10 Clever Gadgets That Make Holiday Baking Merry

Make holiday dessert preparations a cinch with these smart tools and gadgets that speed up or improve the baking process.

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Photo By: Kenneth Wagnon

Brownie Edge Pan

No more fighting over who gets the brownies with the delectable edges; this ingenious single-channel baking pan gives every portion two crusty sides.

Baker's Edge; $34.95
Buy it at Cooking Channel's Amazon store

Tiny Gingerbread House Cutter

Perch a mini gingerbread house on the rim of a mug of cocoa (or something stronger) to sweeten your festivities. Frosting holds the sweet cookie cottage together.

Fancy Flours; $18.00

Decorating Pen

Say goodbye to the "squeeze fatigue" that comes from gripping a conventional pastry bag during marathon holiday baking sessions. This battery-powered frosting applicator has six interchangeable tips, including one that injects cupcakes or doughnuts with tasty fillings.

Kuhn Rikon; $30.00
Buy it at Cooking Channel's Amazon store

Talking Measuring Cup

With its audible confirmations of volume or weight, this "smart" tool is like having an electronic chef's helper in the kitchen. Measure ingredients individually, or change the setting to track up to three cups for a cumulative total. Requires two AAA batteries.

Hammacher Schlemmer; $59.95
Buy it at Cooking Channel's Amazon store

Polar Bear Cookie Cutter

A charming addition to the seasonal cookie-cutter arsenal, this cookie cutter's large contiguous surface area is especially easy for kids to frost.

King Arthur Flour; $4.95
Buy it at Cooking Channel's Amazon Store

Stuffed Oreo Ornament

Make a good thing — Oreo cookies — even better by enrobing them in chocolate. Sure to be the hit of the holiday cookie platter, the mold holds six delicious treats.

SpinningLeaf; $10.00
Buy it at Cooking Channel's Amazon store

Cookie Press with Disk Storage Case

Turn out fancy butter cookies without making a doughy mess. The nonslip base keeps the press in place while dispensing batter directly onto baking sheets. Comes with 12 different pattern discs.

OXO; $29.99
Buy it at Cooking Channel's Amazon store

Measured Nut Grinder

Chopping nuts with a knife can, well, drive you nuts. This mill makes short work of a sloppy process. Turn the handle one way for a fine grind, and reverse direction for a course one. The integral measuring container holds up to 1.5 cups.

Progressive International; $12.95
Buy it at Cooking Channel's Amazon store

Macaron Baking Mats

Voila! Achieve perfectly round macarons, courtesy of these silicone mats by Mastrad. Raised outer rings hold fragile batter in place with no oozing. Available in 1-1/2-inch- and 2-5/8-inch-diameter sizes.

Mastrad; $14.99
Buy it at Cooking Channel's Amazon store

Pie Chain

Coil this 10-foot weight onto the pie dough before baking, and you won’t be poking out bubbles in the crust. It’s a lot tidier than the old-school trick of filling the pan with dried beans.

Camerons Products; $16.95
Buy it at Cooking Channel's Amazon store