Is It Better to Bake in Glass or Metal? (2024)

FAQs

Is It Better to Bake in Glass or Metal? ›

What Should I Bake In a Metal Baking Pan? We hate to say it – we've got nothing against glass, we promise! – but metal does an overall better job than glass of baking almost everything except for acidic desserts. It bakes evenly because it heats up so quickly.

If you make brownies or bake often, consider using or purchasing a metal pan to use in place of your Pyrex dish. Metal pans, specifically aluminum, absorb and transfer heat more consistently than glass, making them perfect for delicious, evenly-cooked, moist brownies every time.

Something to keep in mind is that you should reduce baking temperature by 25 degrees and check the food often as it may be ready up to ten minutes earlier if you are substituting a glass dish for a metal baking pan. This is because glass doesn't heat up as quickly as metal but will become very hot once heated up.

Because glass slows the flow of heat between the oven's air and your dough, it takes more time to heat up than metal — meaning your dough takes longer to heat too. But once it's hot, it retains that heat well, and it stays hot for longer than metal.

Is a Glass or Metal Pan Better for Baking? Since aluminum baking pans conduct heat more quickly and are easier to wash, store, and care for, I prefer them for baking in most circ*mstances. In fact, using glass or even ceramic baking pans for certain recipes, such as brownies or banana bread, may create adverse results!

Bakes more quickly than metal: If you need to substitute a glass pan for a metal one, you will need to decrease the oven temperature by about 25 degrees to ensure that your baked good does not bake too quickly and burn.

The best pan for classic brownies: Ceramic 9"-square baking dish. I tested with this pan, but any ceramic 9x9" pan will deliver similar results.

The major disadvantage of glass cookware is that it can break if dropped or exposed to rapid changes in temperature. That's why it is most often used in the oven, where the temperature change occurs evenly and slowly.

Glass and Metal React to Ingredients Differently

Acidic ingredients like tomatoes and citrus can react with aluminum (the most common metal used in bakeware), creating a metallic taste in your food. This is why lasagna and other casseroles with acidic ingredients are often baked in glass.

Can you bake at 350 in a glass pan? Yes, you can, but you may need to adjust the baking time.

What are the pros and cons of baking in glass? ›

Glass bakeware is heavier and slower to heat than metal, but once it's hot, it retains that heat for much longer. So when using a glass pan to bake something like a cake or a batch of brownies, you may find that the sides and bottom will brown at a much faster rate than the interior cooks.

Glass is nonreactive, which means food won't pick up any lingering flavors from a glass baking dish. It also retains heat better than metal bakeware, which is great if you want your casserole to stay warm at the table or on the buffet.

Because glass is an insulator, rather than a conductor, it's slow to heat but, once hot, retains that heat for longer. This can result in uneven baking: By the time the interior is baked through, the exterior is often overcooked, dry, or dark.

Glass Bakeware YES: Casseroles and braised dishes that will be served directly to the table. Glass Bakeware NO: When broiling or shifting from oven to stovetop.

A cast iron skillet is your best choice for cornbread

The benefit of using cast iron is that it retains heat really well, helping to make the batter nice and crispy around the edges. Cast iron can also withstand abrupt temperature changes better than glass.

You can use an 8×8 inch or 9×9 inch glass pan to bake box brownies. Make sure the pan is at least 2 inches deep to accommodate the brownie batter.

The best way to do this is to place a lightweight cutting board over the top of the pan. Flip it and set it on the counter. Gently pull the pan from the brownies to release them, then carefully peel off and remove the foil or parchment paper.

Yes, you can line the glass pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal of the brownies after baking.

If the edges are overcooked but the centre is not, the temperature of your oven was too hot.