Ramekins are kitchen staples. They’re the perfect size for making individual servings of soufflés, omelettes, and even desserts. You can also use them to store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer.
If you’ve ever wondered what to use as a substitute for ramekins, read on! We’ll take a look at some of our favorite options for different uses, including mugs and bowls.
There are a lot of kitchen staples you can use instead of ramekins depending on the recipe and need. Next time, try mugs, jam jars, canning, jars, or souffle dishes.
Ramekin Overview
Ramekins are small, individual-sized baking dishes made of oven-safe materials like ceramics, porcelain, glass, and stoneware. Most often, ramekins are used in baking soufflés, and other sweet and savory dishes that are designed to be presented as individual meals. They can also be used to serve dips, nuts, and small snacks.
Ramekins are typically oven-safe and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some ramekins have straight sides, while others have curved sides. Some ramekins are shallow, while others are deep. The size of a ramekin is typically measured in ounces or milliliters.
Ramekins can be used to cook a variety of dishes. Some popular ramekin recipes include:
- Soufflés
- Custards
- Quiches
- Puddings
- Cheesecake
- Chocolate Lava Cake
Ramekins can also be used to serve a variety of dips, nuts, and small snacks. Some popular ramekin dip recipes include:
- Queso Blanco
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Crab Rangoon Dip
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ramekins are a versatile kitchen tool that can be used to cook a variety of dishes. They are also a great way to serve dips, nuts, and small snacks.
What Can I Use Instead of Ramekins?
1. Mugs
These are the best ramekin substitutes for souffle and creme brulees. Mugs can be used to serve sauces, custards, and puddings as well. Mug cups are also a great substitute for tapas and appetizers when you want something more casual than a plate but not quite as informal as eating out of your hand!
There aren’t many kitchens out there that don’t have a handful of coffee mugs on hand in the cupboard and most of these are oven safe by nature.
Grease the mug with butter or oil on all the inner surfaces and then coat them with sugar for your dessert recipes and either cornmeal or breadcrumbs for the savory ones. This will help your final product come out when it’s time.
2. Bowls
Bowls come in all different shapes, sizes, and materials and it’s likely there’s an oven-safe one in your kitchen that will work as a ramekin in a pinch.
You can use slightly smaller or bigger bowls and the recipe will still turn out just fine. As long as your bowl is oven-safe, grease up the sides as you would a ramekin, and off you go!
3. Custard Cup
A custard cup is a small bowl used for making custards and other desserts. It can also be used to serve individual portions of soup or stew, or even fruit salad!
Much like the others on this list, including ramekins, they come in all different shapes and sizes. Since they’re often used in baking, they’re usually made from porcelain, oven-proof glass, or stoneware.
The standard custard cup holds around 6 oz of batter, which is bigger than the average ramekin, but still perfectly useful.
When baking in a custard cup instead of a ramekin, use a water bath to ensure even baking.
4. Teacup
A teacup is a great substitute for ramekins. They’re small and shallow, so they’re good for small portions. Teacups are usually made of porcelain or glass, but you can also find them in metal and other materials.
Just make sure the chosen teacups are heat-resistant and can go in your oven.
Make sure to use the small or medium teacups when substituting them for ramekins. Taller teacups may cause problems with even baking.
5. Baking Dish
Baking dishes come in a variety of sizes, the average being between 6 and 15 inches. Ideally, to replace a ramekin in your baking, you want a baking dish in the 6 to 8-inch size range. Using a larger baking dish will cause rising and baking problems.
A shallow dish made of glass or ceramic will work best in recipes like creme brulee. If you’re using a bigger baking dish than your usual ramekin, make sure to adjust the bake time accordingly.
6. Muffin Pan
You can use a muffin pan as a substitute for ramekins. This will work best in situations where you need to bake and serve food.
A muffin pan is made of non-reactive material, so it won’t react with the acidic or basic ingredients in your recipe. It also has deep cups that are ideal for holding liquids or solids. You can fill these cups with batter or even fill them halfway, place another cup on top, then bake them until they’re done.
