I Tested 10 Ramekins to Find the Best Ones for Soufflés, Custards, and More

I use ramekins daily. These small, squat bowls are my go-to for mise en place, snacks, serving a few scoops of ice cream (is that weird?), and, closer to their intended purpose, for making individual custards and desserts. I’ve even used them to mold and bake individual British pork pies for a Lord of the Rings movie marathon, nerd that I am.

Made of ceramic in a medley of shapes, sizes, and designs, these little bowls are more varied than you’d think. To find the best, most versatile ones, I put 10 ramekins to the test, using them to make chocolate soufflé and eggs en cocotte, and stacking and washing them to see how they held up. 

The Winners, at a Glance 

With their classic white, ribbed sides, these sturdy ramekins are perfect for crème brûlée or other custardy desserts. Chocolate soufflé rose nicely and the eggs en cocotte were perfectly cooked. The ramekins come in other colors, too, if you want a little pizzazz. 

UK-based Denby pottery is known for its durability and quality, and its ramekins are no exception. They stacked nicely, and soufflé and baked eggs emerged perfectly cooked. After testing, I found myself using the ramekins to hold snacks, mise en place, and scoops of ice cream.

The bottoms of these ramekins are slightly inset, so they stack neatly. Since they’re thicker, foods cooked in them needed more time in the oven, but the end results were still good. They come in a variety of beautiful colors, too. 

Like the Dowan ramekins, these have a classic design that would make any dessert look like it came straight from a French bistro. Everything cooked nicely, and the ramekins weren’t slippery when gripped with tongs. Plus, they’re about $3 a pop. 

These ramekins have a larger capacity (6.8 ounces) and more of a bowl shape than others I tested. This makes them quite versatile; they’re both at home coddling eggs as well as holding a handful of grapes for snacking. 

With a tall, narrow shape, these très chic ramekins are great for serving possets, pots de crème, or other desserts that don’t require a wider opening (like crème brûlée). Soufflés came out of the oven tall and puffy, too. However, the egg en cocotte looked a little lonely at the bottom of the tall ramekin. 

The Tests

• Chocolate Soufflé Test: I made chocolate soufflés in each ramekin, noting if they emerged from the oven nicely risen. I took a scoop from each ramekin, evaluating the soufflé’s consistency. 
• Eggs en Cocotte Test: I made eggs en cocotte with mushrooms and gruyère, cooking the filled ramekins in a water bath, per the recipe. I noted if the egg, cream, and mushroom mixture filled the ramekins nicely or if the ramekins swallowed them. After cooking, I removed them from the water bath with kitchen tongs and noted the final texture and doneness. 
• Stacking Test: I attempted to stack the ramekins to see if they nested neatly and didn’t feel precarious. 
• Cleaning Test: I hand-washed the ramekins or ran applicable ones through the dishwasher. 

What We Learned

There Was a Sweet Spot When It Came to Capacity and Height 

While ramekins are essentially small bowls, there was a sweet spot in terms of size and height that made them more versatile. Sure, I did like the Crate & Barrel Small Ramekins, which have a petite 5.5-ounce stated capacity. I also quite liked the slightly bigger 6.8-ounce Staubs. But it was the middling-capacity ramekins, ones that held around six ounces, that were the most useful when it came to cooking desserts. The Denby ramekins clocked in at 5.75 ounces, which was on the smaller side, but still close enough to six ounces that soufflés rose nicely and the baked eggs didn’t swim in the bowl. The Dowan ramekins were spot on at six ounces, making them great for crème brûlée and other recipes. 

Height was almost more important, though. Taller ramekins, like those from Emile Henry, encouraged a lofty rise on soufflés. The Williams Sonoma Pantry Ramekins were too short, a mere one inch tall, with a wider opening that was less versatile and more prone to spillage. That said, they’d probably be fine for making crème brûlée, which requires a wider surface area for the sugar crust. 

