Whether you’re a fan of cupcake-like quick bread muffins or partly-raised flatbread muffins, a mini muffin pan is a must-have. To create the tastiest bite-sized treats, mini muffin pans are the way to go. Not only do muffin pans come in stainless steel, aluminum, silicon, and ceramic designs but the material will determine the heat conduction, durability, non-stick capabilities, and longevity of each pan. To help you understand which type of mini muffin pan you should purchase based on your needs, we made this buying guide, and if you asked me, I’d say the Rachael Ray Non-Stick Mini Muffin Pan is the best option on our list!
Whether you’re a fan of cupcake-like quick bread muffins or partly-raised flatbread muffins, a mini muffin pan is a must-have. To create the tastiest bite-sized treats, mini muffin pans are the way to go. Not only do muffin pans come in stainless steel, aluminum, silicon, and ceramic designs but the material will determine the heat conduction, durability, non-stick capabilities, and longevity of each pan. To help you understand which type of mini muffin pan you should purchase based on your needs, we made this buying guide, and if you asked me, I’d say the Rachael Ray Non-Stick Mini Muffin Pan is the best option on our list!
Here’s a complete buying guide to help you get the right pan for baking mini muffins and other treats.
Kinds of Mini Muffin Pans
The most crucial consideration for muffin pans is the quality and type of muffin pan materials. Materials will determine the heat conduction, durability, and non-stickiness of the pan. You need to understand the difference between them and pick one that suits your cooking needs the best. Here are some common mini muffin pan materials:
Silicone mini muffin pans
Silicone is a popular material for baking goods and is particularly favored by home bakers. They are easy to use, lightweight, and very convenient to release the baked food. You simply pop the muffin or cupcake out with a single push.
Silicone can conduct heat well, but not as well as stainless steel or aluminum, and offers a nice non-stick surface. However, silicone mini muffin trays do tend to droop on their own when filled with batter and carried. They need a supporting base tray as well.
Aluminum mini muffin pans
Aluminum conducts and distributes heat extremely fast and evenly. With an aluminum pan, you won’t need to worry about hot spots or undercooked goods. This kind is also super durable and long-lasting.
The only downside with aluminum muffin pans is that they can get damaged quite easily. They are prone to warping, denting, or rusting if you don’t take proper care.
Stainless steel mini muffin pans
Stainless steel muffin pans are strong, highly durable, and long-lasting. The smooth surface is easy to clean and work with. Usually, all stainless steel pans are coated with a non-stick layer that prevents sticking and burning. This kind of mini muffin tins conduct heat really well and are great to make your muffins rise.
Ceramic mini muffin pans
Ceramic pans are good for even heat distribution and quick heating. They’re safe for use, last a long time, and are super durable. They are free of any harsh or toxic chemicals, which is why they’re one of the most popular choices.
Maintaining and Cleaning a Mini Muffin Pan
A few tips on properly using and cleaning a mini muffin pan are:
- Always make sure that the pan has completely cooled down before cleaning it or putting it underwater.
- Do not store food in the mini muffin tray.
- Don’t leave baked muffins or cupcakes in the muffin tray for too long as the rising agents in the batter can damage the pan.
- Avoid soaking the muffin pan in water for a long time. Soaking for too long can easily induce premature rusting and would affect the quality and non-stick capability of the pan.
- Don’t scrub the pan with a hard brush when cleaning it.
- For deep cleaning of the pan, pour in a mixture of baking soda and soapy water and put it in the oven for 20 minutes. This will loosen up and remove hard greasy build-ups.
- Avoid putting the pan in the dishwasher even if the manufacturer’s instructions state it to be safe.
- Don’t store the muffin tray unless it is completely dry
Choosing a Good Quality Mini Muffin Pan
Here are a few things to consider when buying a mini muffin pan:
Size
You will find two size dimensions on muffin pans. One measures the size of the pan overall and one is the diameter of the individual mini muffin cup. You need to make sure that the size is no more than 10” x 16” x 1” and the cup can hold about 60g of batter.
Number of cups
Figure out how frequently you’d be baking and how many people would you be catering to on average. If you have a large family or you have lots of friends over, get a muffin pan with 24 muffin cups. You can choose from muffin trays with 6-24 cups according to the number of muffins you want to get in one go.
Convenience of use
Another important consideration is the ease of use. You should be able to put the pan in and take it out of the oven easily without burning your hands or damaging the pan. Look for a pan that comes with grips or non-slip handles at the sides. You should be able to have a strong grip on the pan even with chunky
oven mitts on.
Weight and durability
Thin and lightweight pans can easily deform with time while heavy muffin pans are hard to handle while baking. You need to look for a sufficiently weighty pan made from a durable material. Typically, metallic options are more long-lasting than other options. You also need to check the non-stick coating as low-quality ones can easily crack up or peel off.
Material
As discussed earlier, the material of a mini muffin pan determines the performance of your pan. Trays and pans made out of metallic pans are more durable and sturdy. Stainless steel and aluminum muffin pans are also great at conducting and retaining heat. Pick the material according to the frequency of use.
Reasons to Always Use a Muffin Pan for Mini Muffins
A few reasons are:
- It’s impossible to bake mini muffins without a dedicated pan, no other kitchen item can hold the shape.
- Muffin pans are designed with ridges to help the muffin rise with a crisp top, which is unachievable otherwise.
- A single muffin pan can help you bake tons of muffins at once.
- Muffin pans can be used for a variety of other purposes; you can bake savory and sweet treats in bite-sized servings.
- Baking big batches together save energy, time, and resources.
