How Baking Became My Weekly Ritual and the Home Baking Essentials That Support It

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to shop through them — at no extra cost to you. I only share products I genuinely love and use as part of my own life. 

Why I Needed to Slow Down

I was always a cook, never a baker. But as my anxiety started to get worse as I got older, I began to realize I needed to slow down. I wasn’t going particularly fast compared to societal standards. I wasn’t working 60 hours a week with a husband and kids. But I also wasn’t taking intentional time for myself. I was always “on”. Whether that meant listening to hype music, working out, spending time with friends, watching TV, taking another course or program.

I didn’t give myself any time to just be with myself and do things I enjoyed. I didn’t even know what those things were.

Trying New Things Until Something Stuck

Sundays felt like the most natural fit to start slowing down. Saturdays were usually spent running errands or visiting friends and family, but Sundays everyone was trying to get organized for the week ahead. I figured, what better day than Sunday to start exploring what I actually liked?

A few years ago, I followed a trend I saw on a YouTube channel called New Things November. The idea was simple: try one new thing everyday for the month of November. I found small, simple things that I could do – whether that was going to a new coffee shop, park or just making a new recipe.

Eventually, I thought about baking.

I used to bake with my grandmother when I was a kid, and remember those moments fondly. Somewhere along the way, baking became the thing I always came back to — my Sunday ritual.

When Baking Turned Into My Weekly Ritual

I have a few recipes that I repeat, and now that I’ve pretty much memorized them, I get to spend the morning simply enjoying myself. Sometimes I play instrumental jazz, coffee-shop–style music in the background. Other times it’s just me — and the occasional meow from my cats trying to sneak a taste of the batter.

There’s no rush. No pressure. Just presence.

The Home Baking Essentials That Support My Sundays (How I Make Baking Feel Peaceful)

Once I realized baking had become a ritual, I knew I needed to invest in good equipment.

Everything I owned before was hodgepodge — collected over the years from thrift stores, dollar stores, gifts, or hand-me-downs from family. I wanted a cohesive feeling and items I knew would last. One sure way to make a peaceful Sunday feel not so peaceful is trying to use a spatula without a handle because it was so cheap it fell apart (speaking from experience).

Like everyone and their mother, I have a KitchenAid, and yes — I love it as much as everyone else does. It’s by far the most helpful gadget in my kitchen when it comes to ease of use and cleanup. That said, the bakeware itself is what has truly made baking enjoyable for me.

If I could go back in time, I probably would’ve invested in new pans before buying the KitchenAid although a hand mixer could handle 90% of what I bake just fine.

I did a lot of researching before making a decision and Made In ended up on top. Their bakeware is solid, dependable, and timeless. The Navy Rim Baking Dish is a personal favourite. Before investing in these pieces, every time I pulled out mismatched, worn pans, it disrupted the calm Sunday aesthetic I was trying to create. Eventually, I thought: if I love baking this much, why wouldn’t I choose beautiful, made-to-last bakeware?

Sooo coffee cake is my current obsession (next weekend I’m trying apple cinnamon buns as a trial for Christmas breakfast. So excited!). This is the coffee cake recipe I use and love — I usually make it into muffins for easier cleanup and eating. 

The muffin tin and cooling rack I use are actually from Caraway, which is another great option alongside Made In. I’ve had friends buy their bakeware sets to keep that cohesive look, especially since they come in such fun colours. I stuck with blue to match my Made In bakeware – it’s not exactly the same shade, but it’s close enough for me.

Baking was never about the end result, but putting it in a beautiful dish does make my cozy Sunday feel a little more elevated.

A Ritual, Not a Result

While baking is my way of slowing down, it isn’t for everyone. Maybe for you it’s taking a walk, having a bubble bath, going skiing, or knitting. Maybe, like me, you need to try a few different things before you figure out what you actually enjoy.

And to that point, baking might not always be my thing. It’s just what works for now. Each season of life is different. What you need is going to be different. What you have the time and energy for is going to be different.

So try a few things, don’t be afraid of change and find what works for you.

Creating a Sunday (or any day) ritual isn’t about the end result. There’s no end goal. It’s just about letting yourself enjoy what you’re doing.

I’d love to hear about how your rituals came to be. Let me know in the comments.