepper, lavender, curry, turmeric, cherries, and more. Get creative in the kitchen by pairing lemon zest with some of these tasty flavors in your next recipe!

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For Zesting Lemons

Zest FIRST. If you’re juicing AND zesting a lemon, make sure to zest the lemon first. It’s easier and more effective when the lemon is whole.

How Long Does Lemon Zest Last In The Fridge? You can refrigerate lemon zest up to 2 days, but it will begin to dry out and lose flavor almost immediately. It’s best to use it as soon as possible or use frozen lemon zest.

Can you freeze lemon zest? YES! And this is one of my favorite kitchen tricks. Don’t let all that lovely lemon flavor go to waste! We use this method to freeze lemon zest. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer up to 1 month.

Can I substitute lemon juice for lemon zest? In most recipes, this will not be a good substitute. Lemon zest contains lemon oil (lemon essential oil), which is far more potent than lemon juice. Lemon juice also adds more liquid to a recipe than zest, so it can throw off the ratio of wet:dry ingredients.

Can you buy lemon zest in the store? I’ve never seen lemon zest available for sale at the grocery store–in a jar, frozen, etc. It tends to be too delicate to store fresh. The only exceptions are buying candied lemon peel (often used as a garnish or as an addition to cheeseboards), or dried lemon peel. Dried lemon peel doesn’t have the same potency or vibrance as fresh, so I only recommend it if called for specifically in a recipe.

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How To Zest A Lemon 5 Ways

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• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 batch 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Learn how to zest a lemon 5 ways to add a lovely lemon twist to your next recipe!

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Ingredients

• Fresh lemons
• A microplane zester, box grater, handheld zester with channel knife, sharp knife, or vegetable peeler

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Instructions

With A Microplane Zester/Rasp Grater:

1. Hold the microplane zester in one hand and your lemon in the other. For added stability, I recommend bracing either the zester or the lemon on a stable surface like a countertop or cutting board.
2. Scrape the lemon across the surface of the microplane zester (or the zester across the surface of the lemon), rotating the lemon as you go. (Move to the next section as soon as you see white. You want ONLY the yellow lemon zest, NOT the white pith). If any zest sticks to the back side of the zester, gently tap it off or use a knife to scrape it away. Watch out for sharp edges!

With A Box Grater:

1. Hold the box grater in your non-dominant hand and your lemon in your dominant hand.
2. Scrape the lemon across the smallest side of the box grater, rotating the lemon as you go. (Move to the next section as soon as you see white. You want ONLY the yellow lemon zest, NOT the white pith).

With A Handheld Zester Tool (Or A Channel Knife):

1. The small, circles at the top of this tool are the zester, while the indented grater on the side is called the channel knife. The zester will form long strings of zest, while a channel knife will make large sections of peel.
2. To use the zester end, hold the tool in your dominant hand and gently press the zester down into the lemon zest and scrape towards your body, doing your best to remove just the yellow zest.
3. To use the channel knife, hold the zester tool in your dominant hand. Press in and scrape to make long strips of zest.

With A Knife:

1. Carefully use a small, sharp knife (like a paring knife or serrated paring knife) to cut away the zest in large sections, trying your best to avoid the white pith.
2. From there, you can use the large pieces, or you can mince or slice the strips of zest into smaller pieces, as needed/desired.

With A Vegetable Peeler:

1. If you have a very sharp vegetable peeler and a firm lemon, you can use it like a paring knife, to carefully remove the zest in long strips. Again, aim to only remove the yellow peel, not the white pith.

Notes

Tips:

• Lemon zest is the yellow peel ONLY. Avoid the spongy white pith underneath the zest, which is bitter.
• 1 medium lemon = 1 Tablespoon of lemon zest
• lemon zest is best used immediately, but can be frozen up to 1 month.
• To remove wax from lemons, place them in a colander and pour very hot (boiling) water over them to dissolve the wax, then scrub with a microfiber cloth or vegetable brush and rinse again.
• Zest FIRST. If you’re juicing AND zesting a lemon, make sure to zest the lemon first. It’s easier and more effective when the lemon is whole.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Tutorial
• Method: No-Cook
• Cuisine: American

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The post How To Zest A Lemon 5 Ways (+ Tips!) appeared first on Sweets & Thank You.

Need some toasted pecans for a recipe? No problem! Learn how to toast pecans in the oven or on the stovetop in this easy tutorial.

Toasting pecans is kind of like unlocking the next level on a game. You start with something pretty good (pecans) and the simple act of toasting them unlocks MAJOR flavor that instantly levels up every bite, whether you’re munching them on their own, tossing them into a salad, or mixing them into a baking recipe.

It only takes a few minutes, and it’s 110% worth the effort! In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through how to toast pecans in the oven and how to toast pecans on the stove. Don’t worry, it’s not fussy at all.

Here’s what you need to know about toasting pecans…

Why Do You Toast Pecans?

So, why do people toast pecans? It improves their texture and flavor! While raw pecans have a fairly flat, mild flavor, toasted pecans taste more vibrant, crunchy, and nutty, with a crisp and buttery texture. There’s a HUGE flavor difference in toasted or roasted pecans and raw pecans.

As for HOW to toast pecans, let’s take a look at 2 easy methods to toast them: the oven method and the stovetop method.

How To Toast Pecans In The Oven

Toasting pecans in the oven works best when you are toasting at least 1 cup of pecans. It’s my preferred method because it’s more hands-off and doesn’t require a lot of stirring or attention. It’s also a great method when you want to make a large batch! (Hello, holiday baking!)

1. Preheat the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
2. Spread Pecans Out. Place raw pecans on a cookie sheet/sheet pan and spread them out in a single layer so they aren’t all touching. (This allows the air to circulate better, which leads to more even toasting)
3. Bake the pecans for 6-8 minutes, giving them a shake halfway through, if desired. If your pecans aren’t quite toasted yet, add 1-2 more minutes and watch them closely.
4. Let the pecans cool slightly, then use them, chop them, or store them, as desired.

That’s it!

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

How To Toast Pecans On The Stove

My go-to method for a small batch of nuts! If you’re working with less than a cup of pecans (or just don’t feel like turning on the oven), you can totally toast pecans on the stove! All you need is a skillet to get started:

1. Add pecans to a large dry skillet. (Don’t add butter or oil–there’s no need, unless your recipe specifically calls for it, such as when adding herbs or spices.)
2. Toast the pecans 3-5 minutes on medium heat, stirring regularly to help the pecans toast more evenly. (You want the pecans to have a deep golden brown color.)
3. Cool slightly, then use as desired.

Keep in mind that pecans toasted on the stovetop can cook more quickly, burn more easily, and cook unevenly unless you stir regularly and watch them closely. Don’t walk away from the stove or work on other projects at the same time or your nuts will likely burn!

10+ Yummy Ways To Use Toasted Pecans

Once you know how to toast pecans, you’ll want to put them in all your favorite recipes! There are more ways to use toasted pecans than I can count, but here are a few of my favorites…

• Brownies. Tuck some toasted pecans into these fudgy Gluten-Free Brown Butter Brownies for another amazing layer of flavor. (Add some flaky salt on top for a pretty finish!)
• Chicken Salad. My favorite chicken salad recipe uses pecans, along with apples and cranberries for.seriously satisfying flavor.
• Cheesecake. They’re great in all kinds of desserts, but I love to use toasted pecans and caramel sauce on my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake. It’s DIVINE.
• Oatmeal. Pecans are a great addition to a warm bowl of Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal, a bowl of Steel Cut Oats, Overnight oats, or anything with cinnamon, blueberries, or apples. SO GOOD.
• With Veggies! Use roasted pecans to add nutty crunch to veggies like roasted butternut squash, roasted Brussels sprouts, and glazed carrots.
• Salads. Toasted nuts add lovely textural contrast to big salads like this or this.
• Waffles & Pancakes. That satisfying nutty crunch is so good with maple syrup on a stack of fluffy pancakes or our Gluten-Free Belgian Waffles.
• Carrot Cake. Add nutty flavor to a cozy carrot cake with chopped pecans. They can be stirred into the batter, used for decoration, or both!
• Cookies. I love toasted pecans in oatmeal cookies. They add GREAT flavor!
• Muffins. Add a handful or two to your muffin batter for a tasty crunch. They’re yummy in our Gluten-Free Banana Crumb Muffins!
• Banana Bread. If you like adding nuts to your banana bread, some toasted pecans can be BEAUTIFUL. We love them in our Brown Butter Banana Bread recipe.
• Snacks! Use these crunchy pecans in an epic trail mix, toss them onto a yogurt bowl, or munch them with some dark chocolate chips.
• Ice Cream. Sprinkle pecans into homemade caramel ice cream, turtle ice cream, or toffee ice cream or garnish your sundae with some on top.

