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The Spruce Eats / Lecia Landis
It’s a good bet you’ve already got a muffin pan or two in your kitchen, but do they really work as well as you’d like? Muffin pans are one of those kitchen tools that often don’t get taken as seriously as they should be, and because of this, they end up in the back of the cupboard, unused and forgotten.
The possibilities a good muffin pan offers are endless. You can use them for muffins and cupcakes of all sizes. But there are many other ways muffin pans can be helpful in the kitchen, too—from using them to make breakfast egg white bites or an easy batch of no-yeast dinner rolls for supper.
Most likely the reason muffin pans end up forgotten in the back of the cupboard is because of bad experiences. We put some of the most popular models to the test to find which will help you have the best baking experience.
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Professional heavy-gauge aluminized steel
Clear nonstick silicone coating that works
Perfect and even browning
Hand-wash only
The durable USA Pan 12-well muffin pan is solidly constructed of aluminized steel, with a proprietary patented nonstick clear silicone coating. Thanks to that nonstick coating, our muffins, cupcakes, and other baked items all came sliding out of the pan with minimal effort during testing. The surface of the pan is slightly corrugated with a wider rim around the wells, making it easy to grip and pull out of the oven. The silicone coating also happens to make it a little bit slip-resistant, which is helpful while handling and turning the tray while cooking.
All of the baked goods we made in this pan came out with an even rise and consistent golden finish on the bottoms and sides, making it the clear winner among our testers. The cupcakes were insulated just well enough not to get too brown and stay moist. Our mini frittatas were perfectly crisp on the surface and bottom, without getting hammered with heat or end up underbaked. The corrugated surface of the pan helps with heat distribution between the smooth muffin wells, and the lighter finish of the metal keeps the delicate pastries inside from baking too quickly.
The only issue with this pan is that it shouldn't be washed in the dishwasher, which isn't a dealbreaker given how quick and easy it is to wipe clean. Oil-based cooking spray should be avoided to keep from damaging the surface of the pan.
Material: Aluminized steel with silicone nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Number of Cups: 12 | Dishwasher Safe: No
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Handles with grip
Bakes evenly
Easy to clean
Larger than other pans
The Chicago Metallic Everyday muffin and cupcake pan is stylishly designed with superb performance. This is a high-quality muffin pan for an excellent price and one you’ll keep for a long time. The carbon-steel pan, which is coated in a silicone-based nonstick, is lightweight without feeling flimsy, plus it won’t rust or warp.
This baked muffins and cupcakes evenly, and resulted in a good outer texture and tender middle. The cups were easy to fill with batter because of the ample room between each cup. It has handles on the ends with a basket-weave design that doubles as a grip to keep the pan from slipping out of your hand.
We used liners for our muffins, but blueberry juice soaked through to the bottoms of some of the cups. It was baked on and looked very difficult to clean. Thankfully, it wasn’t a problem at all! The baked-on fruit wiped right off. We should note that the handles and space between the cups does add inches to the pan, which does make it larger than other muffin pans.
Material: Carbon steel with silicone nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Number of Cups: 12 | Dishwasher Safe: No
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![Baked blueberry muffins in the Chicago Metallic Everyday muffin pan, one missing]()
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
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![Baked blueberry muffins in the Chicago Metallic Everyday muffin pan, one to the side on a plate]()
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
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![Baked blueberry muffins in the Chicago Metallic Everyday muffin pan]()
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
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![Baked blueberry muffins in the Chicago Metallic Everyday muffin pan, one sliced to the side]()
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
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Large silicone grip handles
Sturdy tall lid for transporting baked goods
Limited lifetime warranty
More expensive
Heavier pan
This muffin pan from Analon wins points for its functionality because of its additional features, including rubberized non-slip handles and a snap-on plastic lid for transporting freshly baked treats. Like other muffin pans, it's constructed with steel and coated with a nonstick finish.
The medium-colored bronze finish looks great but also helps to conduct heat to the surface of the baked goods inside. Since it's on the darker side, expect your muffins to bake a little faster and potentially get a little darker. During testing, we found the slightly wider sides were easier to grip, especially thanks to the generous silicone grips on each side. We also found that the snap-on clear plastic lid was tall enough to accommodate cupcakes with lavish amounts of frosting and decorations, without damaging them in transit.
We did notice that this pan is a little heavier than some of the other options, weighing in at 2.2 pounds. It can also be a little challenging to clean stuck-on crumbs out of the crease where the top of the muffin cups meet the flat pan, but a little soaking ultimately managed to knock them all loose.
Material: Carbon steel with nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Number of Cups: 12 | Dishwasher Safe: Yes
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Durable ceramic nonstick surface
Attractive design and color options
Able to handle high heats
Expensive
You may have noticed an influx of contemporary cookware and bakeware brands over the last few years, outfitted with catchy designs, clever storage solutions, and custom color options above and beyond a classic chrome finish. And it's likely that you've noticed Caraway kitchenware in the mix, with its sleek minimal designs and mellow color palette. While the company has assembled several sets of its most popular cookware and bakeware pieces, you can also purchase pieces a la carte to supplement the equipment you've already got, or for less bulky gifting.
