The Case for Nonstick Bakeware

Hannah Crowley Executive Editor, ATK Reviews

My grandmother Ann (Mimi to me) was a classic student of Julia Child. In the 1960s, her food went from bland and overcooked to elegant and French-inspired as she explored Child’s cookbooks. One Christmas when I was little, she served chicken cordon bleu instead of turkey for dinner, and I cried! (I have no idea why; I don’t even like turkey.)

I inherited much of Mimi’s cookware, including her muffin tins, but they didn’t work for me. So much sticking! I finally had to buy new tins (our winners, naturally). Hers were made of uncoated aluminum and likely intended to be used with liners. Do your muffins or baked goods stick every single time? You might have uncoated pans too.

There’s a reason nonstick coatings are nearly universal on modern consumer bakeware: They help release beautifully. I try to avoid nonstick cookware, but I still use nonstick bakeware. Most baking recipes cook well below the 500 degrees danger threshold where nonstick coatings can start to break down and off-gas. And the benefits of an aided release are clear.

Hopefully, I can repurpose Mimi’s tins. Maybe she also cursed gently under her breath as she shimmied a butter knife around each muffin, coaxing it from the pan.