Reviews you can trust.
See why.Mini-Muffin Tins
These tins make adorable, bite-size treats. With so many options on the market, which one is best?
Top Picks
Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Mini Muffin and Cupcake Pan, 24-Cup
What You Need To Know
Everyone loves miniature muffins and cupcakes—they’re so cute! Our favorite mini-muffin tin, the Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Pro Nonstick Mini Muffin Pan, 24-Well, produced attractive baked goods that were evenly golden brown and released easily. There was also plenty of room around the rim, which meant that we could hold it securely, even while we were wearing thick oven mitts. Our B...
Everything We Tested
Highly Recommended
- Browning: 3 stars out of 3.
- Food Shape: 3 stars out of 3.
- Handling: 3 stars out of 3.
- Release: 3 stars out of 3.
This mini-muffin tin impressed us with baked goods that were perfectly golden brown and more evenly baked than those made in any other tin. The fairly narrow cups hold 2⅓ tablespoons each, which is the perfect size to produce attractive food that is tender yet fully cooked at the center. Food released easily, and the tin was comfortable to maneuver in and out of the oven due to its roomy 1¼-inch exterior rim.
- Browning: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Food Shape: 3 stars out of 3.
- Handling: 3 stars out of 3.
- Release: 3 stars out of 3.
Made from steel, with a wide, 1¼-inch rim, this tin browned baked goods well and was easy to hold. Its cups held 2⅛ tablespoons of batter and turned out classically shaped muffins and cakes. The food it produced was just a hair less evenly baked than the food baked in our winner. This tin is a great alternative at a much lower price.
Recommended
- Browning: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Food Shape: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Handling: 3 stars out of 3.
- Release: 3 stars out of 3.
This aluminized steel muffin tin browned items well and evenly. Foods baked in this tin were attractive, but they were shaped a bit differently than foods baked in other tins. The cups are considerably wider at the top than at the bottom, so the sides of the baked goods were sharply angled. This was the only tin in our lineup with a textured surface, which left behind a slight pattern on the bottom of the food. We liked its wide, easy-to-grip rim.
- Browning: 2 stars out of 3.
- Food Shape: 3 stars out of 3.
- Handling: 3 stars out of 3.
- Release: 3 stars out of 3.
Another strong performer, this aluminized-steel tin distributed heat evenly, so the baked goods were well browned, though not quite as evenly so as those made in our winning tin. With its 1¼-inch rim, there was plenty of space to hold when maneuvering the tin. Lastly, its nonstick coating ensured that food released completely and made for easy cleanup.
- Browning: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Food Shape: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Handling: 3 stars out of 3.
- Release: 3 stars out of 3.
With the widest rim (1⅔ inches) and grippy handles, this tin was by far the most comfortable and secure to hold. Although the dark color of this pan helped the food baked in it to brown quickly, the browning was slightly less even than what some other models produced. Even so, the food was still perfectly acceptable.
Recommended with reservations
- Browning: 2 stars out of 3.
- Food Shape: 3 stars out of 3.
- Handling: 2 stars out of 3.
- Release: 3 stars out of 3.
At just ⅔ inch wide, the rim of this tin was one of the narrowest in our lineup, so maneuvering the tin was slightly awkward. This tin didn’t brown foods quite as evenly as others, but the baked goods were attractively shaped.
- Browning: 3 stars out of 3.
- Food Shape: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Handling: 1 stars out of 3.
- Release: 3 stars out of 3.
This tin’s cups had the largest capacity and the second-widest diameter of any tin’s cups in our lineup. The overall shape of the muffins was acceptable, but the batter didn’t rise to make a classic domed top. Financiers, however, looked more like coins than mini cakes. There was only ⅓ inch of space around the rim, so we struggled while maneuvering this tin.
Not Recommended
- Browning: 1 stars out of 3.
- Food Shape: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Handling: 1 stars out of 3.
- Release: 3 stars out of 3.
We liked the roomy rim and grippy handles of this colorful, confetti-patterned model. Baked goods released easily, too. However, it’s made from silicone, which does not disperse heat evenly, so the sides of the muffins and financiers were pale, and their bottoms were spottily browned; the financiers also required more time to finish baking than those baked in other tins. The silicone cups were soft and flexible, so the tin was very unsteady when we rotated it in the oven.
- Browning: 1 stars out of 3.
- Food Shape: 1 stars out of 3.
- Handling: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Release: 3 stars out of 3.
The large capacity and wide shape of this tin’s cups created flat, pancake-like financiers. Not only did the cakes look oddly flat, but their middles were dry instead of chewy and tender. The muffins and financiers were unevenly browned, with noticeable splotches. This tin is made from aluminum, which is a good conductor of heat, but it had trouble evenly browning items because it does not distribute heat evenly.
Reviews you can trust
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them.
Carolyn Grillo
Carolyn is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. She's a French-trained professional baker.
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Start Free TrialAbsolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too. I've done this using a rimmed sheet pan instead of a skillet and put veggies and potatoes around the chicken for a one-pan meal. Broccoli gets nicely browned and yummy!
Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too.
Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. Would not have thought that the amount of time under the broiler would have produced a very juicy and favorable chicken with a very crispy crust. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. A "make again" as my family rates things. This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. My butcher gladly butterflied the chicken for me, therefore I found it to be a fast and easy prep. I used my cast iron skillet- marvellous!
John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. First-time I've pierced a whole chicken minus the times I make jerk chicken on the grill. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue.