The Best Brownie Pan of 2024, Tested by Allrecipes

Few things compare to the smell of homemade brownies baking in the oven, waiting for them to cool, and taking that first bite. As a former bakery owner, now recipe developer, I’ve baked countless batches of brownies. I’m team fudgy, chewy brownie with a crackly top, and I like to bite into mine cold. For others, you may love brownies that are a bit fluffier or cakier. Either way, you need the right pan to bake your favorite batch.

Brownie recipes are most often baked in a square pan. The majority are in an 8-inch by 8-inch pan, while others might make use of a 9-inch by 9-inch square pan. The best brownie pan bakes a batch with even heat, while a nonstick coating will make it that much easier to get treats out of the pan and clean once it’s empty.

I turn to my USA Pan 8-Inch Square Pan time and time again, not just for a batch of the best brownies but also as an essential baking pan for making cakes, my favorite raspberry oatmeal cookie bars, or even whipping up a small dish of baked mac & cheese. To get a second opinion, we sent a few top-rated pans to the Allrecipes Allstars—our dedicated team of trusted experts. After using six different pans to bake multiple batches of brownies in her own kitchen, Allstar Kim Shupe also fell in love with the USA Pan.

A square pan is essential for baking brownies, but this pan from USA Pan isn’t your typical bakeware. The 8-inch by 8-inch pan has a 2.25-inch tall wall, which makes it super helpful for baking nice thick, chewy brownies. Of course, it can also be used for baking a square cake, a morning coffee cake, a crumb cake with plenty of streusel topping, or even a layered no-bake dessert like Nanaimo bars. I love that it’s deep enough for a variety of desserts without any concern of overflowing. That depth allows me to ice a batch of brownies with fudge frosting or a small snack cake right in the pan.

As the saying goes, baking is a science, and the materials you bake a batter in matter, too. This pan is made from aluminized steel, which means it has a steel base that is coated in aluminum. Aluminum conducts heat well. As the metal heats up quickly and efficiently, it transfers to the batter. This particular pan allows for excellent heat conductivity, which means your brownies are always baking evenly, rather than the edges baking too fast while you’re waiting for the center to be set. That aluminized steel construction makes it heat-safe in the oven for up to 450°F, and the materials prove to hold up well throughout consistent use without any warping or rusting. It also comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

One of the key qualities of bakeware from USA Pan is its signature nonstick design. The base and sides of this pan not only have a silicone nonstick coating, but they’re also slightly textured. Those little ridges help with air circulation for better heat conductivity. Plus, the nonstick qualities make it that much easier to get that first freshly baked brownie out for a snack. It’s best to avoid using metal utensils such as a metal spatula on this pan to keep it in tip-top shape so that quick release definitely comes in handy when using other utensils.

While it can sometimes be frustrating not to be able to put pans in the dishwasher, handwashing is still simple with this one. The nonstick coating makes it quick and easy enough to just use a few swipes of a sponge with dish soap and hot water. Then, wipe it dry with a dish towel and store it away until the next brownie craving strikes.

Allstar Kim also loves this pan for its durability, noting that the coating over the metal helps to protect it and make it capable of withstanding years of use. She also appreciated that the interior striping produced a more even bake and made it easier to release the brownies. “This USA Pan would be my recommended pan to anyone who bakes a lot,” she says. “The pan is effective at evenly baking and producing eye-catching products. It is also quite affordable at $19 and makes some excellent brownies.” The only downside? The sharp square corners attracted food debris that made it a bit more difficult to clean, though Kim was able to unstick any leftover bits with a cleaning brush.

Other Brownie Pans to Consider

Brownies are an uncomplicated, unfussy baked treat. They’re a classic, nostalgic favorite. Use an unfussy pan at a great price like this option from Nordic Ware to match. This is actually a pan I’ve kept on hand for years and used very often before baking in the USA Pan 8-Inch Square Pan. Its construction is impressive, and it comes with a lifetime warranty to back it up.