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For Toasting Pecans

Set Timers & Stay Close! Nuts have a high fat content, which helps them toast beautifully, but it also means they can easily burn. Make sure to set a timer and stay close to your nuts while they’re toasting so you can keep a close eye on them.

The Best Way To Store Pecans. Pecans last best in an airtight container, especially chilled. Store nuts like pecans in the freezer to help keep them fresh. (Their natural oils tend to spoil more quickly with heat, and since nuts have a high fat content, they’ll stay fresher cold.) Toasted pecans will stay fresh about 1 week at room temperature, up to 2 months in the refrigerator, or up to 6 months in the freezer.

How Long Do Toasted Pecans Last? Toasted pecans will stay fresh about 1 week at room temperature, up to 2 months in the refrigerator, or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Can You Toast Pecans That Are Already Chopped? Yes, though small pecan pieces toast MUCH faster than whole pecans. I prefer to toast whole pecan halves and chop them later to avoid burning.

Stick With Raw Pecans. For best results, only roast/toast RAW nuts. Other nuts, like seasoned pecans and dry roasted pecans are already toasted, and will burn more easily. (Costco is a great place to get raw pecans in bulk for the best price!)

Does This Work With Other Kinds Of Nuts? Yep! Another variety of nuts, like walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds work similarly.

More Recipes For Pecan Lovers

Easy Cinnamon Pecans

Gluten-Free Salted Pecan Bars

Pecan Pralines

Gluten-Free Pecan Brownies

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Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Toasted Pecans recipe and let us know how you used them. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!

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How To Toast Pecans (Oven Or Stove!)

Learn how to toast pecans in the oven or on the stovetop in this easy tutorial. Soon, you’ll be adding them to salads, veggies, baking recipes & more!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword how to toast pecans, how to toast pecans in the oven, how to toast pecans on the stove, toasted pecans

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Servings 1 -2 cups pecans

Calories 86kcal

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

• 1-2 cups pecans* use raw pecans, not roasted, dry roasted, or seasoned pecans
• A sheet pan or skillet for toasting

Instructions

Oven Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (you can also toast them on a dry pan, I just love parchment for easy clean-up & to prevent sticking)
• Spread Pecans Out. Place pecans on sheet pan and spread them out so they aren’t all touching. (This allows the air to circulate better, which leads to more even toasting)
• Bake the pecans for 6-8 minutes, giving them a shake halfway through, if desired. If your pecans aren’t quite toasted yet, add 1-2 more minutes and watch them closely.
• Let the pecans cool slightly, then use them, chop them, or store them, as desired. 

Stovetop Method:

• Add pecans to a large skillet. (Don’t add butter or oil–there’s no need, unless your recipe specifically calls for it!)
• Toast the pecans 3-5 minutes on medium heat, stirring regularly to help the pecans toast more evenly. Do not walk away from the stove or work on other tasks while the nuts are toasting to avoid burning them. (They burn more easily on the stove)
• Cool slightly, then use as desired.

Video

Notes

If you’re toasting less than 1 cup of pecans, the stovetop method might work best for you. For 1 cup or more than 1 cup, I always recommend the oven method. This easily scales up, too! You can toast 4-6 cups of pecans in the oven at a time, so long as there’s enough room on your baking sheet so the air can circulate around them. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tablespoons nuts | Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.7g | Protein: 1.1g | Fat: 8.9g | Saturated Fat: 0.8g | Potassium: 50.7mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 8.7mg

The post How To Toast Pecans (Oven Or Stove!) appeared first on Sweets & Thank You.

Learn how to make brown sugar to use in your favorite recipes. You only need 2 ingredients and a few minutes to make homemade brown sugar!

Brown sugar is one of my favorite types of sugar to cook and bake with! It adds moisture, subtle caramel flavor and toffee notes, and delicious flavor to all kinds of recipes from a chocolate chip cookie recipe to brownies to bbq sauce and marinades!

But if you’ve ever gone to bake only to discover you’re out of brown sugar, we’ve got you covered with an easy homemade brown sugar substitute that only requires 2 INGREDIENTS and a few minutes to make. Yes, it’s really that easy!

Here’s what you need to make your own DIY brown sugar at home!

What Is Brown Sugar Made Of?

You might think that brown sugar and white sugar are made from two different kinds of sugar cane, but brown sugar is just white sugar with molasses! When making sugar, cane juice is evaporated and spun to remove the molasses from the crystals, leaving behind white granulated sugar and liquid molasses. Then, to make brown sugar, some of the molasses is added back into the white sugar. Makes, sense, right?

Light Brown Sugar VS. Dark Brown Sugar.

There are two main varieties of brown sugar–light brown sugar and dark brown sugar. The only difference is the amount of molasses in the sugar!

Light brown sugar has less molasses than dark brown sugar, which has more molasses content. More molasses means that dark brown sugar has a darker color and a more intense molasses flavor. This works great in things like banana bread, gingerbread, and spice cake!

Here’s What You Need To Make Brown Sugar

So, to make a brown sugar substitute, all you’ll need is granulated sugar (white sugar) and regular unsulphured molasses (NOT blackstrap molasses)

• For Light Brown Sugar: 1 cup of white sugar (200 grams) + 1 Tablespoon of molasses (15 ml)
• For Dark Brown Sugar: 1 cup of white sugar sugar (200 grams) + 2 Tablespoons of molasses (30 ml)

Important note: You’ll want to use regular, unsulphured molasses, NOT blackstrap molasses, which is more strong and bitter. Most molasses sold in grocery stores in the United States is regular/unsulphured molasses. If you live in the UK, you can also use black treacle, which may be easier to find.

How To Make Brown Sugar, Step By STep:

In A Bowl

1. Combine sugar and molasses in a mixing bowl.
2. Use a flexible spatula to stir and combine well. At first, the molasses will probably form some clumps in the sugar. Use your spatula to press them flat and blend the molasses in. (You can use a hand mixer to help you, but I find that a spatula does a great job pressing out the little bubbles) Mix until the color is evenly distributed and it looks like every grain of sugar is coated with molasses.
3. Use right away or store brown sugar in an airtight container up to 1 month.

In A Food Processor

1. Combine sugar and molasses in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Pulse to combine thoroughly, pausing to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, as needed. Mix until all the sugar crystals are evenly coated in molasses.
3. Use right away or store in an airtight container up to 1 month. (Keep it soft with these tips!)

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For Brown Sugar

What’s the best substitute for brown sugar? Honestly, homemade brown sugar! DIY brown sugar will have the same deep caramel color and similar moisture, which will help your baked goods spread, rise, and taste the way you expect. It’ll work better than swapping in another sugar, like coconut sugar, demerara sugar, or muscovado sugar. (Learn more about different types of sugar here)

Is there anything I can use besides molasses? If you’re in the UK (or can find it in the US), you can try black treacle. It’s slightly sweetener than molasses, but will totally work for this recipe. I don’t recommend any other liquid sweeteners, like honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup, as they won’t have the same flavor or texture.

How To Store Brown Sugar. The best way to keep brown sugar soft and fresh is to avoid air exposure and heat. Store the brown sugar in a zip-top bag with excess air pressed out of the bag, or in an airtight container.

How To Measure Brown Sugar. The most accurate way will always be to use a kitchen scale, but when you don’t have one, you’ll need to pack the brown sugar down into your measuring cup a bit. The extra moisture from the molasses means the sugar isn’t as compact, so you’ll need to gently pack it into the measuring cup to get an accurate measurement. (That’s why most recipes call for packed brown sugar)

WE

How To Make Brown Sugar (Easy Brown Sugar Substitute)

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• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup of brown sugar 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Learn how to make brown sugar to use in your favorite recipes. You only need 2 ingredients and a few minutes to make homemade brown sugar! 

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Ingredients

For Light Brown Sugar:

• 1 cup (200 grams) white granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap molasses)

For Dark Brown Sugar:

• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoon (30 ml) unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap molasses)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

Make It In A Bowl: 

1. Combine sugar and molasses in a mixing bowl.
2. Use a flexible spatula to stir and combine well. At first, the molasses will probably form some clumps in the sugar. Use your spatula to press them flat and blend the molasses in. Mix until the color is evenly distributed and it looks like every grain of sugar is coated with molasses.
3. Use right away or store brown sugar in an airtight container up to 1 month.

