Bakeware & Pans
Muffin Tin
Multi-cup pan for muffins, cupcakes, and egg cups
A tray of round wells that bakes a dozen muffins, cupcakes, or savory egg cups at once, with even browning. Line with paper cups or grease well for clean release. A standard twelve-cup tin is the most useful size to own.
A muffin tin is a metal tray of round wells that bakes a dozen muffins, cupcakes, or savory egg cups at once with even, all-around browning. Its real value is portion control and parallel baking: every cavity turns out an identical individual serving, which makes it a quiet workhorse far beyond breakfast — think mini frittatas, popovers, Yorkshire puddings, granola cups, even freezing stock or pesto in portions. A standard twelve-cup tin is the single most useful size to own.
Types & varieties
The default — muffins, cupcakes, egg cups, popovers.
Bite-size muffins and two-bite appetizers; bake faster.
Bakery-style oversized muffins with tall domes.
Flexible and self-releasing; pop cups out by flexing the base.
Clean release
Line wells with paper cups for muffins and cupcakes, or grease and flour them well for naked-edged bakes. For egg cups and popovers, a thorough greasing (or a quick spritz of oil) is essential since there's no liner. Silicone tins release on their own with a flex.
- Paper liners for muffins and cupcakes
- Grease and flour for naked bakes
- Grease hard for egg cups, popovers, and Yorkshires
Even baking
Fill cups evenly — about two-thirds full — so they bake at the same rate and rise level. If you're not filling every well, add a little water to the empties so the heat distributes evenly and the tin doesn't scorch. Rotate the tin halfway through for uniform color.
Common uses
Tips & pitfalls
- Fill empty wells with water so the pan heats evenly and won't warp or scorch.
- Use an ice-cream scoop to portion batter quickly and identically.
- Don't overfill — two-thirds is right, or batter overflows and domes unevenly.
- For egg cups and popovers, grease generously; there's no liner to save you.
- Avoid cutting or scraping nonstick wells with metal — it gouges the coating.
Good to know
- Material
- Aluminized steel, nonstick-coated steel, or silicone
- Standard size
- 12 cups, each ~1/3 cup capacity
- Other sizes
- 6-cup, 24-cup mini, and 6-cup jumbo
- Heat safe to
- Typical oven temps; nonstick usually rated to ~230 C
- Reusable?
- Yes — lasts for years
- Price range
- Low to moderate
Also called
muffin pan · cupcake tin
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