Glass vs Metal Pans: Which Is Better?

In the baking community, there are certain debates that arise from time to time. Should you use butter or shortening in your pie crust? Is sour cream better than mayonnaise for achieving a moist cake? Don't even start with which vegan egg substitute is best.

Another common debate seen among bakers is over whether you should use glass or metal pans. But unlike choosing to use applesauce over flax seeds in lieu of eggs, the baking dish you use isn't just a matter of preference.

So which is better?

Well, that depends. Are you baking a cake? Banana bread? Apple crumble? Just like different dishes call for different ingredients, they also require different baking methods. So before you dig out your mixing bowl to get started on your next culinary adventure, let's take a quick look at what each pan brings to the table (pun intended).

Metal

On the surface level, metal pans appear to be superior. After all, if you look up "baking set" on Google, they're what shows up first. Metal's what you'll want to use if you're baking cookies, cakes, muffins, brownies, or biscuits. Many of these dishes need to be baked at higher temperatures, which metal pans are best suited for.

Metal pans are great heat conductors, meaning they can transfer heat more evenly and efficiently. This even heat transfer means your baked goods come out of the oven evenly baked in a shorter amount of time. And while metal pans are good heat conductors, they don't retain that heat very well. They cool off fairly quickly, so you don't have to worry about your cake continuing to bake after you take it out of the oven.

While metal pans are great overall, and every baker should have them, there is one drawback. The metal can react with certain ingredients and affect the taste of your dish. So if you're baking a dish with acidic or citrusy ingredients, like a berry cobbler, the metal pan should stay in the cupboard.

Glass

While metal pans are far more versatile, there are times when you'll want to break out that glass baking dish your grandma gave you. If you want to bake a fruit cobbler or a pie, glass pans are the way to go. Unlike metal, glass doesn't interact with acidic or citrusy foods like lemon juice or vinegar, so it won't alter the flavor or texture of your finished dish. And because they retain heat better than metal pans, they'll keep that casserole warm long after you take it out of the oven. Pie crusts can be tricky, so glass pie tins are your best friend if you like to monitor your pie crust as it bakes.

Opposite of metal pans, glass pans are great at insulating heat, but they're not very good at conducting it. If you were to bake brownies or cake in a glass pan, you might find them burnt on the outside and undercooked on the inside.

In Conclusion

So, what's the verdict? As stated earlier, It all depends on what you're baking. Chances are, you'll find yourself reaching for a metal pan far more often than a glass pan, especially if you're more of a cookie/muffin/cake type of baker. But that doesn't mean glass pans don't have a place in your kitchen. Especially around the holidays, when you're inevitably on pie duty for your family's Thanksgiving dinner.

But even on normal, ordinary Sundays, when you come home from the farmer's market with a bag of fresh cherries and a craving for homemade cherry cobbler, you'll be glad you have that glass dish in your cupboard.