Make It In A Food Processor (My Favorite)

1. Combine sugar and molasses in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Pulse to combine thoroughly, pausing to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, as needed. Mix until all the sugar crystals are evenly coated in molasses.
3. Use right away or store in an airtight container up to 1 month. (Keep it soft with these tips!)

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Tutorial
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: American

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12 Kinds Of Sugar & How To Use Them – We’re breaking down common kinds of sugar & how to use them in cooking and baking.

There’s some kind of sweetener in almost everything we make here at Sweets & Thank You! Whether we’re mixing up cookie dough, whipping up fluffy frosting, garnishing a sweet treat, or sweetening a mocktail, we’re using sugar!

There are all kinds of feelings out there about this baking ingredient when it comes to sugar intake or which sweeteners are best, but today, we’re focusing on basic information. If you’ve ever wondered what the different kinds of sugar are or how they’re used, this is the post for you!

We’ll break down the different names that sugar goes by, share common swaps and sugar substitutions, and give you tips for measuring, storing, and using sugar in all kinds of different ways. Ready to dive in?

Here are the different types of sugar for cooking and baking and how to use them…

Granulated Sugar

Granulated sugar (sometimes called white sugar or table sugar) is what most people refer to when they say “sugar.” If you see “sugar” on a nutrition facts label, food label, recipe, or ingredients list, granulated sugar is what they’re referring to.

Granulated sugar is white sugar made from either sugar cane or sugar beets (or a mixture). Refining granulated sugar produces molasses, which is removed from white sugar to help it get that white appearance. Sugar is also sometimes bleached for an even whiter appearance.

While buying sugar at the grocery store, you may see some sugar labeled “cane sugar” or “natural cane sugar.” This is also refined white sugar, though it’s is made solely from sugarcane and has a more blonde/less white appearance than the slightly more refined white sugar. Either can be used for most recipes that call for sugar, white sugar, or granulated sugar. (See more about their similarities and differences here.)

As for uses, granulated sugar dissolves well, which makes it great for making simple syrup for mocktails, cocktails, and drinks, or for creaming, melting, or mixing into baked goods.

Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is made from granulated sugar and molasses. The molasses gives brown sugar its signature color and the amount of molasses determines whether it’s light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar contains less molasses than dark brown sugar.

Brown sugar is more moist than granulated sugar because of the molasses content, so it’s commonly added to give additional chewiness and moisture to baked goods like cookies, brownies, and muffins. The flavor is more intense, rich, and nuanced that white sugar as well, so brown sugar can add notes of toffee, caramel, or molasses to recipes.

I LOVE what the molasses does to the color and flavor of brown sugar, but it also makes brown sugar a bit more finicky to work with. It’s important to pack brown sugar down into the measuring cup to get an accurate measurement (or weigh it for even better results!). It can also dry out and harden faster than white sugar, so you can try these tips to soften brown sugar if yours has gotten hard!

GOOD TO KNOW: You can make your own brown sugar substitute at home with molasses and granulated sugar. Such a lifesaver if you’re out of brown sugar!

Powdered Sugar

Powdered sugar is sometimes labeled confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar. It’s made from finely ground and sifted granulated sugar, usually mixed with cornstarch or arrowroot to help avoid clumping.

Confectioner’s sugar dissolves quickly and easily, making it the most common sugar for glaze and frosting recipes. Because of its fine texture, it can also help produce a glossy sheen when added to baked goods, like brownies.

Another common way to use powdered sugar is as a garnish–dusted, shaken, or misted over baked goods like cakes, tarts, pancakes, brownies, etc. to give them a final flourish. It can also be used to coat cookies, donuts, and truffles.

GOOD TO KNOW: If you’re out of powdered sugar at home, you can actually make your own in a high speed blender! Do know that the high speed mixed with the grains of sugar can sometimes scuff or scratch the blender pitcher. This is cosmetic only and shouldn’t impact the function of your blender, but it is worth mentioning!

Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)

Caster sugar is also known as superfine sugar or baker’s sugar. It’s more popular in the U.K. than it is in the United States, but it can work well for dissolving into drinks, mixing into meringue, making simple syrup and more.

Because it has a very fine, small grain texture, caster sugar is typically used when dissolving the sugar quickly or completely is important to a recipe.

GOOD TO KNOW: If you can’t find caster sugar/superfine sugar or don’t have it on hand, you can pulse regular granulated sugar a few times in a blender or food processor to break down the grains a bit more. It won’t be precisely the same, but it’s a workable substitute in most cases!

Turbinado Sugar

Sometimes labeled “raw sugar,” “raw cake sugar,” or “sugar in the raw”, turbinado sugar is known for being less refined than granulated sugar. It has larger sugar crystals than regular sugar, with a soft golden color and subtle caramel flavor that make it a pretty topping for muffins and scones.

GOOD TO KNOW: If you need turbinado sugar as a garnish, but you don’t have any on hand, the next best substitute for turbinado sugar is demerara sugar, which also has a coarse texture. Or, you can use sparkling sugar.

Demerara Sugar

Americans might not recognize this one right away! This sugar isn’t commonly used in the United States, but it’s worth knowing about if you love to bake. Demerara sugar has slightly larger, more distinct grains than turbinado sugar. It offers a crunchy texture, and toffee flavor notes, which makes it popular for stirring into coffee or tea, or finishing cookies, scones, and muffins.

GOOD TO KNOW: Turbinado sugar is a good substitute for demerara sugar in most cases. The larger grains can give the same crackly crunch and sparkle to baked goods, and it has a similar flavor for drinks.

Muscovado Sugar

Muscovado sugar (sometimes called Barbados sugar or molasses sugar) is unrefined cane sugar with high molasses content. There are two varieties/intensities: light muscovado sugar (lighter in color, less intense) and dark muscovado sugar (darker in color, more intense).

Since most of the molasses is intact, muscovado sugar is darker in color and more intense in flavor than either light brown or dark brown sugar, and is typically reserved for recipes with strong, bold flavors, like gingerbread, barbecue sauce, or for making rum. It also contains more trace minerals, thanks to the molasses content. It really does taste like molasses!

Muscovado sugar has a much stronger flavor than dark brown sugar, so it’s best to only use it when called for. The best substitutes for muscovado sugar are typically unrefined sugars, like panela or sucanat.

Pearl Sugar

There are two popular kinds of pearl sugar–Belgian pearl sugar, which is common in Belgian Liege waffles, and Swedish pearl sugar, which is used to garnish cinnamon buns (like this). Belgian pearl sugar is large and very crunchy. (It’s in the top right bowl of the photo above). Swedish pearl sugar is smaller than Belgian pearl sugar, but is still quite large compared to granulated sugar or sprinkles. (Swedish pearl sugar is in the bowl in the center of the photo above.)

Pearl sugar is gorgeous, and typically only used as an accent rather than as the primary sweetener in a recipe.

GOOD TO KNOW: If you can’t find it near you, you can make your own pearl sugar by smashing sugar cubes. (A meat tenderizer works well!)

Sparkling Sugar

Sparkling sugar and sanding sugar are purely decorative. These sugars are usually used to decorate cookies and cakes.

Sparkling sugar has a coarse, texture and bleached, bright sparkly white color. It can be dyed for decoration, but is typically used for a crunchy, sparkly finish to cookies, gingerbread houses, and other baked goods. (PS – Want to know more about sprinkles? Check out our Sprinkles 101 post!)

Maple Sugar

Just like the name suggests, maple sugar is made from maple syrup! It’s crystallized pure maple syrup, so it has an intense maple flavor that adds deep caramel-like notes. It’s most commonly used by bakers avoiding processed sugars.

Maple sugar isn’t a great 1:1 substitute for most other sugars because of its intense maple flavor and tendency to brown/burn, though it can be great mixed in as part of a recipe, such as in a coffee cake crumb topping, or a spice cake. Unless you are a seasoned baker, it’s best to only use maple sugar when it’s called for in a recipe.

Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar is made from crystallized coconut blossom nectar. It’s considered a lower glycemic/low glycemic sugar as it has a less dramatic effect on blood sugar. Coconut sugar is popular in the healthy baking, paleo, and vegan crowds as a more natural sweetener.

While it doesn’t taste strongly of coconuts, coconut sugar does have a distinct taste and deep brown color.

