The Official Oatmeal Artist Pantry List

Do you ever browse the blog and become frustrated because you don’t have a certain ingredient? Do you find yourself making substitutions frequently because you don’t have the right ingredients?

Here is a handy-dandy list of pantry staples that I recommend having that would allow you to make the majority of my recipes. For some, I provided brands that I recommend. If I did not list a particular brand, it means I have not found significant differences among the brands.

The Essentials: 80% of my recipes revolve around these items!

• Vanilla extract (McCormick, bulk size!)
• Ground cinnamon (McCormick, bulk size!)
• Cocoa powder
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt

Spices: Going beyond cinnamon.

• Pumpkin Pie Spice (or make your own)
• Nutmeg
• Ginger
• Cardamom
• Allspice
• Cloves

Extracts: Going beyond vanilla.

• Almond extract (McCormick)
• Lemon extract (Simply Organic or McCormick)
• Peppermint extract (Simply Organic)

Toppings: I purchase all nuts from Trader Joe’s.

• Almonds (I prefer slivered and raw)
• Pecans (I prefer raw “pieces” because they are the cheapest)
• Peanuts (I prefer the roasted with 50% less salt version)
• Nut butter or PB2
• Coconut, flakes or shredded
• Jam/jelly/preserves (grape and orange marmalade are the ones I use most frequently)

I can do a lot with almonds, pecans, and peanuts. However, it’s sometimes nice to have walnuts, pistachios, and macadamia nuts. These options are much pricier, though, so I only use them on rare occasions.

For Fun: These are not essential to most of my recipes, but if you’re really looking to expand your pantry, here are some recommendations.

• Instant coffee granules
• Chocolate chips (Semi-sweet from Trader Joe’s)
• White chocolate chips (King David)
• Chia or flax seeds (Trader Joe’s)
• Molasses (blackstrap is healthier but mild is more versatile)

Once you have your pantry set up, all you ever need to worry about having the fresh produce for your recipe. Did I miss anything?!