Pie Pan Sizes – The Ultimate Guide
Round, shallow, and slope-sided with a flat or fluted rim, pie pans come in a variety of sizes.
Finding the right-sized pie pan is important so that you can adjust the amount of ingredients accordingly and know how many people you’d be able to serve.
So, what are the best pie pan sizes? Pie pan sizes range from 8-12 inches in width and 1-2 inches in height. The most common pie pan size is 9 inches wide and most pie recipes are made to fit perfectly inside it. You can, however, tweak your recipe to fit other pie pan sizes as well.
Read on to find out more about the different pie pan sizes, how to measure a pie pan, how many people each size serves, how to convert recipes, and much more:
How To Measure A Pie Pan
Sweet or savory, pie is always a favorite for creating a warm and homey atmosphere. While it is very important to get the recipe right for creating the perfect pie, it is just as important to get the right quantity.
You wouldn’t want too much pie and have leftovers since it is best consumed fresh, and neither would you want to run out before everybody had a chance to eat it.
The size of a pie pan will determine how big your pie will be and affects the results you get when baking it. Therefore, it is important to choose the right-sized pie pan for the perfect-sized pie.
When measuring a pie pan, there are two main factors: depth and width. Here’s how you can measure each!
How To Measure The Depth Of A Pie Pan
Depth refers to the height of the pie pan and can be measured using two common methods. First, keep the ruler completely vertical and against the edge of the pan to measure straight up.
Second, you can place the ruler in the center of the pan and place a flat straight edge across the top. Measure from the center of the pie pan to the straight edge.
The second method ensures that the ruler doesn’t bend at all and provides the exact depth, whereas the first method provides a close estimate.
Standard pie pans are 1 to 1.25 inches deep, while some are 1 to 1.5 inches deep. Such pie pans are also called deep-dish pie pans and can hold large pie recipes.
They ensure that the flavors do not escape and that the pie has adequate moisture.
This happens because the center of the pie has a lower temperature and, thus, lower exposure to evaporation. It does, however, take longer to bake in deep pie pans as it takes longer for the heat to penetrate to the center of the pie.
Shallow pie pans, on the other hand, are suitable for baking small pies that would otherwise burn in a deep pie pan as hot air circulates freely in a shallow pie, browning it much quicker.
Shallow pie pans also allow the pie to bake quickly and more evenly. However, since they have a higher exposure to heat, they tend to get dry.
How To Measure The Width Of A Pie Pan
The width refers to the circumference of a pie pan and indicates how big it is. To measure the width of a pie pan, take a ruler and place it on one side of the pan on the inside edge, across the middle to the opposite sides inside edge.
This will give you the size of the pie pan and the size of the pie you’ll be baking in it. Most of the time, the recipe you are following will tell you which pie pan size to use.
For instance, to bake a mini pie, a 6-inch-wide pie pan should be good. However, if you want to make a bigger pie, you may use a 9-inch-wide pan or even bigger.
If your pie pan is bigger than what the recipe states, some parts of the pan will be left exposed resulting in quicker evaporation. You can always scale your recipe up or down to adapt to the pie pan size you have or wish to use.
Types Of Pie Pan Sizes
Pie pans come in a variety of sizes and which one you choose depends on several factors such as the recipe and the number of servings. Some of the most common types of pie pan sizes include:
Standard-Depth Pie Pans
Standard-depth pie pans, also called conventional pie pans, are 9 inches wide and 1 inch deep. Since they don’t have much depth, they are great for baking pies that don’t require it, such as custard pies and cookie crusts.
These pie pans have the perfect depth and can hold large recipes without the pie spilling over. If you follow the recipe and proper baking practices, the pie crust will always come out crisp and flaky.
When using a standard-depth pie pan, you normally get 6 to 8 slices of pie. It can be more or less depending on how big or small the slices are.
Deep Pie Pans
Deep pie pans are larger than conventional pie pans and can hold much larger pie recipes. They can be 9.5 to 10 inches wide and around 1.5 inches deep.
Great for baking fruit pies, such as apple pies, blueberry pies, and rhubarb pies, so that the slices are denser, you get more pie crust and filling with a deep pie pan.
Mini Pie Pans
Mini pie pans, as the name suggests, are smaller than conventional pie pans and come in several different variations. Some are 4, 5, or 6-inches wide with a depth of ½ an inch.
Suitable for baking mini pies and chicken pot pies, they are great to use when you want to make different flavored pies for your guests.
You can easily get 2 to 3 slices out of a 6-inch mini pie pan and can scale down your recipe for a standard 9-inch-pan to fit into your mini pie pan.
What Are The Most Common Pie Pan Sizes?
The majority of pie recipes are written to fit a standard 9-inch pan with a depth of 1.5 inches, making it the most common pie pan size out there.
These measurements are ideal to ensure that there isn’t too much moisture inside resulting in a soggy base and that the proportions of the crust and fillings are just right.
Many pies also use the standard 9-inch pan with a shallower depth to speed up the baking process. The standard size, however, will brown the crust and also offer more crust per slice.
When purchasing a 9-inch pan, you need to double-check the measurements whether it is actually 9 inches or not.
The actual width of the pie pan can be smaller than what the label suggests, which is why you must invest in one that stays true to its word and has good reviews.
