What Temperature to Bake? A Clear Guide for Perfect Results Every Time

When you’re trying to figure out what temperature to bake at, it really depends on what you’re making. Most baked goods turn out best somewhere between 325°F and 350°F.

This range helps your food cook evenly while creating the right texture and color.

If you want to speed things up or get a crispier crust, try 375°F to 400°F. Lower temps give you softer results, while the higher ones help with browning and those nice crisp edges.

Knowing the right temperature can save you from undercooked or burnt food. Adjusting your oven heat lets you control how your dish turns out, whether it’s bread, cake, or cookies.

For more on baking temperatures and why they matter, check out oven temperature guides like this one from BāKIT Box.

Essential Baking Temperatures

You need specific temperature ranges for different baked goods to make sure they cook evenly and all the way through. Knowing these ranges helps you adjust for your oven and your recipe.

Standard Oven Temperatures

Most baking falls into three main temperature zones. A slow oven is 250–300°F (120–150°C), great for gentle cooking or warming.

A moderate oven sits around 350°F (180°C), which is what you’ll use for cakes, cookies, and quick breads. A hot oven is 400°F (200°C) or higher, often used for crusty breads and roasting.

Preheat your oven fully before baking. That way, your baked goods cook as expected.

Try not to open the oven door a lot; it lets out heat and messes with your baking time.

Common Temperature Ranges by Recipe Type

Different baked goods need different temps, depending on their texture and moisture. Here are some common ranges:

• Lean-dough breads: 190–210°F (88–99°C) internal temperature. Bake at 375–425°F (190–220°C) for a crusty outside.
• Quick breads, muffins, biscuits, scones: Shoot for 200–205°F (93–96°C) inside. Usually bake at 350–375°F (175–190°C).
• Cakes and cupcakes: Usually bake around 325–350°F (160–180°C). Internal doneness is about 200–205°F (93–96°C).

Stick a thermometer into the center of your item to check doneness. This helps make sure you get the texture you want and that it’s safe to eat.

Adjusting for Convection Ovens

Convection ovens have a fan that circulates hot air, so food cooks faster and more evenly. When you use a convection oven, lower your regular temperature by 25°F (about 15°C).

If a recipe says 350°F for a regular oven, set your convection oven to 325°F. Also, watch the cooking time—it’s usually about 25% shorter.

Convection can help with browning and getting a nice crust. But for delicate baked goods like cakes, it might dry them out if you’re not careful, so keep an eye on things.

For more on these temperature guidelines, see this Ultimate Oven Temperature Guide.

Factors That Influence Baking Temperature

A few key things can change the temperature you need when baking. Altitude and climate definitely matter, and so does the kind of pan you use.

Adjusting for these factors helps you get even cooking and the best results.

Altitude and Climate Effects

If you live at a high altitude, you’ll need to tweak your baking temperature and time. At higher elevations, air pressure drops, and water boils at a lower temperature.

Moisture evaporates faster, so you might want to bump your oven temp up by 15-25°F (about 8-14°C) to help things cook through. You may also want to cut the baking time a bit to avoid drying things out.

If you’re in a low humidity climate, dough and batters dry out more quickly. Try adding a little extra liquid or lowering the oven temp by 5-10°F to help keep moisture in your recipes.

Pan Materials and Thickness

The material and thickness of your baking pan actually do a lot to determine how your food cooks. Dark metal or thin pans soak up heat fast, so the edges of your brownies or cakes might get ahead of the center.

Light-colored or thick pans bounce heat away and slow things down. You might find yourself nudging the oven temperature up a bit if you’re using a heavier or lighter pan.

Got a non-stick pan? It’s smart to drop the temperature by about 25°F so things don’t get too brown too quickly. Glass pans are a bit tricky—they hang onto heat longer, so you’ll also want to lower the oven temp by 25°F.

Pan Type	Heat Conductivity	Temperature Adjustment
Dark Metal	High	No change or slight reduce
Light Metal	Medium	Increase slightly
Glass	Low	Reduce by 25°F
Non-stick	Medium	Reduce by 25°F

Tweaking for your pan type makes a real difference. It’s the little things that keep your cookies from burning on the edges or coming out raw in the middle.