GOOD TO KNOW: Coconut sugar doesn’t crisp or brown the same way as granulated sugar and brown sugar do, and it adds a lot of moisture to a recipe. It’s much harder to get a glossy sheen on brownies, or a crisp golden muffin top when using coconut sugar, and it often impacts the color and spread of baked goods. Use it only when called for, for best results.

Date Sugar

Date sugar is a fruit sugar made from dehydrated, powdered dates. It’s a natural sweetener with a very subtle sweetness and typically used in healthier recipes or healthy desserts (like these vegan snickers rolls).

It has a tendency to harden into a big clump, so it can also be tricky to work with. Date sugar is not a 1:1 substitute for white or brown sugar, so it’s best to use it only when called for.

GOOD TO KNOW: Because of the fibrous content (dates have plenty of fiber!), date sugar will not melt. It can have a subtly gritty texture, so only use it when called for!

Bonus Type: Sugar Cubes!

Before we wrap up, I wanted to share one more type of sugar: sugar cubes! Sugar cubes can be made with several kinds of sugar (cane sugar & demerara sugar are common!).

Cubes of sugar are typically used to sweeten drinks like tea or coffee, or used for decoration, as with gingerbread houses. Some brands use edible “food glue” to hold their cubes together, while others use sugar syrup and compression.

Demerara sugar cubes are typically less refined and more organically shaped, while classic white sugar cubes are made from cane sugar or granulated sugar.

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For Working With Sugar

How To Measure Sugar. The most accurate way to measure sugar will always be to use a kitchen scale. They can be inexpensive and will give you the most accurate result when measuring. Otherwise, use the scoop and level method for granulated sugar and pack down brown sugar and sugars with molasses. (Brown sugar/sugar with molasses needs to be packed down because it’s more moist and takes up more space)

Is Sugar Gluten-Free? Yes!

How To Store Sugar. In general, you want to eliminate air exposure as much as possible, since the air will dry and dehydrate your sugar over time. Store in an airtight container or a zip-top bag with excess air removed. You can also add a terra cotta sugar keeper to help keep sugar moist.

How To Soften Hard Sugar. For brown sugars and sugars with molasses, add a handful of mini marshmallows or a slice of bread and leave it overnight to soften hard sugar. The sugar will absorb the liquid from the marshmallows or bread and soften. (You can then discard the bread or marshmallows)

Is Sugar A Wet Ingredient Or A Dry Ingredient? Sugar is considered a wet ingredient. It contains moisture and adds moisture to recipes. (That’s why reducing the sugar in a recipe will give you a harder, drier, crumblier result.)

WE

The post 12 Types Of Sugar & How To Use Them appeared first on Sweets & Thank You.

What are the different kinds of vanilla? We’re breaking it all down! From vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, vanilla beans, and more!

Vanilla adds gorgeous flavor to all kinds of recipes, from frosting, cake, and cookies, to ice cream, sauces, puddings, drinks, dessert, caramel sauce, and more. While the most common type of vanilla called for in baking is vanilla extract, vanilla comes in several different forms–vanilla beans, vanilla powder, vanilla bean paste, and vanilla extract.

For today’s Be A Better Baker baking tip, we’re breaking down 4 kinds of vanilla, when to use them, how to substitute them, and more.

Here’s what you need to know about the different types of vanilla in baking…

Vanilla Beans

Vanilla beans are long, black, slightly waxy whole vanilla pods with small black specks (vanilla seeds!) inside. They’re the priciest form of vanilla, with just 1-2 vanilla beans costing anywhere from $9-25. Vanilla beans offer an intense real vanilla flavor, with tiny black specks added to a recipe (this looks especially beautiful in pastry cream, frosting, and ice cream!).

Where do vanilla beans come from? It’s actually a seed pod from a vanilla orchid plant. Vanilla orchids originated in Mexico, but spread through trade and colonization. These days, vanilla orchids only grow in certain parts of the world–Mexico, Madagascar, Tahiti, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Indonesia among them. You’ll usually see the source on the label (i.e. “Mexican vanilla beans,” “Tahitian vanilla beans,” “Madagascar vanilla beans,” etc.)

A discerning palate may be able to tell apart the unique flavor profile of each location, but the average home cook probably won’t.

When choosing vanilla beans, look for plump, smooth pods as these are less likely to be dried out. They should smell fragrant and almost have a shine to them. There are two grades of vanilla beans based on the moisture content. Grade A vanilla beans have about 30% moisture, while grade B have about 30% moisture. Grade A will have the most fresh, vibrant flavor, while B works great for infusing vanilla extract, vanilla sugar, etc.

How To Use Vanilla Beans

To open and use a vanilla bean, you typically use a sharp knife to make a slit lengthwise to split the pod open. Then use the sharp tip of your blade or the back of your knife to scrape all the little black vanilla seeds out of the pod. Once you’ve extracted all the seeds, you can still use the pod to add vanilla to other recipes! Use it to infuse pastry cream or pudding, make vanilla extract, make vanilla powder, or make vanilla sugar.

How much vanilla extract do you use for 1 vanilla bean?

While the flavor won’t be exactly the same, you can use 1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract for 1 vanilla bean.

What’s the best substitute for vanilla beans?

I recommend vanilla bean paste, as you’ll still get those gorgeous flecks. Different vanilla pastes have different potencies, but you’ll often use 1 teaspoon – 1 Tablespoon of vanilla paste per vanilla bean in a recipe. Check your specific brand for equivalencies!

• Heilala Vanilla Paste = 1 teaspoon vanilla paste per vanilla bean
• Nielsen Massey Vanilla Paste = 1 Tablespoon vanilla paste per vanilla bean
• Rodelle Vanilla Paste = 1 teaspoon vanilla paste per vanilla bean
• Simply Organic Vanilla Paste = 1 Tablespoon vanilla paste per vanilla bean
• Trader Joes Vanilla Paste = 1 Tablespoon vanilla paste per vanilla bean

If your recipe is more delicate and can’t take extra liquid, I recommend vanilla powder, as it adds the same vanilla flecks, but won’t add additional liquid to your recipe.

Vanilla Bean Paste

Sometimes labeled “vanilla paste,” vanilla bean paste is a solution made with real vanilla bean flecks for true vanilla flavor. In many ways, it’s the perfect middle ground between vanilla beans and vanilla extract. Vanilla paste has more vibrant vanilla flavor than vanilla extract and still adds the gorgeous flecks to recipes like vanilla beans do.

My favorite way to use vanilla bean paste is when the vanilla flecks will be visible in your recipe. That’s why vanilla paste is so great in recipes like frosting, whipped cream, custard, pudding, and ice cream.

Common ingredients for vanilla bean paste are vanilla bean, sugar syrup, invert syrup, or glucose, sometimes alcohol, and thickeners like xanthan gum, acacia gum.

How Much Vanilla Paste Do You Use Per Teaspoon Vanilla Extract?

Vanilla paste can typically be used 1:1 for vanilla extract. So, if your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, you can use 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste.

What Is The Best Substitute For Vanilla Bean Paste?

The best vanilla bean paste substitute is vanilla extract! While you won’t get the same vanilla bean flecks, you can use the same amount of vanilla extract in place of vanilla bean paste.

Vanilla Extract

What Is Vanilla Extract Made Out Of?

Vanilla extract is typically made from alcohol infused with vanilla. Many vanilla extracts use bourbon, vodka, or occasionally brandy. (That’s why you might see a bottle labeled “bourbon vanilla,” for instance.) If you avoid alcohol in vanilla, there are alcohol-free vanilla extract available on the market. It usually uses sugar syrup, corn syrup, or glucose syrup instead of alcohol.

What’s The Difference Between Pure Vanilla Extract And Vanilla Flavoring?

Imitation vanilla extract or vanilla flavoring uses artificial flavorings (typically vanillin) instead of real vanilla beans. You can use them interchangeably in recipes, though they’ll have different flavors.

Can You Make Vanilla Extract From Scratch?

Yes! It’s easy and makes a great gift! Sally has a vanilla extract recipe here.

Vanilla Powder

What Is Vanilla Powder Made From?

Tue vanilla powder is made from ground vanilla beans and has a dark appearance (that matches the dark color of vanilla beans). It has an intense, fragrant vanilla taste and aroma and won’t add extra liquid to recipes.

Is Vanilla Powder The Same As Vanilla Sugar?