How To Choose The Right Pie Pan Size
To get the perfect pie crust, you have to be careful about choosing the right pie pan size as the wrong one could ruin your efforts. Here are a few things to consider when choosing the right pie pan size:
Pie Recipe
One of the main determining factors in choosing the right pie pan size is the pie recipe you are using. If you are making a fruit pie, we suggest using a deep pie pan. For a custard pie or pot pie, you can go with a standard-sized pie pan.
Also, if the recipe calls for 5 cups of flour and additional fruit, make sure you use a pie pan that can hold that much without overflowing or being too big to leave uncovered spaces.
Deep pie pans are perfect for larger pies, whereas mini pie pans are more suitable for personal pies. Just make sure you know the exact measurements for the recipe so that you can choose the right one.
If you are unsure, do not worry as most recipes clearly state which pie pan size to use for the best results.
Number Of Servings
The number of people you want to serve will determine how big or small the pie will be and which pie pan size to use.
For instance, if you have to feed 10 people, you will need at least 10 moderately-sized pie slices cut from a larger pie baked in a deep pie pan.
Alternatively, if you want to feed yourself only, you can consider using a mini pie pan.
Other than the number of people to serve, you also need to keep in mind their appetites. Active adults will most likely eat larger sizes than children.
However, if you have teenage boys as your guests, you may have to double up the size and portions!
Filling
The larger the pie pan, the denser and thicker the filling will be. For example, a fruit pie requires more filling than a custard pie and, therefore, a deep pie pan would be more suitable for them.
The depth of the filling will also determine how thick the pie will be. If your pie has less filling, a slice would look more like a slab. On the other hand, if you have a hearty filling, the slice will be thicker and have more depth to it.
Pie Pan Sizes And Servings
Different pie pan sizes are made to accommodate different servings of people depending on how wide and deep the pie pans are.
A 6-inch pie pan is considered a mini pie pan and is suitable for 1-2 people. Depending on how big you cut the slices, you can get around 2-3 slices out of it.
An 8-inch pie pan is bigger than a 6-inch pie pan and can serve an additional number of people.
The number and sizes of the slices will depend on several factors such as the pie filling, the thickness of the slices, and the appetite of the people you are serving.
A 9-inch pie pan is the most common size and contains around 6-8 servings. Ideal for small parties and get-togethers, you can rest assured that a 9-inch pie pan would accommodate all of your guests.
Best Pie Pan Size For A Crowd
When figuring out the right amount of pie for a large group of people, it’s a bit tricky and isn’t always as simple.
The accepted standard to serve 2 guests is to have one 6-inch pie and an 8 or 9-inch pie for every 6 guests.
You won’t have leftovers and neither would you run out. However, when serving 10, 15, or 50 people, it might complicate things.
The standard amount of pieces for every person is one slice of pie. However, if someone decides to have more than one slice, it may mean someone else has none.
Also, if the pie has a heavy filling, you may have leftovers. If it is lighter, one slice per person may not be enough. Considering the latter, you may want to calculate two pieces of pie per person.
The table below summarizes the number of medium to heavy 9-inch pies needed to serve 5 to 100 people:
Number Of People | Number Of Pieces | Number Of Pies |
---|---|---|
5 | 5-8 | 1 |
10 | 10-15 | 2 to 2 ½ |
15 | 15-22 | 3 |
20 | 20-30 | Almost 4 |
30 | 30-50 | 6 ½ |
40 | 40-60 | 7 ½ |
50 | 50-70 | 8 ½ |
100 | 100-150 | 19 |
How To Convert A Standard Pie Recipe To A Mini Pie
Since most pie recipes out there are for 9-inch pie pans, what if you need to make a mini pie?
Before we begin, you need to know that mini pies use less crust and more filling and bake in about a quarter of the time of a full 9-inch pie. Also, you can transform your 9-inch pie into 4 5-inch mini pies.
When it comes to crust conversion, most 9-inch pies with a double crust will need 2 ½ cups of flour. Since mini pies use more crust, you will need at least 3 cups of flour to make 8 mini pies with a top and bottom crust.
Next, mini pies use less filling as compared to a standard-sized pie. Most 9-inch pies require about 4 cups of filling, whereas mini pies use about 1/3 cup of filling.
Therefore, to make 8 mini pies, you will need 8 x 1/3, which is around 3 cups of filling.
Saving the most technical one for last: the baking time conversion. Pie fillings take their sweet time to cook and the best way to cook the filling for mini pies is to pre-cook it.
Cook the filling before adding it to the mini pies. If you are using fresh fruit, you may hold back some and add it once the filling has thickened for a touch of freshness.
Related Questions
Now that you know all about the different pie pan sizes, here are a few additional questions we thought you might have!
What is the best material for pie pans?
Metal pie pans, whether aluminum or steel, conduct heat much more efficiently and help yield a crispier crust.
Ceramic pans are well-insulated whereas glass pans allow you to monitor the crust while baking.
How do you clean a pie pan?
Clean your pie pans after every use once they are cool enough to handle.
Use a soft cloth, mild soap, and water to wipe them clean.
Looking for some delicious pie recipes? Here’s a great video from the folks over at Tasty!
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