5 Baking Kits That Provide (Almost) Everything You Need to Make Breads and More at Home

When I'm going through a rough patch, feeling particularly anxious, or just bored, I head to my kitchen and bake. Since I'm living on my own while social distancing and working from home, I've gone into full baking mode. (My freezer is full of brownies and banana bread!) Good news: Baking is actually recommended by mental health experts to relieve stress. If you've recently been watching chefs cook from their homes, now's the time to hone your own baking skills. Here are some of the best baking kits I've found to order online.

Courtesy of Williams Sonoma

Start the Day with Fresh Bagels

Get the famous New York bagel taste right out of your oven. Williams Sonoma's DIY kit includes step-by-step instructions (with the ingredients included!) to make a dozen bagels and the obviously-required cream cheese. As someone who enjoys everything bagel seasoning on everything, I've got my eye on the kit with everything flavor, though there's also a cinnamon-raisin option.

Join the Sourdough Club

There's nothing quite like the smell of homemade bread coming out of the oven, especially when you did all the work to make it. WildBaker's kit has all the supplies you need to make sourdough at home, including a banneton (baker's proving basket), dough scraper, recipe, and instructions on how to care for your starter. You will need to use your own pantry ingredients for this one, though.

Buy It: Sourdough Bread Baking Kit, $43, Etsy

Courtesy of Baketivity

Have Fun with Kids

If you have kids at home, Baketivity will send everything you need to make cake pops, cinnamon rolls, and more. Available individually or as a subscription, every kit comes with pre-measured ingredients, decorations, and even fun games to play while you bake together.

Buy It: Cake Pops Baking Kit, $30, Baketivity

Win Taco Night with Homemade Tortillas

Add some hands-on fun to your taco night by making your own gluten-free corn tortillas from scratch (and without the added ingredients of store-bought tortillas). This cast iron tortilla press from Uncommon Goods only needs two ingredients to get going: masa corn flour ($2, Walmart) and water. The kit includes a bottle of habanero sauce so you'll be ready to add spice to your tacos right away.

Buy It: Homemade Tortilla Kit, $50, Uncommon Goods

Create a Beautiful Cake

Every time I watch The Great British Baking Show, I have the urge to (attempt to) bake a lavish cake covered with flowers or sculpt one into something realistic (like my cat). Luckily, Wilton makes kits to set you up with all the tools and instructions you need to get started. The kits don't include fondant or buttercream, but you can easily order it online ($10, Michaels) or make your own.

Buy It: Wilton Simple Icing Flowers Kit, $22, Walmart

While I lean on baking as a form of self-care, maybe you can as well. Or try ordering a new craft kit to keep you busy at home.