Nope! Vanilla powder is just ground vanilla beans, where vanilla sugar is sugar infused with vanilla bean.

Vanilla Powder Equivalencies:

The exact amount will vary brand to brand, but a general rule of thumb is:

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder = 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla powder = 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder = 1 vanilla bean

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For Vanilla

Where’s The Best Place To Buy Vanilla Beans? You can often save money by buying vanilla beans in bulk. Costco, Heilala, and other brands often carry bulk packages at a discount.

Look For Sustainable Brands. Not all vanilla is grown, harvested, and sold ethically with respect to the land and farmers. To support ethical and sustainable agriculture, prioritize brands that use sustainable and fair trade practices.

How Long Does Vanilla Extract Last? When stored correctly (airtight, away from sunlight), vanilla can stay fresh for years (some say indefinitely!). Rodelle recommends using your vanilla within 5 years, but check your packaging for directions and expiration dates.

How To Use Spent Vanilla Beans. After scraping out the seeds, DON’T throw those vanilla bean pods away! You can use them to infuse vanilla sugar, make vanilla extract, infuse pastry cream, pudding, or ice cream, or make vanilla powder!

Why Is Vanilla So Expensive? It must be hand-picked, so it’s very labor intensive. Vanilla also only grows in certain parts of the world, so it’s more rare than many other edible plants.

WE

The post Types Of Vanilla & How To Use Them appeared first on Sweets & Thank You.

These are the baking pans we use all the time. Find the best pan for cakes, cookies, brownies, and more!

Whether you’re fed up with old or inconsistent pans, are stocking a new kitchen, or looking for a great gift idea for the baker in your life, today’s post is here to help!

I wanted to put all our favorite baking pans in one place so it would be easy to find the best pan for the job. We’ve done our research and put these pans to the test so you don’t have to!

So if you’ve ever asked yourself things like:

• “what’s the best kind of cake pan?”
• “should I use metal or glass pan for brownies?”
• “what’s the best brand of cookie sheets?”

We’ve got you covered! These are our most-used, most-loved pans for all the baking we do here at Sweets & Thank You.

A Few Brands We Love:

Before jumping into the specific pans, this post is not sponsored in any way. Every pan I use and recommend below is something I bought myself and have put to the test. There are several brands that you’ll see on repeat, so I wanted to call them out here:

• USA Pan. This brand has impressed me so much over the last few years. I’ve baked HUNDREDS of cookies, brownies, and cakes in these pans over the years, and I LOVE them.
• NordicWare. A classic for a reason! NordicWare has a great reputation for quality at an affordable price, and we agree!
• Wilton. A great budget-friendly brand, known especially for their cake pans.
• Fat Daddio. A favorite among cake bloggers, Fat Daddio pans are stellar for cake baking in all kinds of shapes and sizes.

Our Favorite Material For Baking Pans.

Another thing you’ll probably notice is that most of the pans we recommend are light-colored aluminum pans. These conduct heat most evenly, giving you gorgeously golden cookies, evenly baked cakes, and brownies, bars, and bakes that rise and brown evenly. This isn’t just a personal preference. It’s science! Glass and ceramic impact both the temperature distribution and the rise of baked goods.

Cookie Sheets (Half Sheet Pans)

• Light colored aluminum sheet pans conduct heat more gently and evenly than dark metal pans, which can scorch or overcook the bottoms of cookies, bars, and more.
• We recommend having at least 2 sheet pans, so you can alternate between batches. (you don’t want to put cold cookie dough on a hot baking pan, or it can impact the spread and bake of your cookies)

Square 8×8 Metal Pan

• OUR PICK: USA Pan
• USES: Brownies, blondies, square cakes, pie bars, cookie bars, etc.

My second most used pan is an 8×8 metal pan. We use these for fudgy brownies, key lime pie bars, cookie bars, square cakes, and so much more.

• Light-colored metal pans conduct heat differently than glass or ceramic, and will give you more even, consistent bakes for everything from brownies and pie bars, to square cakes and small casseroles.
• Using a square pan with sharp edges will also help with you achieve even bakes, with perfectly square bars. We prefer sharp corners to rounded ones so every piece of your brownie can be cut evenly.
• Choose metal over ceramic or glass, unless your recipe specifically calls for them. Baking brownies in a metal pan, for instance, can drastically impact the shape and rise of your bake.

Loaf Pan

• OUR PICK: USA Pan, Wilton
• USES: Banana bread, yeasted breads, quick bread, loaf cake, pound cake, etc.

A great loaf pan will work for all kinds of kitchen projects, from loaf cakes to pumpkin bread, to sandwich bread, and more. In the United States, the standard size loaf pan is 8.5 x 4.5″. We recommend this size most often, and many other bloggers and bakers out there do, too.

• Light-colored pans conduct heat more evenly than dark metal, glass, or ceramic. This is especially important for loaf cakes and quick breads, which often require long bake times (sometimes over an hour!). Using light metal helps the outside turn golden without burning or drying out, while leaving enough time for the center of your loaf to cook through properly.
• Look for a brand with sharp edges. This is, admittedly, cosmetic. But for a bakery-level, professional look, I prefer brands with sharp edges.
• Avoid Ceramic Or Glass, unless your recipe specifically calls for it, as these materials cook more slowly, and distribute heat differently than metal.

Muffin Pan/Cupcake Pan

• OUR PICK: USA Pan
• USES: Cupcakes, muffins, mini quiche, popovers

There’s something so comfortable about a batch of muffins or cheery cupcakes, and a great pan will help get you the best muffins and cupcakes. Again, we’re going with light-colored metal. It bakes the most evenly–golden brown exterior that cooks gently enough to let the centers bake through without overcooking.

9-Inch Pie Pan

• OUR PICK: USA Pan
• USES: All the pies! Cream pies, graham cracker crust, Oreo crust, savory pies, and more.

The type of pie pan you use can have a big impact on the time it takes your pie to cook through, and this is one area where there are more right answers.

• For most pies, including cream pies, we use these 9-inch metal pie pans that conduct heat evenly, stack well, and wash well.
• For deep dish pies, we like these ceramic pie pans. Since you usually blind bake the crust (bake the crust for a bit before adding the filling), a ceramic pan can be a great choice since it takes longer to brown the bottom crust later. This will give the center of your deep dish pie more time to cook through before the crust browns.

Round Cake Pans

• OUR PICK: USA Pan, Fat Daddio, Wilton
• USES: Layer cakes

Few things feel more fancy and cheerful than a layer cake! If you’re ready to dive into layer cakes, there are SO many sizes and shapes to choose from, but I gravitate toward 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans, since they work well for my needs.

• Lots of brands to choose from! Cake baking is kind of like sourdough in 2020, it’s got a fan following and more resources than ever to choose from! Fat Daddio, USA Pan, and Wilton are three of our favorites.
• Keep number in mind. Many recipes call for 2 (9-inch) layers or 3 (8-inch) layers. If you plan to bake more than 2 layers, I recommend keeping 3 pans on hand.

Specialty Pans We Love

• Bundt Pan. A 10-12 cup bundt pan will be large enough for most bundt cake recipes. The simpler design, the easier it will be to get the cake out of the pan. (This bundt pan is considered the easiest design to remove!)
• 9-Inch Springform Pan. These pans have removable sides, so the edges are perfect for cheesecakes and tarts. It’s 100% worth having for me!

Tips & Tricks For Your Baking Pans:

• Hand Wash When You Can. It DOES make a big difference in the wear and tear on your pans. They’re less likely to warp, scuff, or tarnish when you hand wash them vs. putting them in the dishwasher.
• Dry them! Seems like a silly step, but this can help prevent build-up on your pans. Speaking of which…
• Line Them & Grease Properly. Another way to prevent sticking and build-up is to use parchment paper or grease your pans with butter or oil as directed. Most commercial baking sprays leave build-up on your pans, so if you’re using a spray, be sure that it’s 100% oil with no added flour, additives, or propellants.
• Be Mindful Of Your Utensils. Be gentle with utensils on your pans. Sharp spatulas and knives can cut or scrape up your pans.

WE

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How To Get Eggs To Room Temperature Quickly. Learn the best trick for getting eggs to room temperature fast & why room temperature eggs are important!

It’s time for another baking tip in our Sweets & Thank You Be A Better Baker series, where we help you brush up on your baking skills or learn some new ones! Today’s tip is all about EGGS! We’ve covered how to separate eggs and how to whip egg whites, but today’s post is all about room temperature eggs!

