At-Home Baking Having a Moment

Let them eat cake. And cookies. And muffins and scones. As consumers gravitate toward at-home cooking, both little treat culture and a desire for calming hobbies are creating increased interest in baking. It’s an important trend for home and housewares retailers not only as the holiday season approaches, but as they consider ways to support and attract shoppers in the year ahead.

Recipe for Success

Unit sales of baking cookbooks are up by more than 80% year-over-year, Circana LLC said in October. This mirrors a broader trend: baking at home is outperforming bakery sales, with sales of baking products up 1% so far this year in contrast to bakery sales, which are down 2%.

“People are rediscovering the satisfaction of baking at home, especially as familiar favorites like cookies, cakes, and brownies are the top homemade baked goods consumed, according to Circana’s National Eating Trends data,” said Darren Seifer, Circana’s industry advisor for consumer goods and foodservice.

The growing popularity of cookbook clubs – and physical books in general – may also be a factor, though interestingly, the overall cookbook category remains flat.

Wellness is Actually Playing a Role

Worried about what the at-home baking trend says about our collective health? It turns out that a desire to eat more healthily is actually playing a role.

According to Circana, two of the key themes driving consumer interest in baking are 1) small batch recipes – many new cookbooks offer scaled-down recipes perfect for those looking to indulge in moderation and 2) personalization – many books offer solutions for those with dietary restrictions or a desire for healthier baked goods.

“These cookbook subject trends suggest that consumers are seeking an accessible and personalized home baking experience that balances indulgence with practicality,” said Brenna Connor, Circana books industry analyst. “People are baking for pleasure and for skill-building while balancing wellness and dietary requirements. Emotional fulfillment and creating meaningful experiences also play a role.”

Supporting At-Home Bakers

The renewed interest in at-home baking gives retailers an opportunity to support and inspire shoppers, whether through recipes, tips or new products. After all, 11% of consumers cite a new recipe as a motivator for a bakeware purchase, according to IHA’s 2025 State of the Industry Report.

When it comes to products, make sure to emphasize cookie sheets (#1 in bakeware purchase intent according to consumers in IHA’s MarketOutlook survey), and related items like the CoolWave™ Cooling Rack from Hutzler. You may also want to offer bakeware sets with a variety of pieces like the Rise Ceramic Nonstick ones from Tramontina (each item offers the best of aluminized steel, hybrid ceramic and high-temperature silicone).

Other good options include the NutriMill Artiste Kitchen Stand Mixer by L’Chef – which features an all-inclusive dough hook for making any size batch of dough – and the Rosti Mensura kitchen scale by F&H Group, which helps measure perfectly portioned ingredients. Last but not least: Don’t forget items designed for sharing and serving all these delicious baked goods, such as the Martha Stewart Stoneware Cake Stand w/Server from Gibson Homewares.