Make sure to grease the pan with spray or butter to prevent sticking. Muffin pans are great for providing smaller, individual portions.
7. Canning Jar
If you’re looking for a substitute for ramekins, you may have heard of canning jars. Canning jars are generally made of glass or plastic and come in many sizes. They can be used to store food at home, but they are also great for serving dishes like casseroles or baked goods at parties.
Canning jars make excellent substitutes for ramekins because they have a wide mouth that makes them easy to fill and clean out after use. They also have lids that seal well so you can store your leftovers in the fridge without worrying about them getting spoiled as fast as they normally would if they were just sitting on a countertop unprotected by any coverings such as plastic wrap or foil!
Canning jars are best for puddings or other desserts that don’t require baking. It’s not recommended to put canning jars in the oven for baking purposes.
8. Jam Jar
A jam jar is a good substitute for ramekin because it is deep and narrow. This makes it ideal for holding things like sauces, custards, and other liquid-y foods that you might want to serve in individual portions.
Again, as they’re a type of canning jar, you don’t want to try and bake anything in them. These are ideal for no-baking desserts like cheesecakes, chocolate mousse, puddings, tiramisu, and trifles.
9. Souffle dish
A souffle dish is a shallow, round bowl with a lid. It’s used to make baked desserts like souffles and flans, as well as savory dishes like quiches. Souffle dishes are usually made from ceramic or metal (though there are some glass versions), and they come in different sizes depending on what you’re serving–you can use them for individual servings or family-size portions.
While they run bigger than ramekins, they make a great substitute for dishes that are usually larger in portions like casseroles, mac and cheese, and of course, souffles.
Since they’re bigger, make sure to adjust the baking time to accommodate the larger portion.
10. Casserole dish
Casserole dishes are shallow, and they’re made of glass, ceramic, or metal. They’re used for baking and serving food–not both at the same time!
While oven-safe, they are considerably bigger than the ramekins. There’s nothing wrong with making a large dish instead of individual portions, even if it isn’t as fancy, it’ll still taste great! Make sure to adjust the baking time to accommodate the larger size dish. Spreading out the batter means less baking time as it’s thinner.
How to Choose the Best Ramekin Substitute
When you’re looking for a ramekin substitute, it’s important to consider three things: the material it’s made from, the shape of the dish, and how deep it is.
Material
When looking for a substitute for your ramekins, it’s important to consider the material of the dish you’re using it in. Some materials are more likely to break or crack than others, so keep that in mind when choosing a substitute.
Ramekins are usually ceramic, so aim for something of the same material. The material of the dish has a big influence on how it bakes.
If you don’t have a ceramic replacement, use an oven-safe dish made from steel, cast-iron, aluminum, or enameled dishes.
Depth
The depth of your ramekin is important for cooking, so it’s worth considering how much you need to substitute for. For example, if you’re making a dish that requires a shallow pan (like creme brulee), then you might want to use something with less depth than what the recipe calls for. If you want something deeper than average and don’t mind sacrificing some volume, consider using a small casserole dish or baking sheet instead.
You want something similar in height to a ramekin to make sure it turns out right and bakes as it should.
Shape
Ramekins come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The shape of your ramekin can affect how you use it, so it’s important to know what each shape is best suited for.
- Round – These are best used for small amounts of liquid or food that need to be served decoratively, such as ice cream sundaes or individual servings of pudding.
- Oval – These are good for serving soups, stews, and other foods where presentation matters less than having enough space on the plate for all the ingredients (or even just one). A good example would be chili con carne; this dish typically comes with beans and rice which need room since they’re bulky foods themselves!
- Square – This is an excellent option if you want something more substantial than soup but don’t have time to make anything else since they cook faster than other shapes due to their flat sides allowing heat transfer more easily
Final Thoughts
The best ramekin substitute is the one that fits your needs. It’s important to choose a material that will hold up to heat, and also consider the shape of your dish. It’s not just about the size of the dish but the material and shape as well. The baking instructions take shape, depth, and material into account, and not doing the same can end in disaster.
No matter, you’ll be able to pick out something from the list above to complete your favorite ramekin-style dish.