Have you ever seen a recipe call for room-temperature ingredients and wondered why you need room temperature eggs? Is it something you REALLY need to do or is it one of those things you can skip?

Spoiler alert: it’s REALLY important to use room temperature eggs when they’re called for in a recipe, and it can have a big impact on the quality of your bakes!

Today I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about room temperature eggs, including what they are, how you can check, and when you can skip this step. Most important for a lot of us is the best way to get eggs to room temperature FAST! (No one wants to sit around tapping their fingers waiting around for ingredients!)

So how do you get eggs to room temperature quickly? I’ve got a quick 10-minute trick that works like a charm!

What Are Room Temperature Eggs?

So, how do you know your eggs are room temperature? Technically speaking, eggs are considered room temperature when they’re between 68-70 degrees F (20-22 degrees C).

You can check this by cracking them into a bowl and using an instant read thermometer to register the temperature of the eggs. If you don’t have an instant read thermometer, you can check them with a clean fingertip. Cracked room temperature eggs shouldn’t feel cold to the touch.

See? Getting those eggs to the right temperature isn’t just a suggestion! The temperature of the egg is a crucial part of the recipe!

How To Get Eggs To Room Temperature Quickly

While you can certainly do it the old-fashioned way and leave them out for 30-60 minutes, the fastest method I’ve ever tried to get eggs to room temperature quickly is to use the water trick! Essentially, we’re making a warm water bath:

1. Add the eggs to a small bowl deep enough to submerge them in water.
2. Fill the bowl with warm tap water (NOT hot tap water!). Be sure the water isn’t hot, or it can start to cook the eggs. The water temperature should just feel like warm bath water. (Warm water is fine, hot water is not!)
3. Let the eggs sit in the warm water for 10-15 minutes, then crack and use as directed. (Even 5 minutes will make a big difference, but aim for at least 10 minutes for best results!)

PRO TIP: Start bringing the eggs to room temperature FIRST when making your recipe. They’ll be ready by the time you’ve gathered and prepped all the other ingredients!

Psst! Here’s How To Separate Eggs

You’ll need to separate the egg yolks & whites to whip the egg whites. If you’ve never done it before, this post has 3 ways to separate eggs. It’ll walk you through every step!

LEARN HOW TO SEPARATE EGGS HERE

More Baking Tricks To Try

How to Freeze Cookie Dough

How to Measure Flour Correctly

How to Brown Butter

How to Get Eggs To Room Temperature Quickly

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• Author: Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 1 batch
• Diet: Gluten Free

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The easiest and quickest way I know to get your eggs to room temperature quickly is the water trick! 

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Ingredients

• Eggs (however many your recipe calls for)
• A bowl (or two) large enough to hold the eggs comfortably & be able to cover them with water
• Warm water

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

To Bring Eggs To Room Temperature Quickly (Whole Eggs)

1. Add the eggs to a bowl deep enough to submerge them in water.
2. Fill the bowl with warm water. Be sure the temperature of the water isn’t hot, or it can start to cook the eggs. It should just feel like warm bathwater. 
3. Let the eggs sit in the warm water for 10-15 minutes, then crack and use as directed. (Even 5 minutes in the water will make a notable difference, but aim for at least 10 minutes for best results!)

To Bring Separated Eggs To Room Temperature Quickly:

1. Separate COLD eggs into two small bowls (one for whites, one for yolks)
2. Place small bowls in slightly larger bowls and fill with warm water, careful not to let the water run over the sides of the bowls into the egg yolks or whites.
3. Let the egg yolks and whites warm up for 10-15 minutes before proceeding with your recipe. 

Notes

• Start bringing the eggs to room temperature FIRST when making your recipe. They’ll be ready by the time you’ve gathered and prepped all the other ingredients! 
• Technically speaking, eggs are considered room temperature when they’re between 68-70 degrees F (20-21 degrees C). You can check this by cracking them into a bowl and using an instant read thermometer to register the temperature. If you don’t have an instant read thermometer, you can check them with a clean fingertip. Cracked room temperature eggs shouldn’t feel cold to the touch.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Tutorial
• Method: No Bake
• Cuisine: American

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The post How to Get Eggs To Room Temperature Quickly appeared first on Sweets & Thank You.

Ever wondered if your baking powder or baking soda is still good? Learn how to test your baking soda & baking powder freshness with these quick tips!

Welcome back to another quick tip in our Sweets & Thank You Be A Better Baker series, where we feature tips, tricks, and tutorials to help you improve (or brush up on!) your baking skills.

Today’s tip is a quick win that can make a HUGE difference in your baking–How to tell if baking soda and baking powder are fresh!

Since they won’t visibly show signs of their age (no mold, color change, or “off” smell), it can be tough to tell if your baking powder and baking soda are still fresh. Baking soda and baking powder won’t spoil (again, no visible signs of decay), but they WILL lose efficacy over time.

Using inactive, ineffective, or expired baking powder and baking soda can cause your baked goods not to rise, puff, or spread correctly. It’s critical to use fresh baking powder and fresh baking soda for the best results in your cookies, cakes, and bakes.

Here’s everything you need to know & how test them in seconds!

What’s The Difference Between Baking Soda & Baking Powder?

One quick adage is “baking soda spreads + baking powder puffs.” Each of these leavening agents reacts differently in your recipes. Let’s take a look at each one:

Baking Soda

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda is a a leavening agent that’s a base. Just like in chemistry class, a base requires and acid to react with it. (Picture the fizzing reaction of baking soda + vinegar volcanoes!) When baking soda combines with an acid, it reacts, creating carbon dioxide, which helps your baked goods rise.

The same activating reaction happens in baking when baking soda (a base) is combined with acid ingredients, like lemon juice, buttermilk, brown sugar, molasses, yogurt, unsweetened cocoa powder, applesauce, sour cream, etc. The acid in the ingredients neutralizes the base in the baking soda, which helps baked goods rise/spread properly and keeps the flavor right where you want it.

It’s important to use just enough baking soda. Using too little will give an insufficient reaction, while too much can make your baked goods taste soapy or metallic. Similarly, if you don’t include acidic ingredients in a recipe with baking soda, it can taste soapy/metallic.

Baking Powder

Baking Powder is made from baking soda (a base) & cream of tartar (an acid), and sometimes cornstarch or arrowroot. Since it already has both an acid + a base, baking powder reacts when exposed to wet ingredients or when it’s heated.

Most baking powder in the U.S. these days is double-acting baking powder. This means it’s activated twice–first when mixed with wet ingredients in dough or batter, and second when heated in the oven. The baking soda in baking powder can react with acidic ingredients, while the cream of tarter adds some tang and helps baked goods puff.

How Long Do Baking Soda & Baking Powder Stay Fresh?

So, what’s the shelf life of baking powder? How long does baking soda stay fresh?

• Baking Soda stays fresh for about 6 months once it’s been opened. Unopened, baking soda can stay fresh up to 3 years!
• Baking Powder also stays fresh for about 6 months once it’s been opened. Unopened, baking powder typically lasts 6-12 months.

How Often Should You Replace Baking Soda & Baking Powder? I recommend checking your baking soda and baking powder once you hit the 3 month mark. Different conditions in your home (light, heat, humidity, etc.) can impact the shelf life of baking powder or baking soda.

How To Tell If Baking Soda Is Still Good

So, how do we test if baking soda is fresh or if it’s expired? To test if your baking soda is expired, you’ll use the vinegar test:

1. Place 1 Tbsp. vinegar in a medium bowl.
2. Add 1/4 tsp. baking soda and watch for a reaction.
3. If your baking soda is FRESH: it will immediately fizz and bubble vigorously (just like those volcano science experiments!)
4. If the baking soda is EXPIRED or inactive, there will be minimal bubbling, a delayed response, or no bubbles at all. It should NOT be used for baking, as it won’t react in your recipes.

How To Tell If Baking Powder Is Still Good:

Now, let’s talk about how to tell if your baking powder is expired or still effective. With baking powder, you’ll test it in water rather than vinegar. Here’s how to test your baking powder, step by step:

1. Place 1/4 cup warm water in a medium bowl.
2. Add 1/2 tsp. baking powder to the warm water & watch for a reaction.
3. If the baking powder is FRESH: It will immediately bubble and fizz vigorously.
4. If the baking powder is EXPIRED: It will have a delayed or weak reaction, or simply dissolve or sink to the bottom of the water. If your baking powder is expired, you’ll need to throw it away, as it won’t react in your recipes.

