Tying & Fastening

Toothpicks

Pin rolls shut and test cakes for doneness

Small wooden picks that pin stuffed and rolled foods closed, hold bacon-wrapped bites together, and test a cake — a clean pick means it's baked through. They're handy for spearing appetizers too. Count them out if you've pinned a roast so none are left behind.

Toothpicks are small slivered wooden picks that punch far above their size in the kitchen: they pin stuffed and rolled foods shut, hold bacon-wrapped bites together through cooking, spear appetizers for serving, and — the classic test — slide into a cake to check doneness, coming out clean when it's baked through. A jar of them lives in nearly every kitchen drawer because they solve a dozen tiny problems no other tool does as cheaply.

Types & varieties

Round toothpicks

Smooth and pointed both ends; the all-purpose pick.

Flat toothpicks

Wider and easier to grip; good for pinning.

Frilled cocktail picks

Colorful tops for serving canapés, olives, and party bites.

Testing doneness

For cakes, quick breads, and brownies, insert a toothpick into the center: it should come out clean (cakes) or with a few moist crumbs (brownies and fudgier bakes). Wet batter means more baking time. It's the simplest, most reliable doneness check there is — no thermometer required.

Clean pick = cake is done
Moist crumbs = brownies/fudge are perfect
Wet batter = keep baking

Pinning and serving

Use picks to hold stuffed chicken, rolled roulades, or bacon-wrapped morsels together so they don't unravel as they cook. For parties, frilled picks turn olives, cheese, and canapés into easy single-bite servings. Soak them briefly if a recipe puts them under prolonged high heat so they don't char.

Common uses

Testing cakes and quick breads for donenessPinning stuffed or rolled foods closedHolding bacon-wrapped bites togetherSpearing appetizers and party bitesMarking flavors or rare-vs-done at a partySecuring sandwiches and wraps for servingLifting small items for dipping

Tips & pitfalls

Count your picks if you pin a roast or roulade — none should be left behind to bite into.
A clean pick means a finished cake; for brownies, a few moist crumbs are perfect.
Use colored or frilled picks for raw versus cooked, or to mark a flavor at a party.
Soak picks briefly before long oven exposure so they don't scorch.
Keep a jar by the stove — they solve more small problems than you'd expect.