Baking can be stressful, even during normal times. During a holiday season, you can feel even more pressure to turn out something impressive or cute (or impressively cute). The upside for Halloween is that there are so many good baking tools and shortcuts available, whether you’re making themed cupcakes for your child’s classroom or doing the most to serve a seriously spooky dessert at a costume party. Check out just a few of best below.
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1
A set of 8 Halloween cookie cutters with supplies
These eight themed cookie stamps are spring-loaded to cut cleanly and leave detailed impressions in doughs like gingerbread, sugar cookie and shortbread. The set also comes with 10 icing bags and four decorating tips.
Get it from Williams Sonoma for $29.95.
Get it from Williams Sonoma for $29.95.
2
A pan that turns out disembodied monster fingers
Press your cookie dough into this pan and it will conjure up some magic in the oven. A cookie recipe is included if you don't have your own.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
3
A set of gel food coloring
This food coloring comes in gel form, so it won't water down your frosting or batter.
Get it from Amazon for $7.79.
Get it from Amazon for $7.79.
4
Haunted skull cake and cakelet pans
These nonstick cast aluminum cake and cakelet pans from Nordic Ware will help you turn out one incredible 3-D skull or six smaller skull cakes at a time, respectively. (Don't bake, but love dessert? Use the cakelet pan to shape frightfully good Rice Krispies treats.)
Get the haunted skull cake pan from Amazon for $34 .
Get the haunted skull cakelet pan from Amazon for $31.11.
Get the haunted skull cake pan from Amazon for $34 .
Get the haunted skull cakelet pan from Amazon for $31.11.
5
Or a pan that makes even SMALLER skulls
If even cakelets seem too big, get this Nordic Ware pan that makes skulls in bite sizes.
Get it from Amazon or from Target for $44.
Get it from Amazon or from Target for $44.
6
A creepy sprinkles lab
This test tube-style four-pack is perfect for decorating cookies, cupcakes and cakes. It includes edible skulls and bones, orange sanding sugar, sprinkles and ghosts and large green nonpareils.
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
7
A black ceramic mixing bowl for your KitchenAid
Infuse your bakes and frostings with the soul of Halloween! This beautiful black ceramic bowl fits 5-quart KitchenAid mixers. It's chip-resistant; microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe; and will totally get you in the mood for spooky dessert-making.
Get it from Amazon for $89 or from Williams Sonoma for $89.95.
Get it from Amazon for $89 or from Williams Sonoma for $89.95.
8
Laser-cut cupcake wrappers
If your baking skills tap out at "basic cupcakes," join the club -- and dress them up for the holiday with these clever paper wrappers. (And check out our easy Halloween cupcake ideas!)
Get it from Amazon for $8.99.
Get it from Amazon for $8.99.
9
Weirdo Good Black Velvet cacao powder
This organic, sustainably sourced Dutch-processed cocoa powder isn't black, but it produces black results. Reviewers say it tastes great, too!
Get it from Amazon for $16.49.
Get it from Amazon for $16.49.
10
Speaking of cupcakes...
There's no need to ever pay more for a fancy gold cupcake pan. Wilton's Perfect Results Premium nonstick pan performs as well or better than pans that are exponentially more expensive.
Get it from Amazon for $9.98.
Get it from Amazon for $9.98.
11
A fall harvest loaf pan
If you prefer pumpkins to hocus pocus, grab this gourd-geous loaf pan by Nordic Ware.
Get it from Amazon for $29.17.
Get it from Amazon for $29.17.
12
Baking spray with flour
Save yourself! Reach every little corner of your cake pan or baking mold with this nonstick spray. It contains flour to help baked goods release even easier.
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $8.70.
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $8.70.
13
Or a skeleton loaf pan
Of corpse, you can get a spooky loaf pan, too. Its 6-cup capacity means it'll work with most standard cake mixes.
Get it from Target for $7.99.
Get it from Target for $7.99.
14
A set of cookie stamps
Start new holiday baking traditions with these 3-inch wood and cast aluminum cookie stamps that will last for generations.
Get it from Amazon for $29.54.
Get it from Amazon for $29.54.
15
A pack of bloodshot candy eyeballs
Make adorable monsters out of cupcakes, cookies, full-size cakes and more.
Get it from Walmart for $3.47.
Get it from Walmart for $3.47.
16
Or a whole tackle box of regular edible eyeballs
If the "bloody" version is a little too scary, whatever size you need will be at hand with this storage box of plain eyeballs in various sizes. You can even plop them in cookies straight from the oven.
Get it from Walmart for $4.98.
Get it from Walmart for $4.98.
17
Halloween cake toppers
Maisonette
Stick these in any dessert and suddenly, it's a very special Halloween dessert that everyone will ooh and ahh over.
Buy a set of four from Maisonette or from Meri Meri for $9.
Buy a set of four from Maisonette or from Meri Meri for $9.
18
Mini waffle makers in Halloween shapes...
Does making waffles count as baking? Who even cares! These adorable appliances will be a hit with kids and adults alike as they turn out breakfast in pumpkin, waffle and skull shapes.
Get it in pumpkin, spiderweb or skull at Bed Bath & Beyond for $9.99.
Get it in pumpkin, spiderweb or skull at Bed Bath & Beyond for $9.99.
19
... with a spellbindingly sparkly maple syrup
If you make Halloween-shaped waffles, only the most magical real Vermont maple syrup will do. The sparkle is provided by flavorless, edible pearlescent food-grade mica.
Get it from Sur La Table for $19.95.
Get it from Sur La Table for $19.95.
20
An edible fake blood glaze
So gory! So good!
Get it from Wilton for $4.99. (You can also check out this ruby red cake drip from Cake Craft at Amazon.)
Get it from Wilton for $4.99. (You can also check out this ruby red cake drip from Cake Craft at Amazon.)
21
A dramatic black cake stand
Show off your cake creation or cupcakes with a midnight black cake stand.
Get it from Wayfair for $44.99.
Get it from Wayfair for $44.99.
22
A pack of 75 cupcake decorations
They'll also work in brownies, Rice Krispies treats, layer cakes and more. Note: Assembly is required, but glue dots are included.
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
23
A glow-in-the-dark apron
You'll feel the spirit of the season all the way down to your bones.
Get it from Williams Sonoma for $34.95.
Get it from Williams Sonoma for $34.95.
24
Some great round layer cake pans
These cake pans from Fat Daddio's heat up quickly and come in a wide variety of sizes for just about every need.
Get an 8x3-inch pan from Amazon for $12.69 (prices vary by size).
Get an 8x3-inch pan from Amazon for $12.69 (prices vary by size).
25
Pre-cut parchment paper rounds
Amazon
Avoid the dreaded, desert-killing problem of having your cake stick the pan. Although it's not entirely laborious to cut your own rounds from parchment paper, these save time when there's a lot on your plate.
Get it from Amazon for $6.79+ (comes in 5 sizes).
Get it from Amazon for $6.79+ (comes in 5 sizes).
26
A heavy-duty spatula
Hear us out: The skeleton spatula in the middle there is a spooky version of Williams Sonoma's medium spatula, which is big and strong enough to be really, really good for working with thick batters and heavy buttercream frosting.
Get it from Williams Sonoma for $14.95.
Get it from Williams Sonoma for $14.95.
Everything You Need For The Perfect Halloween Dinner Party