Thicker Ramekins Had Runnier Results 

Enameled stoneware isn’t a great conductor of heat—a better one would be aluminum or stainless steel. What enameled stoneware is good at is heat retention—so the mac and cheese you baked in an enameled stoneware casserole dish will stay warmer for longer than one cooked in a metal pan. So, it made sense that the thicker stoneware ramekins, like those from Le Creuset and Emile Henry, had softer final cooked results: The soufflés were still quite gooey in the center, and I had to bake the eggs for a few more minutes until the whites were set. This wasn’t a huge deal, though, since it was truly mere minutes of extra time in the oven. 

A Note on Materials 

If you take a gander at the materials of the ramekins I tested, you’ll notice an array of terms: porcelain, stoneware, and ceramic. (Earthenware is another material, though none of the ramekins I tested are made of it). The use of all these terms can be confusing, so I’ll break it down: Ceramic is a catchall term for clay pottery, so a ceramic item can be made of porcelain, stoneware, or earthenware. These materials are varied: Stoneware is less porous than other clays, making it heavier and more durable. Porcelain is also made of a specific type of clay called kaolin that’s fired at high temperatures, resulting in a non-porous, glassy product; it’s chip-resistant, too. Earthenware is more porous than stoneware and porcelain, which makes it cheaper and less durable. All of my favorite ramekins are made of hardy clays; the only ones that I’m unsure about are the Emile Henry ramekins, which are listed as “ceramic” without any further specification. 

Most Ramekins Were Great

When push comes to shove, any ramekin will likely serve you well. While I have some things I prefer (like larger capacities, taller sides, and thinner walls), in the end, everything I made in the ramekins turned out just fine. I’d go by how you use ramekins when choosing a set. If you frequently use ramekins to make desserts, then classic, capacious ones from Dowan or Denby might be good. If you like to use them for snacks or to serve food like ice cream, perhaps consider a larger ramekin, like those from Staub or Emile Henry. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Ramekin

A good ramekin should be at least 5.5 ounces in capacity, which makes it versatile for a variety of recipes and uses. Look for ones that are at least two inches tall; any shallower and stuff spills over. Foods cooked in thicker ramekins needed more time in the oven, but only a few minutes. Bonus points were given to ramekins that stacked nicely. 

Our Favorite Ramekins 

What we liked: These classic-looking ramekins baked up lofty soufflés and perfectly set jammy eggs. They stacked nicely, too, and the ribbed sides made them easy to grip with tongs when I removed them from the water bath. These are a great option if you’re looking for chic ramekins that make everything look elegant. 

What we didn’t like: I can’t think of anything, but if that changes, you’ll be the first to know. 

Key Specs

• Height: 2.12 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.75 inches
• Weight: 7 ounces
• Stated capacity: 6 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.25 inches
• Materials: Porcelain
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, microwave-, and oven-safe

What we liked: Denby is known for its durable, quality pottery made from Derbyshire clay. And these cerulean blue ramekins sure are stunners. They have a nice weight to them, and the tapered sides make them easy to stack. Soufflés rose nicely, and the egg en cocotte’s white was nicely set, while the yolk remained silky. These also make for great snack bowls. 

What we didn’t like: These are a smidge on the smaller side. They’re also pricey.  

Key Specs

• Height: 2 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.75 inches
• Weight: 7.7 ounces
• Stated capacity: 5.75 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.25 inches
• Materials: Stoneware
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, oven-, freezer, and microwave-safe

What we liked: These stocky ramekins stack neatly, thanks to an inset bottom rim. They’re the heaviest ones I tested at nearly 10 ounces and are made of durable stoneware. Elegant and timeless, these are great ramekins for serving desserts or making a handful of snacks feel special. 

What we didn’t like: Since they are a little thick, the soufflé and eggs en cocotte took longer to cook, but only by a few minutes. 

Key Specs

• Height: 2.25 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.5 inches
• Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Stated capacity: 6.75 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.5 inches
• Materials: Stoneware
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, oven-, broiler-, and microwave-safe. 

