Our mothers and grandmothers used a hand mixer for baking; I remember it was a big deal when my mother bought her first stand mixer, a shiny turquoise Hamilton Beach model with all the attachments. It was like my mom had won the lottery, and I benefited from all the yummy treats she made with it.
You can use a hand mixer for most of these recipes, but a stand mixer is one of the best investments you’ll make if you’re a serious baker. A good stand mixer will allow you to cream butter, whip egg whites, make bread or cookie doughs, and mix delicate cake batters. It will give better volume and consistency to your batters and doughs and make easy work out of long mix times. Our recipes use the paddle attachment, the whisk, and the dough hook, but our new favorite accessory is an all-in-one paddle attachment with a spatula blade. It scrapes the sides of the bowl as it mixes, saving you from having to do it.