What pans do I need for small-batch baking?
Two ramekins, a mini loaf tin, a small muffin tray and a quarter sheet pan will cover most small-batch recipes.
Start here
Fewer than you might expect. A handful of small pans covers nearly every recipe for one or two, and they take up little cupboard space.
The starter set
- Two ramekins. Mini cakes, crumbles, baked custards and soufflés.
- A mini loaf tin. Banana bread, pound cake and a small sandwich loaf.
- A six-cup muffin tray. Fill two or three cups and add water to the empty ones for even heat.
- A quarter sheet pan. Cookies, roasted fruit and a small tray bake.
Nice to have
A small round cake tin for two-layer cakes, a small pie dish, and a digital scale that reads single grams. The scale matters more than any pan.
Why pan size matters
Spread a small amount of batter in a large pan and it bakes thin, dry and fast. Matching the pan to the batch keeps the depth right, so texture and timing stay close to the original.
Each recipe names its pan. Browse the small-batch recipes, or learn how to halve an egg.