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It can be difficult to tell the difference between the traditional ramekin and the custard cup. You may also see a third variation, the pudding cup. These different cups are often used interchangeably, and they are all made of several different materials and sizes. What is the actual purpose of each? Or, are they simply different names for the same thing? Well, ramekins and custard cups are actually different, but the difference is quite slight. This slight difference is, however, important. Read on to find out the difference between the custard cup vs ramekin.
🍮 The Quick Verdict: Custard Cup vs Ramekin
- Ramekin: Straight sides (essential for souffles to rise), usually fluted ceramic.
- Custard Cup: Flared/sloping sides, often glass or smooth ceramic.
- Can you swap? You can bake custard in a ramekin, but never bake a souffle in a flared custard cup!
Pudding cups, not to be confused with ready-made Snack-Pack pudding you buy in the grocery store, are relative newcomers and are just small bowls for setting and serving pudding. This makes them no different than any small serving bowl, and since a custard cup can be used for the same purpose, there is not much more to say about them.
Ramekins
The ramekin, or ramequin, comes from the German word rahm, which means “cream” — it is unsurprising, then, that the ramekin is a dish traditionally used for foods made of cream or cheese. There is a Dutch dish called ramkin that is made almost entirely of cheese.
This function is seen in European cooking, in France, and even in England. Probably the most important function of the ramekin is for making souffle, or souffle-like dishes. The dishes are made of stoneware, porcelain, or oven-proof glass.
Custard Cups
Custard cups, as the name implies, are small cups used for baking custards. The cups are usually placed in a water bath or bain-marie to apply more gentle but constant heat to the custard.
Like ramekins, they are made of stoneware, porcelain, or oven-proof glass. Some custard cups are wider than they are tall, and others are taller than they are wide. There are no rules as to how they must be shaped.
Both Ramekins and custard cups come in small to large sizes, ranging from 4 ounces up to 8 or even 12 ounces. You may find large sizes of either, but both names are reserved for small vessels or “cups,” not large baking dishes.
Although you may find a very large ramekin for sale, there comes a point where a ramekin becomes a soufflé dish. A soufflé dish will look like an extremely large ramekin.
Both ramekins and custard cups are used for baking individual portions. Generally, one cup, or 8 ounces, is considered large. After this, soufflé dishes skip to quart-size, in general.
Quick Comparison: Custard Cup vs Ramekin
| Feature | Ramekin | Custard Cup |
| Shape | Straight / Vertical sides | Sloping / Flared sides |
| Material | Usually Glazed Ceramic | Glass or Smooth Ceramic |
| Best For | Soufflés, Crème Brûlée | Pudding, Flan, Prep |
| Exterior | Often Fluted/Ribbed | Often Smooth |
| The “Soufflé Rule” | Allows batter to rise upward | Batter will spill/collapse |
| Feature | Ramekin | Custard Cup |
| Shape | Straight / Vertical sides | Sloping / Flared sides |
| Material | Usually Glazed Ceramic | Glass or Smooth Ceramic |
| Best For | Soufflés, Crème Brûlée | Pudding, Flan, Prep |
| Exterior | Often Fluted/Ribbed | Often Smooth |
| The “Soufflé Rule” | Allows batter to rise upward | Batter will spill/collapse |
The Key Differences: Custard Cup vs Ramekin
Ramekins usually have a fluted design on the outside, but also come with other designs. Ceramic custard cups may also come with a fluted design, or they may be smooth on the outside. Glass custard cups may be plain or decorative.
While custard cups have flared sides, ramekins have straight sides. The straight sides of a ramekin allow a soufflé to rise properly. This is the most important difference between the two. It also means that although you can use a ramekin as a custard cup, you don’t want to use a custard cup to bake a soufflé. Just about anything can be baked in a ramekin.
Crème Brulee is one of the desserts most often baked in a ramekin. Since a Crème Brulee, no matter how fancy it may seem, is basically a baked custard, you have to wonder why anyone needs “custard cups.” Most of us don’t have the space, money, or desire to have a large range of both ramekins and custard cups.
Many souffle recipes for individual portions may not specify a particular size, but simply instruct you to divide the batter evenly between the cups. Many recipes may call for 4oz, 6 oz, or 8 oz cups.
If you bake a lot of different custards, souffles, mini casseroles, cheesecakes, etc., then you may want to have a range of sizes. If you need to choose between custard cups and ramekins, though, the ramekin is probably the way to go. It can be used for any purpose but is suited for souffle, which are very particular and tricky.
🍢 Beyond the Bowl While ramekins are perfect for individual portions of baked sides, some grilled sides require a different set of rules. If you’re stepping away from the oven and heading to the grill, make sure you’re using the right metal skewers for your kebabs so your meat actually stays put.
