Portion scoops: a go-to tool

Portion scoops: a go-to tool for both kids and professional bakers

Hannah Crowley Executive Editor, ATK Reviews

With two little girls, all I want for Mother’s Day is a little extra quality time, ideally in the kitchen (but check out our guide if you need Mother’s Day gift ideas.)

Some of our favorite things to make as a family are muffins and cupcakes. To help the kiddos make evenly sized muffins, I always hand them a portion scoop to use. Kids aren’t known for being precise, but with one of these gadgets in hand, the odds of them getting the batter from the bowl to the muffin tin are significantly better. They have a ball decorating the treats with frosting or sprinkles and picking out paper liners, and it’s a great excuse for the whole family to basically eat cake for breakfast.

A #40 scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) is perfect for mini muffins, while a #20 or #24 version (about 3 tablespoons) is the right size for full-size muffins—and cookies, and meatballs, and more. Of course, they’re not just for kids either. My sisters own a bakery and reach for portion scoops every day to ensure picture-perfect products for their customers.

I’ll be honest, my almost-2-year-old isn’t necessarily “helping” in the kitchen yet, but that doesn’t make the time together any less sweet.

Read our full review of portion scoops.

Squeeze-style portion scoops make it much easier on your hands and fingers when doling out muffin batter or cookie dough.