Stock This: The Ultimate Holiday Baking Pantry Checklist (Free printable!)

For many of us, holiday baking is about to start. Canadian Thanksgiving is just three weeks away and after that, well, it is time to start cracking nuts for the Christmas fruitcakes.

In the minds of many bakers, myself included, ideas are already being formed about shortbread flavorings, pie fillings and cookie shapes. It won’t be long before those ideas will evolve into solid plans, and sooner or later, a grocery list will be started for those items essential to holiday baking.

Every year I make the same, lengthy handwritten list of baking ingredients, and yes, while it is a small part of the fun (I love lists), I have to admit it does take a lot of time. Not to mention that something inevitably gets omitted by mistake, causing unnecessary stress and wasted time come baking day, or worse yet, on the holiday itself!

No one likes to be in the grocery store, frantically searching for that one elusive item when they should be at home, basting the turkey, so this year I decided to make a digital list, one that I can print, bring on my shopping rounds with me, and be sure to stay organized. Luckily for you, I’m sharing!

One List, One World

This is intended to be a shopping list for the masses, a list for all people and all types of baking; well, Western baking, that is. Every culture embraces their own specialty items, and while a few exotic ingredients are included, the majority are mainstream for our type of baking.

You may not know everything on this list and there are probably several items you may choose not include in your baking, and that is okay. Don’t feel like you need to go out and buy everything I’ve cataloged here. That is not at all what I am suggesting!

A Non-Perishable List

This list consists of pantry items that are safe to purchase now, before the holidays are really upon us. If you like to shop for your Christmas presents early to avoid the crowds, I suggest you do the same with your baking supplies. And so long as you have the storage capacity, why not?

Baking ingredients that require refrigeration such as eggs and butter are not included in this list. Yes, they are essential, but are not pantry items. Perhaps there will be another holiday baking checklist for the fridge and freezer…!

How to Use the Checklist

I designed this list with efficiency and thoroughness in mind. Here’s how I’m going to keep track of ingredients I need for my holiday baking this fall.

  • Print the free checklist.
  • Sit down with cookbooks, magazines and bookmarked online recipes AND the list.
  • Go through recipes that I know I will be making and check the boxes on the printable.
  • Keep the checklist on the fridge or somewhere visible for a few days, and add items as they come to mind (or remove items as ideas change)
  • Go through my pantry and take note of anything that is running low or has gone stale. Check those ingredients off on the list.
  • Head out shopping WITH the Ultimate Holiday Baking Pantry Checklist in hand.
  • Highlight any items I am unable to locate or are temporarily out of stock, so I know I need to keep looking for them.

Head HERE to download the nifty Ultimate Holiday Baking Pantry Checklist.

The Ultimate Holiday Baking Pantry Checklist

Alternate Sweeteners

Honey, Maple Syrup, Agave, Molasses, Liquid Stevia, Powdered Stevia, Corn Syrup, Splenda

Beverages

Coffee, Tea, Green Tea, Ovaltine, Hot Chocolate Powder, Espresso Powder

Canned & Jarred Items

Pumpkin Puree, Sour Cherries, Applesauce, Maraschino Cherries, Mincemeat, Chestnut Puree

Candies & Confections

Peppermints, Candy Cane, Marshmallows, Mini-Marshmallows, Caramel Squares, Marshmallow Fluff

Chocolate & Chips

Cocoa, White, Dark, Milk, Chocolate Chips, Sprinkles, Carob, Cinnamon Chips, Butterscotch Chips, Toffee Bits

Crackers & Crumbs

Graham Cracker Crumbs, Oreo Crumbs, Graham Crackers, Ritz Crackers, Pretzels

Dairy

Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Soy Milk, Powdered Milk, Powdered Buttermilk, Malted Milk Powder

Dried & Candied Fruit

Raisins, Currants, Glace Cherries, Apricots, Dates, Cherries, Cranberries, Prunes, Candied Citrus Peel, Figs, Candied Ginger, Apples, Goji

Dried Herbs

Fennel, Rosemary, Coriander, Mint, Lavender

Extracts & Flavorings

Vanilla

  • Vanilla Beans,
  • Vanilla Bean Paste,
  • Vanilla Bean Powder

Almond, Lemon, Peppermint, Anise, Rose Water, Orange Blossom Water, Rum

Flours

Unbleached White, Whole Wheat, Rice, Cake, Almond, Buckwheat, Pastry, Spelt, Durum Semolina

Grains & Cereals

Rolled Oats, Quick Oats, Flax, Cornmeal, Wheat Germ, Bran, Rice Crispies, Puffed Wheat, Shredded Wheat