What we liked: This set of four breaks down to a little over $3 per ramekin, making them one of the more affordable sets I tested. While petite, the tall sides encouraged a good rise in the chocolate soufflé, and the egg en cocotte was perfectly cooked. The classic white porcelain with ribbed sides makes these a shoo-in for serving French desserts, like pot de crème or crème brûlée.

What we didn’t like: These were the smallest ramekins I tested, though the taller sides made up for it. Crate & Barrel does sell a larger, taller, 9.5-ounce set.

Key Specs

• Height: 2.9 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.5 inches
• Weight: 6.1 ounces 
• Stated capacity: 5.5 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.25 inches
• Materials: Porcelain
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, oven-, broiler-, freezer-, and microwave-safe. 

What we liked: These were on the larger side with a 6.8-ounce capacity, making them versatile—they are great ice cream bowls! The chocolate soufflé was airy and tall, while the egg en cocotte looked surprisingly fulsome considering the ramekin’s bigger size. They are hefty and made of durable vitreous glass porcelain.

What we didn’t like: These look more like small bowls than ramekins and have a larger capacity that might not work with some recipes. 

Key Specs

• Height: 2.5 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.75 inches
• Weight: 8 ounces
• Stated capacity: 6.8 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.5 inches
• Materials: Vitreous glass porcelain
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, oven-, freezer-, and microwave-safe. 

What we liked: These elegant ramekins were the tallest ones I tested, with a 2.75-inch height and petite 3.25-inch opening (a quarter-inch smaller than most of the other ramekins). This made them excellent at baking tall soufflés. They’d be nice yogurt cups, too, and a pot de crème or posset would look spiffy in them.

What we didn’t like: The tall form factor won’t work for things like crème brulée, which need more surface area for the crackling sugar top. That said, the ramekins made nice and tall soufflés. They’re also a tad thicker, so foods took longer to cook in them. 

Key Specs

• Height: 2.75 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.25 inches
• Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Stated capacity: 6.75 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.5 inches
• Materials: Ceramic
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, oven-, broiler-, and microwave-safe. 

The Competition 

• HIC Kitchen Souffle Ramekin Set: These basic ramekins were totally fine, though I’ve had some for a few years and they do chip. They also don’t nest. 
• Casafina Modern Classic Ceramic Ramekins: These are pretty, modern ramekins. However, their rounded bowl-like shape and smooth finish made them slippery.
• Williams Sonoma Pantry Ramekins: While everything cooked up fine in these, they were quite shallow, which limited their versatility. 
• Anchor Hocking 6-Ounce Glass Custard Cups: These performed totally fine in my tests (though the chocolate soufflé was more cooked than in other ramekins). They stacked neatly, too. My only qualms were they were slippery and not the prettiest. 

FAQs

What is a standard ramekin size?

The ramekins’ capacities I tested ranged from 5.5 ounces to seven ounces. I think around six ounces is the sweet spot that’ll serve you well for both cooking and snacking. 

What material is best for a ramekin? 

As I mentioned in the review, most ramekins are ceramic. Subdivide that further, and most of the ones I tested were either porcelain or stoneware. Both are made of durable, non-porous clay. Earthenware, on the other hand, is cheaper, more porous, and likelier to break. Glass is another material, and like ceramic ramekins, it performed well in my tests. 

What can you make in a ramekin? 

Ramekins are versatile little cups that are great for making individual desserts—think possets, crème brûlée, pot de crème, flan, etc. They’re also good for other individual dishes, like eggs en cocotte, little pot pies, or even single-serving frittatas. I like to use my ramekins for snacks and ice cream, too—they hold the perfect portion. 

Why We’re the Experts 

• Grace Kelly is a senior editor at Serious Eats where she specializes in testing kitchen gadgets. 
• She’s been testing kitchen gear for nearly four years. 
• She’s worked as a prep cook, bartender, and journalist. 
• For this review, Grace tested 10 ramekins by making soufflés and eggs en cocotte. She also noted if the ramekins stacked easily and if they were durable and easy to clean. 
• She uses ramekins to hold snacks and scoops of ice cream.