Metal, glass and ceramic pie plates

Pie plates are one type of bakeware that generate a fair amount of confusion for home bakers. This is largely because, unlike cookie sheets and regular cake pans, pie pans are always available in a variety of materials and it’s not always clear what is going to give you the best result. Most commercial pies tend to come in metal pie pans (think Marie Callenders’) Pyrex pie pans have been around for decades and are staples in most homes already. Ceramic pie plate look beautiful for serving and are definitely more expensive than the other two.

The goal when baking a pie is to get a well-browned, well-cooked crust. Each material has advantages and disadvantages. Metal pans tend to be very inexpensive and they will last a very long time. Heavier pans tend to brown pie crust better than lighter pans, but with a metal pan it is difficult to tell with a glance whether your pie crust is done or not. Ceramic pie plates give you the same visual problems. They tend to be thick and hold in heat from the oven very well, so you’ll almost always get a very even browning on your pie, you might need a few extra minutes to cook it because the pan actually needs a bit of extra time in the oven to heat up.

My top choice is Pyrex. The heat-treated glass is incredibly strong and durable, sturdier than most metal pans but lighter than ceramic. The pans retain heat very well and usually provide a better browning for a pie crust than metal or ceramic. You can also easily check on the pie’s progress through the sides of the pan itself.