What Size Ramekins Should You Have?
This is one of the most confusing issues cooks have with ramekins. There are so many different recipes mentioning different sizes or no sizes at all, and so many different sizes of ramekins. But who wants to have a full set of four different-sized ramekins? Well, for most recipes, you can easily choose between 4-ounce and 6-ounce-sized ramekins. Even 8-ounce sizes may be fine. For souffles, cooks generally fill the cups all the way to the top or leave around an inch or a little less space.
So, the problem is that if you have a recipe that calls for filling six 8-ounce cups and all you have is six 4-ounce cups, you will have leftover batter.
In other words, what is generally more important is having enough cups to divide all your batter or other ingredients into so you don’t have to try to adjust recipes to suit the amount of space you have. This could be very difficult to do properly.
When choosing sizes, it is probably best to go for a smaller size, and simply make sure you have a large enough set of ramekins to suit most purposes. Ideally, a set of 4-ounce and a set of 6-ounce ramekins would be best, but if you can only choose one, I would suggest that a set of 6-oz is the best “all-around” choice.
🛠️ The Cook’s Third Hand Every pro knows that a ramekin is the secret to organized prep, but the right pair of kitchen tongs is the secret to actually managing the pan. Now, you don’t need to click them 3 times and whisper, “There’s no place like home.” It may be fun to click them twelve times and scream “It’s Raw!” like a Gordon Ramsay manic crab. But more importantly, avoid the cheap versions that “lock” by accident in the middle of a flip. A good pair should only lock when you want them to stay closed in a drawer. Check out our guide on choosing the best kind of kitchen tongs so you can cook like a pro without the TV drama.
Pyrex Custard Cups and Ramekins
Pyrex custard cups and ramekins are relatively inexpensive and durable options. You probably already have some Pyrex baking dishes in your kitchen. You can buy custard cups and ramekins made from the same durable clear glass, safe for ovens, microwaves, and the freezer.
What if I Hardly Ever Use My Ramekins?
The trouble we often have when buying such things as ramekins is that we decide we want to make a certain recipe, maybe individual cobblers, bread puddings, or even individual souffles, and we think, “What if I just use them this once?” No one wants to spend money on a kitchen item that they hardly ever use.
Well, ramekins are actually very useful in the kitchen. A good set is very durable. They can be used in the oven and the microwave. You can use them to heat individual portions of leftovers. You can put them in the dishwasher. You can even freeze them. You can love them and hug them and call them George.
🥕 Prep Tool Essentials: Using ramekins for your mise en place makes cooking smoother, but your prep is only as fast as your tools. I don’t want to make anyone cry, but don’t fall for the Jamie Oliver trap of thinking a Y-peeler is “quicker” just because he can do it in 2 seconds; if it feels awkward in your hand, it’s just a way to lose a fingernail. So, it might be time to rethink how you’re choosing a vegetable peeler that actually works for you.
The Secret Best Use for Ramekins: Prepping Like a Pro
Before I purchased a set of ramekins, I was always needing bowls to put my ingredients in as I was prepping. I would have my minced garlic, onions, and other ingredients, and I’d end up putting them in little plastic storage containers, on small saucers, or in large bowls that were too large for the purpose. I didn’t have any “small bowls” comparable to a ramekin.
Then, once I got the ramekins, they ended up getting a lot of use because I used them constantly when I was preparing meals for the minced garlic, chopped onions, spice mixtures, etc. that I needed to have ready. The “mise en place“, if you will.
🧑🍳 Kitchen Pro Tip
👨🍳Want to master the art of the professional kitchen? Well, despite what the TV chefs tell you, there is more to Mise en Place than placing your ingredients in little bowls. See how restaurant professionals truly use mise en place to make the kitchen a well-oiled machine (and you can too). And, don’t listen to Mark Bittman, what a maroon!
Ramekins For the Win!
Of course, you can use ramekins simply as individual serving vessels for anything, such as pudding, or even for a side dish that you want to have truly “on the side.” Anything that you can bake in a large dish can also be baked in a ramekin, and everybody loves to get their own dish.
If you would usually make a big dish of bread pudding, then you can make individual bread pudding. If you would usually make a large casserole, then you can make individual casseroles. And, of course, you can make individual pot pies. So, if you purchase ramekins and only use them once, don’t blame it on the ramekins! Honestly, in a head-to-head custard cup vs ramekin bout, the ramekin wins by a knockout.
Essential Prep Tools
| Tool | Why You Need It | Guide |
| Graters | For that perfect layer of cheese or zest atop your bakes. | Choosing a Grater |
| Measuring Sets | Because precision is the difference between a soufflé and a pancake. | Best Measuring Tools |
| Pastry Brushes | The only way to properly grease a ramekin for a perfect rise. | Pastry Brush Guide |
