Ramekins are versatile kitchen accessories that are commonly used for baking and serving individual-sized portions of food. They’re commonly used for desserts and are most closely linked with crème Brulee.
Ramekins are not always easy to find or afford, especially if you don’t need to use them regularly. Fortunately, there are several everyday alternatives to ramekins that can be used in a pinch.
The best substitutions are mugs, baking dishes, custard cups, jam jars, bowls, muffin pans, and souffle dishes.
In this article, we will explore the best substitutes for ramekins that are tried and tested. Whether you are looking for a temporary solution or want to explore new options, this article has got you covered.
What Is A Ramekin?
Ramekins are small cooking dishes that are oven safe and are used to cook individual servings. Think of them as miniature casserole and baking dishes.
They can be made from a variety of different materials such as metal and glass, but ceramic ramekins are arguably the most common. Ceramic can absorb heat evenly and helps to prevent the dish from becoming scorched.
They’re typically cylindrical and have a diameter of around three to four inches. However, they do come in a variety of different shapes, sizes, and colors so if you choose to purchase some ramekins, you won’t be short of choice!
Some of the most popular dishes made with ramekins include crème Brulee, souffle, ice cream, custard, French onion soup, and cheese dishes. They can also double as dishes for serving sauces, dressings, and dips.
If you don’t have any ramekins to hand, however, don’t worry! There are several substitutes you can use in a pinch.
What Can Be Substituted For A Ramekin?
Let’s now look at the best substitutes for ramekins. If you don’t have any, or enough, ramekins on hand, you can use these substitutions instead.
1. Mugs Or Cups
One of the easiest substitutions you can use is mugs and cups. Every kitchen is sure to have a number of these and if you don’t have any that are suitable for ramekins, they’re easy to source and are usually much cheaper.
If you’re going to use a mug or a cup, however, you should double-check that they’re heat-resistant enough to survive the oven.
You should pick cups and mugs that are on the smaller size and we don’t recommend using very tall ones, either. With larger mugs, the dishes may not cook as evenly.
Make sure that you grease your mug or cup with some butter or oil. This will make your cooked dish come out more easily. Don’t overfill them either, as the batter of your recipe will need some room to expand.
2. Custard Cups
These are small dishes that are oven-safe and are intended for baking custard.
As they’re made for this purpose, you can be certain that they will be safe in the oven and that they’re made from oven-proof materials. Like ramekins, they come in a variety of sizes and materials.
Typically, custard cups can hold around six ounces of batter. This makes them a little bigger than most ramekins. Their size is distributed a little differently as well as they’re wider and shallower than ramekins.
Although they can still be easily used as substitutes for ramekins, you may need to adjust the cooking times as batter will usually cook more quickly in a custard cup.
3. Baking Dish
Although the majority of baking dishes are large and made to hold several servings of the same recipe, you can find baking dishes that are smaller and are considered one-cup baking dishes.
These are roughly the same size as ramekins but like custard cups, their size is distributed differently as they are much wider than ramekins are.
This means that the dish intended for a ramekin will cook much quicker than the recipe suggests so make sure you are keeping a close eye on the oven.
Shallow baking dishes that are made of glass or ceramic are the best options if you’re cooking crème Brulee in a baking dish. They will ensure the Brulee cooks evenly despite the adjusted cooking time.
4. Jam Jars
This is one of the more surprising substitutions for ramekins. Using jam jars in place of ramekins comes with one big caveat, however, as they are typically not oven-safe.
The glass used in jam jars isn’t designed for high heat so do not use these in the oven.
Instead, you can use them for recipes that don’t require baking. For example, try out a jam jar when you make ice cream, trifles, cheesecakes, or mousse.
Some people prefer using jam jars for items such as these as the glass sides allow you to see the layers of the dish. They can also be used for aesthetic purposes.
5. Bowl
Bowls are one of the more versatile substitutions on this list. They’re available in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors, so you can easily pick the most appropriate dish for your needs. They’re a much cheaper option than ramekins as well.
If you opt for a bowl, double-check whether it is oven-safe before you use it for any recipe that needs to be baked. They aren’t all oven-safe so this is an important concern.
Make sure that you grease or oil your bowl before you use it for baked goods. You may struggle to get your baked goods out otherwise!
6. Muffin Pan
Muffin pans are divided into several small servings, making them a great substitution for ramekins.
The individual sections on a muffin pan are smaller than ramekins, however, so you will get mini versions of your recipes.
You will need to grease your muffin pan before you use it but you can be confident that it is oven safe. We recommend muffin pans for lava cakes especially!
7. Souffle Dish
Ramekins can be used for souffle, so it only makes sense that souffle dishes can be used in place of ramekins!
Souffle dishes are bigger than ramekins and are oven-safe. Make sure that you adjust the baking times as recipes will take longer to bake in the larger souffle dishes.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we listed the 7 best substitutes for ramekins. Most of them can be commonly found in kitchens already or are a cheaper alternative to ramekins.
Whichever substitute you choose, make sure that you check whether it is oven-safe and adjust cooking times accordingly.
