Do you have a mom who likes to cook? Surprisingly, I don’t. My mom likes to bake, though. Except… she’s not very good at it? We always joke she should be on Nailed It. Hm, somehow this Mother’s Day gift guide turned into a roast of my mom within the first three sentences. ANYWAY, despite the fact that my mom does not enjoy cooking very much, she somehow really enjoys gifts that are related to cooking/the kitchen. After putting together my Asian beauty product gift guide, I decided to put together this little gift guide for Mother’s Day featuring kitchen goods for moms who like cooking. But really, these gifts would be perfect for any occasion – Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. As long as you like being in the kitchen, you’ll love these gifts!
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Best Kitchen Gadget Gifts For Mom
Electronic kitchen gear is always a good idea for moms who like to cook. There’s always something that she has probably heard about but not yet taken the plunge in getting for herself. They also come in a variety of price points!
First up: an air fryer. I actually don’t have one of these (yet). However, my brother, sister, and my mom all do and they LOVE it. I keep hearing them rave about their air fryers. I should really get one… (hint to my husband).
The reason I don’t have an air fryer yet is actually because I just love my Breville toaster oven so much. Like I LOVE it. I never thought I’d be in love with a toaster oven, but I guess now I know that whoever made that Brave Little Toaster movie had a Breville. My favorite feature is that it has a BAGEL setting that perfectly toasts bagels! And you can change the darkness and number of slices so that EVERYTHING else toasts perfectly too. I hear there’s actually an air fryer + toaster oven combo, but I haven’t personally tried it yet.
Another kitchen gadget I recommend: some sort of electronic mixer. If your mom has only been using hand mixers, maybe it’s time for a splurge and get her the KitchenAid stand mixer. I have the yellow artisan, and I LOVE it. But when I got the stand mixer, I got rid of my hand mixer… which was a mistake. I really miss the hand mixer for smaller baking project. So if your mom is the same, maybe get a smaller hand mixer for her as well.
Lastly for kitchen electronics, I highly recommend getting a great food processor. Getting a food processor has made cooking so much easier and faster for me. I currently have a Ninja one, but I actually recommend CuisinArt because it has much more useful attachments for grating and dicing.
Stovetop Gear Gifts for Mom
If small appliances aren’t her thing, these stovetop cooking products may be good options. I absolutely cannot live without my cast iron skillet. It has made my cooking so much better, and deep frying is actually quite easy in it as well! I don’t even have an expensive brand; Lodge works great!
I also love my Staub dutch oven. It’s beautiful and perfect for soups and stews. I’ve been meaning to try baking bread it in it too, but haven’t gotten to it yet.
Lastly, if you’re a fan of Asian stir fries, you’re going to want a nice wok. I recommended this in my Christmas gift guide last year, and one of my friends who bought it actually told me recently how much they love it. Joyce Chen is well known for being one of the best wok brands out there.
Cookbooks that Mom Will Love
I love cookbooks! Cookbooks will always make a great Mother’s Day present for me. My three favorites? Molly on the Range by Molly Yeh, Cravings by Chrissy Teigen, and Magnolia Table Volume 1 by Joanna Gaines. Each of these cookbooks has regular go-to recipes for me. Even if your mom is a master chef, the recipes by Molly Yeh and Chrissy Teigen are unique enough that she probably will still find new dishes to try. And what mom doesn’t love Joanna Gaines? Is it a coincidence that all three of these cooks are half Asian? Well, given that I’m a mixed Asian myself, it probably explains why I enjoy their foods! P.S. My mom also loves all three of these cookbooks, so they are both mom AND grandma approved.
If your mom is more into baking than cooking, I also recommend checking out these fun baking books. The Sprinkles Baking Book will have you churning out cupcakes that taste JUST LIKE you bought them from one of their stores in LA. I have also been loving the book 100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer. She’s famous for her famous pan banging cookie baking method, which produces thin cookies with ripples on the top.
Fun Consumable Good Gifts
Sometimes, you just don’t need any more STUFF. I get it. I regularly Marie Kondo the crap out of my rooms. Consumable gifts are perfect for the more minimalist mom. One that I really love myself is Fortnum and Mason tea! Did you know you can buy Fortnum and Mason at Williams Sonoma?! If you’re not familiar with it, Fortnum and Mason tea is like the Rolls Royce of English teas – they’re literally made for the Queen. They’re seriously some of the best black teas I’ve ever had, and I love that I can buy them in America now.
For a more sweet gift, a sprinkle medley is always fun! I think sprinkle medleys are an easy way to make your baking look like a million bucks, even if you just used a box mix. I personally use Sweetapolita sprinkles, and I’ve converted my mom onto her sprinkles as well.
Alright, that’s all I got. If you’re a mom who likes to cook/bake, what other gifts do you enjoy?