We took the Caraway bakeware collection for a test drive and found that the nonstick ceramic was absolutely worth all hype. Biscuits dropped straight out of the muffin pan after baking without any extra help, and cookies nearly slid off the surface of the sheet pan without the need for a spatula. Additionally, the ceramic coating helped to evenly distribute heat across the pan for even cooking, and consistent browning without burning.
The ceramic surface is durable, making this muffin pan able to withstand temperatures of up to 550 degrees (just in case you wanted to cook mini meatloaf patties in them). But it's still recommended to use butter or liquid oils for greasing the pans instead of cooking spray. The pans should also be hand-washed with warm water and mild soap to extend their lifespan. This muffin pan is available individually, or as part of the 5-piece and 11-piece bakeware sets, and the complete kitchen 16-piece cook & bake set.
Material: Aluminized steel with ceramic nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 550 degrees | Number of Cups: 12 | Dishwasher Safe: Hand-wash strongly recommended
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The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
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Easy release, every time
Rigid metal rim for stability
Dishwasher safe
Lightweight
Takes longer to bake items
Silicone might not be the first type of pan that comes to mind when you're browsing for your next muffin pan, but this versatile material can make for a convenient alternative to a metal pan in several ways. The biggest benefit of using silicone is its nonstick properties, so you never have to worry about your juicy blueberry muffins or caramelized kouign-amann sticking to your pan again.
The Trudeau silicone muffin pan is made with a steel band embedded in the rim of the pan, which provides stability to a pan that is otherwise very flexible. After scooping batter into the wells, you should still be able to pick the pan up by the rim and move it without buckling the mold, although we'd still recommend placing it on a baking sheet for transporting to the oven and for the actual baking.
It's important to keep in mind that silicone is a great insulator and conducts far less heat than metal baking pans. We found that it takes more time for your usual baked goods to cook, and they will likely look different when coming out of the pan. You can generally expect softer products that retain a good amount of moisture, with less browning overall. It's entirely normal for a batch of vanilla cupcakes to be fully baked in a silicone pan with a golden brown top, and next to no additional color on the sides or bottom of the cake, even after spending more time in the oven. This kind of insulation is ideal if you want to branch out into baking custards like mini flans or cheesecakes.
Since this silicone pan can also be used in the refrigerator and freezer, it's also great for anyone interested in setting cold desserts like gelee or frozen molded mousses. It's dishwasher safe and lightweight, although you won't want to stack anything on top of it, to avoid warping the shape of the silicone. While our Trudeau muffin pan was able to withstand scratching during testing, it's best not to use metal or sharp utensils with silicone pans, to keep from cutting or tearing the material.
Material: Silicone with alloy steel | Oven Safe Temperature: 428 degrees | Number of Cups: 12 | Dishwasher Safe: Yes
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Durable nonstick coating
Reasonably priced
Shouldn't warp
Only limited 5-year warranty
Oversized pans won’t fit in small ovens
This well-made muffin pan comes in a set of two so you can bake up to 12 jumbo muffins or cupcakes in your oven at a reasonable price. It’s manufactured with scratch-resistant nonstick coated aluminized steel and the design ensures you can bake the larger-than-standard jumbo muffins at a perfect, level temperature throughout. It’s heavy enough to not warp and can be cleaned in the dishwasher after use. It’s weight and composition are perfect for baking jumbo muffins, which can sometimes brown too quickly on the outside while not cooking through in the center.
Material: Cold-rolled steel with nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Number of Cups: 6 | Dishwasher Safe: Yes
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Heavy-duty construction
Oversized handles for easy grip
Dishwasher safe
Edge of cups is hard to clean
Dark color pan bakes faster
This mini muffin pan’s design answers the challenges that can happen when baking mini muffins or mini cupcakes. The weight of the steel is thick enough so that heat is evenly distributed, but not so thick that the delicate, small cakes risk burning.
The nonstick coating is infused with silicone to assure easy removal (important with cakes this tiny, or really, any miniature food), and the oversized handles extend out from the pan far enough to get a comfortable grip. It can be used with muffin liners or without, and the coating makes the pan scratch-resistant. Put it in the dishwasher for easy cleanup! It comes with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Material: Cold-rolled steel with nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Number of Cups: 24 | Dishwasher Safe: Yes
The heavy-duty USA Pan Bakeware Muffin Pan is our top choice since baked goods won’t brown too fast, and nonstick silicone clear coating means muffins and cupcakes slide right out. The lifetime warranty means it will be the last muffin pan you ever have to buy. The Anolon Advanced Bronze Nonstick 12-Cup Muffin Tin makes it easy to decorate a batch of cupcakes and bring them to the lucky recipient.
