How To Keep a Well-Stocked Baker's Pantry

When I first ventured into the world of baking, I found myself making trip after trip to the store to pick up various odds and ends in order to fulfill my baking needs. The more I baked, the more I realized that many of the baking recipes called for a lot of the same ingredients - staple ingredients. Once I discovered this, my whole experience with baking changed drastically.

Have you looked in your pantry lately? If you haven't, open it and jot down items that are less than six months old. Be sure to toss any products that are older than six months old. If you can't remember the age of your baking powder and if you're brown sugar is dry and lumpy, toss them. It's time to start fresh and build up your pantry into a solid, reliable stash of ingredients that will help you bake delicious treats.

For basic baking, the following is an optimal list of pantry ingredients:

• White flour
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Powdered sugar
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Vanilla extract
• Mint extract
• Lemon extract
• Dried herbs and spices
• Nonstick cooking sprays
• Cornstarch
• Cocoa
• Corn syrup
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Yeast
• Olive oil
• Vegetable oil

Other ingredients that are also important, but must be stored in the freezer, are:

• Whole wheat flour
• Other whole grain flours
• Cornmeal
• Nuts
• Frozen doughs
• Filo dough

Having most of these ingredients on hand will only enhance your baking experience, as well as save you some money along the way. Who has the time to make countless trips to the grocery store? I sure don't and I know you don't either. So, make one trip, collect all the goods listed above and start baking up a storm!

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