This option from Nordic Ware is an 8-inch by 8-inch square pan with a 2.2-inch tall wall. That makes for plenty of room for double batches when you want a thicker brownie or to bake cakes, small lasagnas, or baked oatmeal. The pan is constructed from aluminum, which means it conducts heat incredibly fast. Once the pan goes into the oven at 350°F, the heat transfer begins in minutes. That way, you’ll end up with evenly baked brownies every time. The light color of the aluminum also makes it so the heat transfer isn’t as intense as a darker-colored pan.

Because of its construction, it’s best to keep this pan out of the dishwasher. Using a sponge with dish soap and hot water has worked just fine for me over the years. When there’s something really stubborn stuck in the pan, I just soak it overnight for easier scrubbing the next morning.

Kim found this pan to be easy to store, with large, rounded corners that helped maneuver it in and out of the oven. The resulting brownies were excellent, as well. “I will say that the brownies made in the Nordic Ware pan were hands down my favorite of the bunch,” she says. “They were the perfect chewy, fudgy, wonderful texture that a brownie should be.” However, the pan showed some scratch marks after testing, so it is best used with non-metal utensils.

The Details: Aluminum; 8 x 8 x 2.2 inches; 0.8 pounds; oven safe up to 450°F; hand wash recommended

Different baking pans are better for different recipes. In general, there’s debate over whether a glass baking dish is even a good fit for things like brownies or blondies. Porcelain, however, conducts heat better than glass does, making this baking dish from Made In incredibly versatile for many uses, such as fruit crisps, cobblers, savory dinners, and, yes, your favorite brownie recipe. Plus, if you’re someone who loves gooey, cakey brownies, a porcelain baking dish is the perfect fit.

The difference is all due to the conductivity of porcelain. Metal pans heat up quickly, while porcelain is a bit slower. That means it’ll take a bit longer for the pan to get hot and transfer heat to the batter, but once it is hot, the heat retention is excellent. In comparison, porcelain is not quite as quick to heat as metals such as aluminum or aluminized steel, but it is quicker than glass.

This 8-inch by 8-inch porcelain baking dish is not only beautiful with four colors to choose from, but it’s functional for a variety of recipes, including brownies, coffee cakes, and even roasting single or two-person portions of chicken and vegetables. It’s oven safe up to 650°F and microwave safe, so you can warm up a breakfast treat or dessert right in the pan. Plus, it’s thermal resistant, making it easy to transfer the pan from the freezer or fridge to the oven and vice versa without worrying about cracking. For easy cleanup, it’s also dishwasher safe.

In tests, Kim experienced absolutely no sticking with this pan. It also showed no scratches or marks, even after cutting the brownies with a metal bench scraper. Apart from being durable, the porcelain material was super easy to clean since it’s dishwasher safe. While the handles made removing it from the oven “a total breeze,” they also cause the pan to take up slightly more storage room. That said, this pan is so pretty that you’ll want to display it in your kitchen anyway.

The Details: Porcelain; 8 x 8 x 2.5 inches; 3.2 pounds; oven safe up to 650°F; dishwasher safe

If you’re building out a bakeware collection and want a beautiful square pan to match, this ceramic pan from Caraway is an excellent fit. For those looking for the perfect match for their kitchen’s design, there are nine different choices to select from with exterior colors including navy, sage green, and a vibrant marigold.

The 9-inch by 9-inch pan offers plenty of space for baking a batch of brownies, blondies, cookie bars, or a simple birthday cake. The 2.25-inch tall wall also makes it possible to bake thicker treats or add a topping such as frosting or a poured ganache.

Made from aluminum, this square pan heats up quickly, retains heat well for even baking, and is oven safe up to 550°F. It’s also designed with a ceramic nonstick coating, making it that much easier to get baked goods out of the pan without as much greasing needed. Because of that nonstick coating, however, this pan is not dishwasher safe. It’s best to clean it with a sponge and dish soap to maintain it for years of use.

The slight rim around the edges of this pan made it easy for Kim to attach parchment paper with binder clips before pouring in her batter. The slightly rounded edges also made it easier to get a spatula underneath the brownies to lift them out of the pan. “I liked the nonstick properties of the Caraway pan,” she says. “It was so easy to get the brownies out of it! Plus, it was super fast to wash.”

