Can You Bake in a Toaster Oven? Yes, Here's How

On this page (13 sections)

1. What a toaster oven can bake well
2. Pick a pan that fits with room to spare
3. How to bake in a toaster oven
4. Bake times and temperature
5. Common problems when baking in a toaster oven
6. Recipes that suit a toaster oven
7. Pick the rack position
8. Parchment paper in a small oven
9. Bread and yeast doughs in a small oven
10. How to adjust a recipe for a small oven
11. Cleaning up after baking
12. Set the timer for the shortest time
13. Can a toaster oven replace a regular oven when you bake?

Yes, you can bake in a toaster oven. Cookies, muffins, small cakes, small pizzas and single loaves all bake well in most toaster ovens, as long as the pan fits and the oven is preheated.

What a toaster oven can bake well

Small batches are where a toaster oven does its best work. The heat stays close to the food, so you get a fast bake without warming a full kitchen.

• Cookies: a sheet that fits with a finger's width of space on each side.
• Muffins: a small muffin pan or a six-cup set, sized to the oven.
• Small cakes: a square or round pan that clears the top element.
• Pizza and flatbread: a pan or stone that sits flat on the rack.

Pick a pan that fits with room to spare

Measure the inside of the oven before you buy any pan. Leave room on every side for air, and keep the pan clear of the top element.

Toaster oven pan size and clearance

The two pan sets and the compact oven below cover common sizes for baking. Match each one's outside measurements to the inside of your oven.

How to bake in a toaster oven

Baking in a toaster oven follows the same steps as a full oven, with a few small changes. Start with the preheat, and keep the pan away from the walls.

1. Preheat the oven for a few minutes before you add the pan.
2. Set the rack in the middle, so the pan sits clear of the top element.
3. Put the pan on the rack, not on the crumb tray.
4. Check the food a few minutes early, since small ovens can brown the top quickly.
5. Turn the pan halfway through for even browning.

Bake times and temperature

A recipe written for a full oven is a starting point, not a promise. Small ovens can run hotter at the top, so the first batch is your test.

Use the time on the recipe as the longest you'd expect, then check early. A toothpick or a food thermometer tells you more than the clock does.

Common problems when baking in a toaster oven

Most problems have simple fixes. Here are the ones that come up most often:

• Uneven browning: turn the pan halfway, or move the rack a notch.
• Dry bakes: lower the temperature a little or cut the time.
• Pan won't fit: switch to a smaller pan rather than forcing it in.
• Sticking: grease the pan lightly, or use a liner made for the oven.

Pans and racks get very hot. Use oven mitts, and let them cool before you wash them.

Recipes that suit a toaster oven

Drop cookies, mini loaves, roasted vegetables and a small sheet-pan dinner for two all suit a toaster oven. These recipes use a small pan and a short bake, which fits the oven well.

Mini loaves bake faster than full loaves, so check them early.

Cookies bake most evenly on a pan with only a few rows, so the batches stay even. A small muffin pan, sized to your oven, works well for muffins.

Pick the rack position

The middle rack is usually the best spot for even baking, since it sits clear of both elements. Move the rack lower if the top browns too fast, and higher if the bottom stays pale.

Parchment paper in a small oven

Parchment keeps cookies from sticking and makes cleanup faster. Keep it inside the edges of the pan so it never touches the heating element or hangs over the side.

Bread and yeast doughs in a small oven

Small loaves and rolls can bake in a toaster oven, but the pan has to fit with room to rise. Check the loaf with a thermometer, since the crust can brown before the center is done.

How to adjust a recipe for a small oven

Halve the batch if the pan is small, or divide the dough across two pans. Smaller batches bake more evenly in a small space.

Check the food early, and rotate the pan halfway through. Write down the time and temperature that worked, since the next bake will go faster.

Cleaning up after baking

Let the pan cool on a rack, then wash it by hand if it's nonstick. Wipe the inside of the oven once it cools, and empty the crumb tray so the next bake starts clean.

Set the timer for the shortest time

Small bakes can finish in a few minutes, so set the timer for the shortest time in the recipe. Open the door only when you need to check, since each look lets heat escape and adds time.

Can a toaster oven replace a regular oven when you bake?

For cookies, small cakes and single pizzas, a toaster oven can do the job well. For big sheet pans and holiday baking, a full oven still makes more food in one go.

If you want more room inside, look at the toaster oven size guide and the convection toaster oven guide. Our best toaster oven for baking roundup compares five models side by side.

For how air fry and convection ovens fit in, see the air fryer toaster oven buying guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can you bake a cake in a toaster oven?

Yes, a small cake baked in a pan that fits the oven works well, and you should check it early. A deep cake can take longer in the middle than at the edges, so test it with a toothpick.

Do you need a special pan to bake in a toaster oven?

No special pan is needed, but the pan should fit inside with room around it and clear the heating element. Nonstick and carbon steel pans are common choices for small ovens, and a half sheet is usually too big.

Does baking in a toaster oven use less energy?

It can for small batches, since a small space heats faster than a full oven. Check the wattage on the label, and read our toaster oven wattage guide for the numbers you'll see.