How We Tested
We had an expert test 14 muffin pans side-by-side in his home kitchen to find the best ones for you. He baked batches of blueberry muffins and vanilla cake, using a well-known mix, to thoroughly test each pan's design and material. Additionally, he used a utensil to see how easy or hard it was to scratch the surface, and made notes on how each fared during cleanup. We then used these insights from our research and testing to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
What to Look for in a Muffin Pan
Number and Size of Cups
Muffin pans come in an assortment of sizes, with most pans having between 6 and 24 cups. To make the best final product, all of the wells in the pan should be filled with batter, so it’s important to choose a pan that will be the right size for the number of muffins (or cupcakes or quiches, etc.) you want to bake.
Beyond that, muffin cups are sized as follows: Mini (1 inch), Standard (2 inches), or Jumbo (2.5 inches). Though most muffin batters can be used for all the different sizes of cups, the amount of batter to be used and the baking time must be adjusted so it's good to keep the size in mind.
Material
Muffin pans of good quality are generally made of steel, carbon steel, aluminized steel or silicone. The weight of a good muffin pan has been designed to make oven heat flow and transfer well for the size of the pan, and it can vary. Look for heavy gauge metal for durability and to prevent warpage.
Keep in mind that dark colored metal pans will brown and bake muffins and cakes faster than lighter colored pans. If you are using a darker colored pan, it’s recommended to check the oven earlier or reduce the baking temperature by 25 degrees.
Silicone pans release the baked goods easily because of their nonstick nature and their flexibility which allows you to pop the baked goods right out with a little pressure under the cup. But they do not promote any sort of browning at all. This may be ideal for some cupcakes but less so for a cookie or a muffin where someone might want a bit of caramelized crust on the bottom and sides.
Lining
Most muffin pans being manufactured today have a lining applied to the overall surface of the pan, including inside the cups, that provides a nonstick surface. "Muffin pans are one of the few baking pans I like to specifically go for nonstick—even the most carefully measured muffin batter can sometimes mushroom over the top," says Shauna Sever, baker and author of Midwest Made. "And I always like a muffin tin with wider ends or even handles to make removing from the oven easier."
Oven-Safe Temperature
Muffin pans are generally used in a moderate oven at a temperature of between 325-400 degrees, but most pans are heat-safe to at least 450 degrees, though some nonstick coating is only rated for a lower 425 degrees. Silicone is more heat sensitive and usually should not be heated past 425 degrees or you run the risk of melting it. This information should be provided in the product specifications.
Ease of Cleaning
The majority of muffin pans on the market today are listed as dishwasher-safe, but most folks report they prefer to hand-wash them to help preserve the nonstick coating.
Regardless, avoid using harsh cleaners or abrasive sponges if you hand-wash. Some pans instructions suggest rinsing the pan before using the dishwasher. If super simple cleanup is important to you, stay clear of the hand-wash-only models.
FAQs
What is the best way to season a muffin pan?
Unless you have a vintage cast iron muffin pan, your muffin pans do not need to be seasoned. Based on the material your contemporary muffin pan is made of, it may require greasing before use or it may not. To grease a muffin pan, you can use a pastry brush and melted butter. Or, there are alternatives like cooking spray, shortening, and even professional baking grease.
Keep in mind that most nonstick coated pans recommend that you do not use cooking spray on them, as the propellant can stain the pan and can be difficult to remove when washing. Always check the pan instructions to find out the best way to grease the pan.
When is the best time to take muffins out of the pan?
It’s best to wait an average of 5 minutes before taking your muffins out of the pan. This allows the muffins to cool enough in the pan to have adequate structure when you remove it. If you remove the muffin too early, the crumb of the muffin will be too fragile and you run the risk of breaking or damaging the muffin.
This time can be reduced to 3 minutes for mini muffins and should be increased to 8 minutes for jumbo sized muffins.
What is the best way to clean a muffin pan?
The muffin pans on the market today vary a lot in terms of what they are made out of, so it’s important to read and follow the directions for cleaning your specific pan. Most pans can handle the usual cleaning methods for other pans but be aware that pans with nonstick coating coatings that could be damaged if you use harsh detergents or scrubbing methods.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Karen Resta is a writer specializing in food culture and history, cooking, pastries, and restaurants. She's also a former pastry chef and has traveled to Budapest, Kyiv, and Paris during their Fashion Weeks as a photographer and writer, always finding the best authentic pastries along the way. She now spends a lot of her free time baking at home and recommends quality within your given budget. Having the right tools available and knowing how to use them well (it can take practice, like anything else) makes all the difference, and she curated this list with that in mind.
This article was updated by Irvin Lin. He is the author of the cookbook "Marbled, Swirled, and Layered" and an ongoing contributor to The Spruce Eats, Simply Recipes and Serious Eats. He runs his own blog Eat the Love and is a professional recipe developer and food writer. He loves baking muffins and is constantly testing new muffin pans and equipment to find the right one for the job.
Jenny Kellerhals has been a professional pastry chef in NYC for over a decade and has a wide range of experience with both professional and home cooking equipment. She updated this list with insights from our testing team.
Rachel Knecht is a food writer located in Seattle. She updated this roundup with a few new recommendations.
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