What are the best tools and equipment recommended by Hilary Erickson for home baking?

A good stand mixer – I used a KitchenAid for years, but lately I’m loving the Bosch Universal Plus. Its quirky mixing action adds great airiness to cookie dough. The Artiste is a more budget‑friendly “little sister” with interchangeable bowl parts.

Scraper attachment for your mixer – On the Bosch I love the bowl scraper, so I don’t have to stop and scrape with a spatula constantly. For KitchenAid, a flex/side-scrape style paddle is handy.

Cookie paddles (Bosch) – Use them for creaming butter, sugar, and eggs; then switch to the dough hook if you’re adding lots of chunky mix-ins so they don’t break.

Sturdy jelly roll pans – I prefer these over small cookie sheets and usually bake 15 cookies per pan (5×3).

A medium cookie scoop – Makes portioning super fast and keeps cookies uniform.

Silicone baking mats – Great for easy release and cleanup.

Simple measuring cups/spoons and a decent rubber spatula for scraping bowls clean.

A brown sugar saver – Helps keep brown sugar soft between baking days.

Cooling racks – So those after‑school cookies can cool quickly (at least the ones the kids don’t grab warm!).