Looking for an easy bake that’ll please everyone? You can’t go wrong with a good dessert bar or brownie recipe. These treats are simple to make, but it never hurts to have a few specialty tools on hand (in addition to the basics) to make these bars their best yet.
13×9 Pan with Cover
We know your 13×9 pan is a kitchen go-to. When you bake up a pan of bars, use a pan with a well-fitting cover like this one ($13). A good lid makes packing this pan easy and it keeps your cookie bars fresh in case they aren’t all eaten at once—but that almost never happens with these recipes.
Nonstick Baking Pan
Our editors swear by this nonstick baking dish ($22). It makes baking and serving up gooey bars, like these caramel brownies, a snap. Best of all, this pan comes in all sorts of sizes from classic 13×9, compact 9×9 and even loaf pans.
8×8 Pan
Be sure to stock your kitchen with an 8×8 pan—a must for when you want brownies or bars on a smaller scale. This ceramic one from Lodge ($29) will last for years to come, though you can check out some of our other favorite 8×8 pans, too.
Powdered Sugar Duster
A pan of brownies or lemon bars is never complete without a good dusting of confectioner’s sugar. Be sure to have a small sifter ($9) on hand to give all your bars that finishing touch.
Serving Spatula
Don’t scoop your super fudgy brownies with an oversized spatula or a butter knife! Instead, grab a small serving spatula to slice and scoop your best recipes. This small spatula ($8) is a favorite in our Test Kitchen.
Compact Food Chopper
So many of our favorite bar recipes include handfuls of chopped nuts—especially these nutty recipes. Chopping nuts, chocolate or dried fruits by hand can be a bit fussy, but the job doesn’t seem to require a hefty food processor. That’s where a compact food chopper ($25) comes in especially handy. It’ll make quick work of chopping up all your favorite mix-ins.
Note: Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The post The Essential Tools for Baking Brownies and Dessert Bars appeared first on Taste of Home.
Lisa Kaminski