If you’re making (most) cookies, you really only need a large bowl, a sturdy fork and tablespoon (from your cutlery drawer), measuring cups and spoons, a cookie sheet and an oven. For some cookie recipes you may also need a rolling pin and cookie cutters.  Cakes, squares or cupcakes will require cake or muffin pans, depending on which you choose to do.  The standard sizes of cake pans are 9”x13” and 8” square.  Cheesecakes would be best made in a spring-form pan, but they can also be made in a regular cake pan lined with aluminum foil.

Yes! Almost every recipe can be made by hand, but it does require more effort.  For years I mixed my cookies and cakes by hand.  Sometimes I still mix by hand because it prevents over-mixing, which can make some goodies, like muffins, tough.  My favourite utensil is a good, sturdy fork.  It helps break up lumps and won’t break (which has happened to a couple of my spatulas).  And just think of the extra calories you are burning off!

Occasionally, some equipment is essential, but almost all of the recipes we make can be made with basic pans, bowls and things you have in your kitchen already. For example, if you don’t have any cookie cutters, use the top of a drinking glass to cut out cookies in a pinch, or just cut the rolled dough into squares or diamonds with a butter knife.  If you don’t have a spring form pan, you can line a cake pan with aluminum foil, extending the foil a few inches above the lip of the pan (which allows you to lift it out of the pan when it is baked and cooled).  I use a fork instead of a whisk most of the time.  Two tablespoons are what I use to scoop out batter for drop cookies, not a special dough scoop.  One specialty pan that I do use is an angel food cake funnel pan.  But, again, angel food cake can be made in a regular pan as well, if necessary.

If the margarine is the solid non-hydrogenated type, it can be substituted 1:1 for butter.  But the margarine from a tub that is soft, straight out of the fridge won’t work.

All our recipes use all-purpose flour. Each type of flour has a different consistency and properties when it is mixed with other ingredients.  You could experiment with different ratios, but chances are it will take you a few tries before you are able to make it work.  (I wouldn’t be able to bear the tragedy of throwing out treats that didn’t work out well. – All that work and nothing to show for it!)

We found I great info-graphic here that we have pinned to our Pinterest board that shows some substitutes for baking (and cooking) that might be helpful.

Sometimes you can make the treats with ingredients that are cold. Usually, I have found that cold eggs don’t make a difference, especially in cookies.  However, cold butter or cream cheese can be disastrous!  If they aren’t room temperature, they can be very difficult to incorporate into a smooth batter.  You may end up with lumps that aren’t mixed in - which is not very appealing when you are eating it.  If a recipe specifies that an ingredient should be room temperature, chances are that it will make a difference in the texture or the batter’s consistency.

hey’re probably just fine. Try eating a couple just to be sure, but after they come out of the oven, they’ll look normal. 

It depends on the recipe. Most cookie recipes can be doubled as long as your mixing bowl can handle it.  Cake recipes, if they only fill an 8” square pan, can be doubled most of the time.  If the cake already takes a 9” x 13” pan, or two 9” round pans, doubling it would be way too much!  Also, the ratio of ingredients will become wonky.  When I first made my Never Fail Brownies, the recipe only filled an 8” square pan.  I tried doubling it, but found that it wasn’t quite the same.  The solution?  Only 3 eggs in the doubled recipe, not four.