Baking Soda & Baking Powder Substitutions

What’s a good substitute for baking powder? You can make your own baking powder by combining 2 parts cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 1 part arrowroot or cornstarch. (So, for 1 teaspoon baking powder, you’d use 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot.)

What’s a good substitute for baking soda? There really isn’t one. I’m sorry! Baking soda is unique from most other baking agents and is 3-4x as powerful as baking powder.

FAQ: Baking Soda & Baking Powder

What’s The Best Way To Store Baking Soda & Baking Powder? Store your baking powder and baking soda in airtight containers in a cool, dry place, ideally with less light exposure, such as in a cupboard or pantry. This means transferring your baking soda from the always-opened box it comes in to an airtight jar or container for best results.

Can You Still Use Expired Baking Powder & Baking Soda? Not for baking. Expired baking soda or inactive baking powder will no longer react properly in your recipes. This means your cakes won’t rise, your cookies won’t spread, and your baked goods will end up tough and dense. You *can* still use inactive baking soda to scrub things (the abrasive qualities will still work). Expired baking powder is best disposed of.

Do brand names matter? What brand of baking powder is best? I haven’t noticed a particular difference brand to brand. I prefer to buy aluminum-free baking powder when possible, so Trader Joe’s, Rumford, Bob’s Red Mill, and Thrive Market are some brands I like. (TJ’s & Thrive are the best price!)

What brand of baking soda is best? Again, you won’t see a lot of variability in how well baking soda works, brand to brand. Good ol’ Arm & Hammer is inexpensive & widely available, but Trader Joe’s, Bob’s Red Mill, and Thrive Market are other great options.

WE

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Cookie Tools That’ll Make You A Better Baker – Here are 8 of our favorite tools for making fabulous cookies of all kinds. Most are under $20 and make a big difference in the quality of your bakes!

When people find out I have a baking blog or love to bake, they often ask “what’s your favorite thing to bake?” and while I genuinely love baking just about anything, my answer is COOKIES.

Cookies are so low-fuss, feel like comfort food, and they make enough to share. Even just saying “cookies,” can’t you immediately picture what a warm cookie tastes like? Or conjure up the aroma of chocolate chip cookies in the oven, a memory of your favorite holiday cookie, or a time when you snuck a taste of cookie dough? I sure can!

Beyond having amazing cookie recipes to bake from, having the right tools can make a big difference in the quality of your cookies, so today I’m sharing our favorites–the tried-and-true baking tools I think are 100% worth having on hand if you love cookies as much as I do.

Here are 8 of our favorite baking tools for making the best cookies…

1. An Oven Thermometer (Or Two!)

I’m starting with an inexpensive oven thermometer because knowing how your oven bakes will impact EVERY SINGLE THING you bake, broil, or roast in it. If you can, I actually recommend using 2 oven thermometers. Some ovens run hot on one side and cooler on the other, so having one on each half of the oven lets you see 1) how your oven’s ACTUAL temperature measures up to what the temperature SAYS it is, and 2) it lets you check if there are any hot/cold spots in the oven so you know how evenly things bake.

BONUS BAKING TIP: Use your oven thermometer to check that your oven is truly preheated correctly before baking. My oven (still new!) beeps to tell me it’s preheated a full 50-100(!!!) degrees before it’s ACTUALLY reached the proper temperature. Waiting those extra few minutes for it to properly preheat means I can count on consistent bake times and temperatures.

2. An Inexpensive Kitchen Scale

For less than $20, you can INSTANTLY improve the quality of your bakes with a kitchen scale. Even careful bakers can’t be sure exactly how much flour they’ve measured without weighing it. It’s easy to pack in an extra tablespoon (or two or three or four!), even if you’re measuring using the scoop and level method, which (especially in gluten-free baking), can lead to dense, tough, or dry baked goods.

Weighing your dry ingredients whenever you can doesn’t take much extra time and gives you precise results every time. It’s common practice in industrial or professional kitchens, but it’s also REALLY easy to do at home. Once you start, you’ll never want to go back! (The results are THAT good!)

Again, they don’t have to cost much! We’ve had this silver kitchen scale for several years and recently picked up this slimmer profile white kitchen scale that we love, too. Both are really affordable, don’t take up tons of space & work like a dream.

3. Cookie Scoops

I LOVE cookie scoops–they’re such a versatile cookie tool! I own three sizes—small (sometimes labeled #60 or 1 Tbsp.), medium (#40 or 2 Tbsp.) and large (#20 or 3 Tbsp.). They’re in nearly daily use at my house for jobs like:

• Prepping cookie dough to freeze for later
• Scooping cookie dough to bake
• Adding muffin or cupcake batter to muffin liners
• Portioning out meatballs or energy bites

If you’re just starting out, or your budget is tight, I use the medium scoop the most, then the large scoop. (The small scoop is best for littler jobs, like truffles, energy bites, or meatballs.)

4. Light-Colored Baking Sheets

Light-colored sheet pans make ALL the difference when you’re baking. They conduct heat more evenly and gently than dark metal, color-coated metal, ceramic, or glass baking pans.

Using coated aluminum sheet pans will give you cookies that are beautifully golden on the bottom, rather than scorched (like dark baking pans). I’ve had great luck with NordicWare, but there are lots of brands to choose from that’ll work great.

5. Pre-Cut Parchment Sheets

Not 100% essential, but if you bake a lot, you’ll LOVE the convenience of pre-cut parchment paper. These folded parchment sheets are convenient when space is tight, and I love bigger packs of pre-cut parchment paper like this for people who bake a lot (like me!).

Parchment isn’t just for fancy people–it prevents baked goods from sticking to the pans and helps them brown evenly. It’s worth using!

6. A Large Round Cookie Cutter

One of the best styling tricks I’ve learned as a blogger and baker is the cookie cutter trick for shaping freshly baked cookies. You know when you pull a batch of cookies out of the oven and some of them are a little oval, or irregular, or wonky? When they’re hot from the oven, you can still shape cookies into perfect circles with a large round cookie cutter!

Use a large round cookie cutter (I recommend a 4-inch or 5-inch size—something larger than your cookie!) and move it in little circles to gently coax the edges of the cookie into a circular shape. (See it in action in this Reel!) I use this little cookie tool every time I make a batch of cookies. EVERY time!

7. A Flexible Edge Paddle Attachment For Your Mixer

The scraper paddle attachment (sometimes called flexible edge beater) is the attachment I use on my mixer for 90% of the jobs I do! I love that it helps scrape down the edges as it spins, which means you need to stop less frequently to do it yourself. It works like a charm for mixing up cake or muffin batter, brownies, cookie dough, frosting, and more.

The only thing I *don’t* use it for is whipping egg whites, whipping cream, or whipping meringues (I use the whisk attachment for that!).

8. A Mixer!

While we’re at it, if you’re a regular baker, a great stand mixer is a fabulous investment. They often go on sale around the holidays (and occasionally throughout the year), but even a refurbished mixer works great and can save you about 50% of the price!

I have a refurbished 5-quart KitchenAid mixer. It’s the ultimate cookie tool! It’s a touch larger and more powerful than the more common 4.5 quart size. I love that my ingredients don’t slosh over the edges as often as they did with my 4.5-quart mixer, and the sturdy motor can handle big batches of cookie dough, bread dough, and more. In my opinion, if you bake a lot, it’s worth saving a little longer for the 5-quart size!

WE

Did I miss any of your favorites? What baking tools would you add to my list?

Ready To Make Some Cookies? Try One OF These Gluten-Free Favorites:

• Gluten-Free Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies (thick & gorgeous!)
• Crumbl Copycat Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Cookies
• Gluten-Free Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies (Pictured In This Post!)
• Levain Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free!)
• Gluten-Free Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
• Fruit Pizza Cookies (With Gluten-Free Lemon Sugar Cookie Base!)

Photos by Jessie Boyd Photography.

The post 8 Cookie Tools We Use All The Time appeared first on Sweets & Thank You.

Welcome back to our Sweets And Thank You “Be A Better Baker” Series, where we share baking tips, tricks, and basics to help you brush up on your baking skills or learn some new ones.

Today is one of the happiest lessons–all about SPRINKLES!!!

Sprinkles add so much joy and personality to desserts, sweets, and treats like cupcakes, sugar cookies, cakes, truffles, cake pops, and more, and today we’re going to learn ALL about them.

In our Sprinkles 101 post, we’ll talk about what the different types of sprinkles are, how to use different kinds of sprinkles, and which ones are gluten-free. Let’s go!

