The Best Cooking and Baking Products at Michaels

You might think of Michaels as a craft store, but the retail chain is also a cook’s paradise. I would know: I’ve worked as a food stylist and recipe developer for over a decade, and a main task of my job is locating hard-to-find ingredients or cooking tools at a moment’s notice.

These days, most ingredients are just an online order away, but it helps to have a local store at the eleventh hour, when you realize that your cookie needs that special sprinkle, or the recipe actually calls for six-inch cake pans (oops!). And Michaels stocks a well-curated selection of tools for professional chefs, bakers, and home cooks. Here are my recommendations for everything from cooling racks to edible googly eyes. 

Celebrate It White Window Treat Boxes

I keep a stack of these bakery boxes in my pantry for food gifts, for easily transporting sweets to my kid’s school, and for bake sales. They come in a variety of sizes, though this one comfortably holds one dozen bakery-size cookies, half a dozen cupcakes, or half of a 9- x 13-inch pan of brownies. I appreciate that the clear window shows off the creation inside.

Bakell Gold Pearl Luster Dust

Add glam and iridescence to cakes or cookies like Espresso Millionaire Bars with this edible, brush-on luster dust. It’s vegan, dye-free, allergen-friendly (no gluten, nuts, or dairy), and produced in kosher- and halal-certified facilities, making it safe for a variety of diets. The dust comes in various colors and is also water-soluble, so it’s festive addition to cocktails or nonalcoholic beverages. I love to brush it over dried royal icing for a sparkly finish.

Ashland 16″ Natural 2-Tier Wooden Tray

Made from natural acacia wood in a tasteful, neutral brown, this 16-inch tray adds a little more elegance to appetizer hour or dinner parties. The two-tier design saves counter space and adds height and visual appeal to any spread. I use it to serve small canapes, charcuterie and cheese, or handheld desserts.

Fat Daddio’s ProSeries Bakeware Half Sheet Baking, Roasting & Cooling Rack

As the name states, this rack has many functions, and I can confirm you will use them all. Beyond cooling baked goods, it fits snugly inside a standard half sheet pan, letting air circulate beneath food for more even baking. (Perfect for chicken wings!) I’ve even used the rack and pan combination to roast a small turkey — it aids in even browning on the wings and thighs, which a traditional roasting pan tends to block.

Makery 20″ Blue Silicone Baking Mat

This mat protects delicate countertops (like marble or concrete) when you’re rolling oily or buttery doughs. The mat’s nonstick silicone texture includes central measured circles and side rulers, which guide you in rolling pie crusts, tart shells, and fondant to the correct size. No need to constantly check the size of your pie dough with a ruler! It can also go into the oven up to 450°F and into the dishwasher.   

Celebrate It Perfect Fill Batter Dispenser Tip

Use a standard piping bag (or even a zip-top plastic bag) with this tip to cleanly dispense batter into muffin and cupcake liners. The tip opens when you apply pressure, releasing the batter in slow, even amounts, and closes once pressure is removed, instantly cutting off the flow. This gives me much more control over portioning, resulting in evenly sized pastries that bake up consistently.

Celebrate It Metal Cake Decorating Turntable

Once you decorate a cake on a turntable, you’ll never go back to frosting on a plate. Turning a cake while icing, along with the help of a large, offset spatula, creates smooth, even layers between, atop, and around the sides of cakes — think of how a spinning pottery wheel creates evenly shaped bowls and plates. The aluminum construction gives this turntable stability and heft, while its lubricated parts ensure smooth spinning. 

LorAnn Cookie Butter Bakery Emulsion

Why limit your cakes, cookies, and frostings to common supermarket extracts like vanilla, almond, or lemon? This brand offers unexpected flavors like cake batter, pumpkin spice, and my personal favorite, cookie butter. Use them as a simple 1:1 swap for an extract, or add them to amplify existing flavors. Try boosting the cookie flavor of Biscoff Banana Pudding by using the cookie butter emulsion instead of vanilla.

PME Cake Sweet Street Googly Eye Sprinkle Mix

I couldn’t finish this list without including the most adorable garnish for cookies and cupcakes, which I argue should be used year-round (they aren’t just for Halloween!). Featuring five different shapes and sizes, this mix lets you give every sugar cookie ghost or monster cupcake its own unique identity.