Leavens & Stabilizers

Yeast, Baking Soda, Baking Power, Cream of Tartar, Meringue Powder, Arrowroot Powder

Liquors & Alcohol

Brandy, Bourbon, Kahlua, Rum, Port, Whisky, Red Wine, White Wine, Cointreau, Limoncello, Grand Marnier, Amaretto

Nuts

Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, Pine Nuts,
Coconut

  • Shredded
  • Sweetened
  • Unsweetened
  • Flaked

Hazelnuts, Brazil Nuts, Peanuts, Pistachios, Cashews

Oils & Shortenings

Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Coconut Oil, Peanut Oil, Lard, Shortening

Salts

Table Salt, Kosher, Sea Salt, Rock Salt, Fleur de Sel

Seeds

Sesame, Pumpkin, Poppy, Sunflower, Black Sesame, Nigella, Chia, Flax

Specialty Items

Matcha Powder, Edible Glitter, Gold Dust, Marzipan, Food Coloring, Meringue Powder

Spices, whole and ground

Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Allspice, Tonka Bean, Cardamom, Ginger, Anise, Pepper

Spreads

Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Hazelnut Butter, Jams, Jellies, Marmalade

Sugars

White, Brown (light and dark), Cane, Beet, Powdered, Turbinado, Demerara, Maple

Vinegars

Balsamic, White, Red Wine, Apple Cider, Rice Wine

Head HERE to download the entire pantry checklist and never forget another ingredient!

This is version 1.0 of the list, so is anything missing? Feel free to add your favorite holiday baking ingredient in the comments and tell me, what is one holiday baked treat your family always enjoys during the holidays?

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50 Comments

  1. Amazing idea, Aimee! Why not buy these items ahead of time? I remember last year that the major grocery stores (and I’m in a town of 80,000) were out of icing sugar before Christmas!!!!

  2. What a great list! I’ll have to go through it and see what I have so that I can stock up on what I don’t before the holiday season is upon us!

  3. Aimee, this is a fantastic list. I love lists. 🙂 It reminds me of the One Bag travel packing list…only for baking! Perfect timing too because I made 5 batches of cookies this weekend.

  4. Holy cow, Aimee – or should I say, “holy comprehensive, Aimee”!?! This list is amazing! Thank you for sharing!

  5. Aimee, this list is fantastic and so helpful! I love being extra prepared and this will help me be so organized. You are right, there is nothing like starting a baking project to find you are missing that one teeny tiny, essential ingredient!! xo

  6. THANKS! So good to be able to print it out! Now, my shopping list is ready as soon as I tick things off. Thanks for the advice to use this while looking through recipes. I just got a magazine full of new recipes that I want to try.

  7. What a great list – thanks so much for putting this together and sharing it. Where do you get orange blossom water and rose water? I have been trying to get those and can’t find it anywhere here, not even at Whole Foods.

  8. Thanks for getting my work started for me – and making it easier! great idea to stock up now, before there is a run on pecans in every grocery store in the city…

  9. I love lists too! This will work so much better than the little scraps of paper I tend to leave laying around and always forget to stick in my purse. Thanks!

  10. Aimee,

    Wow, you are organized and well prepared already! We do all cooking without much plan every holidays and some how things have worked out in end but this post made me realize little planning is good so off I go to create my list.

  11. Great list! Next we should have a list for stocking the holiday pantry for impromptu guests and parties! 🙂 haha! Holiday lists are the best.

  12. Wow! Great list! I can’t believe the holidays are right around the corner. Love to do baking!
    Thank you so much! I’m going to share this.! 🙂

  13. Great idea! I would also add paper supplies like cupcake liners, parchment paper and twine to help with the presentation of all the yummy treats!

  14. Merci beaucoup Aimée, pour cette liste!
    Noel demande beaucoup d’organisation, et il faut s’y prendre à l’avance. Cette planification permet aussi de répartir les coûts, ce qui n’est pas négligeable!

  15. Wow! Great list! I can’t believe the holidays are right around the corner. Love to do baking!
    Thank you so much! I’m going to share this

  16. Fantastic list! I printed it and put it in my holiday binder. (Maybe for version 2.0, could you add pie filling — to go along with pumpkin — and almond paste?). 🙂 🙂 🙂

  17. This is great, thank you! I never remember all of the essentials when that time of year comes around!

    My own add ons: Caramels, Pie Fillings, Cake Mixes, Candy/Sprinkle Decorations, Edible Markers