What Are The Different Kinds Of Sprinkles?

There are LOTS of different types of sprinkles, but today, we’re highlighting some of the most common: jimmies, quins, nonpareils, dragées, sugar pearls, sanding sugar, coarse/sparkling sugar, and edible glitter.

Jimmies

• WHAT ARE JIMMIES SPRINKLES? One of the most popular types of sprinkles, Jimmies are the long, rectangular/cylindrical sprinkles many people think of when you picture sprinkles. They’re bright, colorful, and work well for a variety of uses…
• WHEN TO USE JIMMIES: Jimmies come in a rainbow of colors and can be used to finish goodies like cookies, cakes, and cupcakes, but are also great if you’re adding sprinkles to a batter or dough. Jimmies will not bleed their color much, which makes them perfect for recipes like funfetti cake, sprinkle cookies, or birthday cake-flavored treats. In other words, they’re great ON things (as decoration) and IN things (as they won’t bleed their color).
• ARE JIMMIES SPRINKLES GLUTEN-FREE? They absolutely can be! Check out our gluten-free sprinkles section below to shop gluten-free jimmies. We like Sweetapolita & Color Kitchen gluten-free jimmies best.

Try these in our gluten-free sprinkle sugar cookies! They can be dressed up for any holiday or occasion.

TRY OUR GLUTEN-FREE SPRINKLE SUGAR COOKIES

Quins

• WHAT ARE QUINS SPRINKLES?  Quins (sometimes called sequins or confetti sprinkles) are softer shaped sprinkles, often sold in round or oval shapes. They can also come in shapes like stars, hearts, pumpkins, or Christmas trees at the holidays. They range in size from very small to quite large, and add a bright pop of color.
• WHEN TO USE QUIN SPRINKLES? Quins work great ON things, like cakes, cookies, cosmic brownies, and cupcakes, but they can also be uses IN baked goods, as their color doesn’t bleed as much. You can add quins to sprinkle cookie dough or funfetti/sprinkle cake batter. They’re great cupcake sprinkles! (Pillsbury uses quins in their Funfetti frosting & cake)
• ARE QUINS SPRINKLES GLUTEN-FREE? They can be! Sweetapolita sells gluten-free sprinkle mixes with quins. Several other brands don’t use gluten-ingredients, so they can work for gluten-intolerant diets. Check out our Gluten-Free Sprinkle section below for some of our favorite GF sprinkle shops!

Nonpareils

• WHAT ARE NONPAREILS SPRINKLES? Non-pareils are the tiny ball-shaped sprinkles you see on frosted animal cookies. They’re very small, which makes them fun, if a bit messy.
• WHEN TO USE NONPAREILS? Nonpareils are a great garnish, sprinkled on top of decorated cookies, ice cream, or frosted cakes and cupcakes. They can also be used to coat cookie dough balls to create a sprinkle “crust” on baked cookies. One thing to keep in mind is…
• WHEN NOT TO USE THEM? Nonpareils aren’t great baked INTO things, like cakes, since the color tends to bleed quite a lot.
• ARE NONPAREILS SPRINKLES GLUTEN-FREE? More and more brands are carrying gluten-free nonpareils these days! Check out our Gluten-Free Sprinkles section below to shop gluten-free sprinkles. I like Color Kitchen brand a lot!

Dragées

• WHAT ARE DRAGÉES SPRINKLES? Dragees are large, round ball-like sprinkles with a hard outer shell that look like small pearls. They’re quite large for sprinkles–much larger than nonpareils.
• WHEN TO USE THEM? Dragées are usually used in moderation for decoration only as they can be too difficult to bite (and can even crack teeth!).
• IMPORTANT TO KNOW: Some kinds of dragées, like metallic dragées, are not considered edible.
• ARE DRAGÉES SPRINKLES GLUTEN-FREE? It’s hard to find certified GF dragées, but many brands don’t contain gluten ingredients.

Sugar Pearls

• WHAT ARE SUGAR PEARLS? These round “pearl” sprinkles are the slightly smaller version of dragées. Not everyone agrees about whether they’re edible. They’re still on the crunchy side and should be used sparingly, but they can add a really pretty effect!
• WHEN TO USE THEM? Since they’re so crunchy, sugar pearls work best used sparingly to decorate cookies, cupcakes, cakes, and more. They can also be mixed with other types of sprinkles to create a unique sprinkle mix.
• ARE SUGAR PEARLS GLUTEN-FREE? Most aren’t certified gluten-free, but many use no gluten ingredients. Wilton’s brand (pictured), for instance, contains no gluten ingredients, but is made on (cleaned) shared equipment, so if cross-contamination is a concern, they should be avoided by anyone with allergies or Celiac.

Sanding Sugar

• WHAT IS SANDING SUGAR? Sanding sugar, sometimes called crystal sugar or decorating sugar, is a fairly fine-grained sugar that’s been dyed to look colorful. Sanding sugar, specifically, is usually a bit more fine grain than white sugar or decorating sugar, but they’re all in the same family. Other than glitter, this is the finest/smallest type of sprinkles.
• WHEN TO USE SANDING SUGAR? This kind of sugar sprinkles is best used as a finish–sprinkled or dusted on sweet treats like sugar cookies, king cake, or cupcakes. It adds a subtle texture and more delicate look.
• IS SANDING SUGAR GLUTEN-FREE? Most brands don’t contain gluten ingredients, as it’s usually just sugar and dye.

Sparkling Sugar or Coarse Sugar

• WHAT IS SPARKLING SUGAR? Much like the name suggests, this type of sprinkles is coarse-grained sugar that’s been dyed to look colorful and “sparkle” on baked goods. It’s the larger/coarser size of sanding sugar.
• WHEN TO USE THEM? Sparkling sugar is best used as a finish–on sugar cookies, king cake, or cupcakes, but it can hold its shape when baked, so you can also roll cookie dough in it for holidays.
• IS SPARKLING SUGAR GLUTEN-FREE? Most sparkling sugar brands contain no added gluten ingredients, and usually just consist of dye and sugar. Check your brand labels to be sure about cross-contamination risks!

Edible Glitter

• WHAT IS EDIBLE GLITTER? Edible glitter can come in shapes (like teeny tiny stars) or a fine glittery dust (often labeled luster dust). It can be sold loose for sprinkling, in jars for brushing or sprinkling, or in pump bottles for misting.
• WHEN TO USE EDIBLE GLITTER? Edible glitter is only used ON things as a finish–lightly dusted or misted onto cookies/cupcakes, or sprinkled on top of cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.
• WHEN NOT TO USE IT? Edible glitter and glitter sprinkles aren’t great baked INTO baked goods. They’ll dissolve or loose their shape and color.
• IS EDIBLE GLITTER GLUTEN-FREE? Many brands contain no gluten ingredients, but it’s tricky to find any certified gluten-free edible glitter. (If you know one, I’m all ears!)

FAQ + Tips & Tricks For Using Sprinkles

DO SPRINKLES HAVE FLAVOR? Most sprinkles are unflavored and simply add a pretty touch, soft crunch, and sweet taste to baked goods. There are some flavored sprinkles, like chocolate jimmies, candy sprinkles, or fruit flavors from specialty baking shops. Unless they’re labeled with a specific flavor, most are unflavored.

WHAT KIND OF SPRINKLES DO YOU USE FOR FUNFETTI CAKE OR BIRTHDAY CAKE? If you’re baking sprinkles into the cake for funfetti or birthday-cake flavored baked goods, you’ll want to use jimmies or quins for best results.

WHAT’S THE BEST KIND OF SPRINKLES FOR CAKE? If you’re baking sprinkles into the cake for funfetti or birthday-cake flavored baked goods, you’ll want to use jimmies or quins for best results. Quins and jimmies are the most common cake sprinkles since they hold their shape and color when baked.

HOW LONG DO SPRINKLES STAY FRESH? Sprinkles CAN and DO expire, but you’ll often have 1-2 years to use them, kind of like dry spices. Check with your manufacturer to be sure about expiration dates!

CAN YOU MAKE YOUR OWN SPRINKLES? Yes! You totally can, and it’s actually easier than you’d think! This tutorial from Hummingbird High is a great place to start.

WHAT ARE THE BEST DYE-FREE SPRINKLES? If you need to avoid dyes in your sprinkles, the naturally colored sprinkles are getting better than ever! Supernatural, and Color Kitchen are two of my favorite brands.

WE

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