The Details: Aluminum; 8 x 8 inches; 1.5 pounds; oven safe up to 550°F; hand wash recommended

A splurge-worthy brownie pan is one that will not only help you to produce a delicious batch of treats—but it will also make the baking process easier. This choice from Williams Sonoma fits the bill. Constructed from aluminized steel with a wire-reinforced rim at the top, it’s made to conduct and retain heat well and be durable enough to last for years.

While baking a batch, the two-inch tall walls provide helpful height, with square corners instead of rounded corners for the perfect brownie edges. The pan’s Goldtouch Pro nonstick coating makes it that much simpler to retrieve brownies, blondies, or other items from the pan. It also makes cleanup easier with quick-release technology. For excellent care for longtime use, wood or rubber utensils are the best option for this nonstick pan, instead of using metal utensils that can cause scratches. To clean the pan, place it in the dishwasher or use a non-abrasive sponge with soap and water.

“The Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Pan is quite eye-catching,” says Kim. “The gold finish is really pretty, and it helps to keep your bakes from getting too brown around the edges.” In tests, the super sharp, square corners made the brownies look more professional, and the pan showed no signs of scratch marks. “This pan is great for fantastically chewy, fudgy, and wonderful brownies—but also for making great cakes as well,” says Kim.

The Details: Aluminized steel; 8 x 8 x 2 inches; 1 pound; dishwasher safe

A larger brownie pan means more surface area, resulting in more brownies. Even if a recipe calls for an 8-inch by 8-inch pan, this 9-inch square pan can be used. You’ll just end up with slightly thinner brownies.

This pan is made from aluminized steel. Its light aluminum quality means it will heat up fast in the oven, maintain heat well, and help brownies to bake evenly. Its square edges mean perfectly square brownies, as opposed to pans with rounded corners. It’s safe in the oven up to 450°F.

Because this pan is untreated aluminized steel, it should be cared for by avoiding metal utensils. It can be greased before a batter is poured or spread in the pan. Or, to ensure everything comes out easily, you can line it with parchment to make things that much simpler. When you’re done baking, hand wash the pan with a gentle sponge, soap, and hot water to keep it in tip-top shape.

“The Williams Sonoma Traditionaltouch Pan is a ‘workhorse’ kind of pan—it’s made to withstand heavy use but is still aesthetically pleasing,” says Kim. “It’s got sharp, square corners that produce pro-level results and a rim around the edge to make it easier to move in and out of the oven.” It took a little longer to clean because of the untreated steel and sharper corners, but the extreme durability made up for the extra work.

The Details: Aluminized steel; 9 x 9 x 2.25 inches; oven safe up to 450°F; hand wash recommended

About Our Tests

Allstar Kim Shupe tested six top-rated brownie pans in her own kitchen by making two different recipes, including our Allrecipes-favorite Best Brownies. During tests, Kim paid special attention to the following attributes:

• Design: Is the brownie pan easy to insert and remove from the oven? Are there handles or any features that make it more comfortable to hold? Is the pan easy to store while not in use?
• Performance: Do the resulting brownie bake evenly and release easily from the pan? Did you need to grease the brownie pan or line it with parchment paper? Did the pan cool down quickly after coming out of the oven?
• Durability: Does the brownie pan damage easily? Is it rust-resistant? In tests, did the bottom or any other parts of the pan sustain scratches from cutting and serving the brownies? 
• Cleanup: Is the brownie pan easy to clean? Do you have to soak the pan to break up any stubborn, dried-on food? Is it dishwasher safe?

Why Take Our Word For It?

Molly Allen is a former bakery owner turned professional recipe developer and writer. With years of experience in commercial bakery kitchens and her own home kitchen, she found the best brownie pans based on hours of research along with using multiple picks first-hand. She evaluated the top choices for the best brownie pan based on material, size, design, and price point.

Allstar Kim Shupe tested all of the brownie pans on this list in her own kitchen, paying special attention to design, performance, durability, and ease of cleaning. Kim is a home cook and self-taught baker who has been an Allrecipes community member for over 15 years and an active Allrecipes Allstar since 2015.

Want to know more about the Allrecipes Allstars? Learn about their favorite recipes, kitchen hacks, and product picks.