How to Remove Brownies from Pan

When I first started baking, I would bake my brownies and start scooping out bites with a fork – right from the pan. When it came time to remove the rest of the batch, I took a spatula and went to town. Of course, my brownies looked like a crumbly mess by the end.

Trying to get your brownies out of the pan shouldn’t look like an episode of WWE. If you’re constantly struggling with your brownie’s departure, it’s likely an issue of lack of preparation. 

Make sure to grease and line your pan before baking. If you want to remove brownies from the pan without a mess or disaster, all you need to do is a bit of prep work. Greasing, flouring, and using a liner is the greatest way to achieve brownie removal greatness.

If it’s still stuck, heat the pan and use a rubber spatula or knife to remove them.

Hey! My name is Michelle, and I love brownies! Ooey-gooey delicious brownies are great whether it’s a weeknight treat or served with ice cream and toppings for a special occasion. Either way, getting brownies out of the pan is an important step in brownie consumption.

Let’s bake and remove some brownies, chefs!

3 Best Ways to Remove Brownies from Pan

Ok, don’t panic. While there are multiple steps for removing brownies from the pan, they are not difficult. In fact, you can add these simple steps into your normal brownie baking routine without skipping a beat. Let’s take a closer look.

1. It Starts With the Right Pan

Getting brownies out of the pan easily starts with proper preparation. You need to use the right size and material, and make sure the pan it’s greased, coated, and lined correctly. 

Have you ever tried baking brownies in different pans? I have. And each pan rendered different results. The glass pan had a lot of sticking, while the metal pan did swell. So what pan should you be using?

Non-stick and metal pans are your best option for baking brownies. They will produce less stickiness, thus making your brownies easier to remove. Don’t worry if you only have a glass pan, though. There is a way to reduce stickiness no matter what pan you’re using.

Keep reading.

2. Grease, Grease, Grease!

No, I’m not talking about the movie. (Unless you want to talk about the movie, then comment below!). No, instead, I am talking about thoroughly greasing your brownie baking pan. It doesn’t matter if it’s nonstick, metal, glass, or even a disposable foil brownie pan.

It is critical to grease your pan before any other steps. You can use a cooking spray, butter, shortening – anything you have on hand or prefer to use. 

Then, sprinkle the bottom of the pan with flour or cocoa powder. Both will serve to reduce stickiness and allow for better brownie removal. The bonus of using cocoa powder is that you will add to the delectable chocolate flavor of your baked treats.

Shake off excess flour or cocoa powder into the sink. There shouldn’t be so much that it impacts the texture, flavor, or anything else regarding your final product.

3. Line the Pan

I know what you’re thinking – I still have to line the pan? Yup, you do. Why? Because even with ample greasing, there is still room for sticking. Not only that but lining the pan will make it infinitely easier to simply pull your brownie block right out of the pan.

What kind of liner should you use? Well, parchment paper is always a baker’s fave. But you’re not limited to parchment paper. Aluminum foil can also work wonders.

Leave a bit of “extra” liner, so you have something to grab onto and pull when your brownies are done baking.

Keep in mind, lining the pan isn’t exactly essential. If you don’t have any in your cabinet, don’t panic. Just make sure you grease a bit more. Know that it might be a bit more challenging to remove brownies.

4. Bake and Let it Cool

While proper pan preparation is key to brownie departure success, the cooling process is the next thing to concern yourself with. Let your brownies cool for approximately 30 minutes before you try to cut them. Otherwise, you will have difficulty removing them from the pan.

Yes, I know, 30 minutes is a long time to wait, especially with the decadent chocolate aroma wafting through the air. But it is 100% essential for victory.

But don’t just leave your brownies on the counter and hope for the best. Here’s a nifty trick that can help you remove your brownies: set the hot pan on top of a cold towel. The cold towel will encourage the brownies to break away from the pan, allowing you to remove them quickly. Win!

When they’re cooled down, grip the liner and simply pull the brownies out from the pan. 

If you did not use a liner, then work a rubber spatula gently around the edges of your brownies. Then, simply flip the brownies upside-down onto a plate.

5. Heat it Up 

So you’ve greased, lined, and cooled, but nothing seems to be working. What now? Are your brownies destined for the garbage bin? Not yet.

Sometimes, it’s as easy as heating your brownie pan. Don’t stick it in the oven, though. Turn your stovetop on very low heat and place the pan on top. You will only need to heat it for a few minutes.

The grease will warm up and allow the brownies to slip and slide right out.

Doing this will allow the greaser, whether butter, shortening, or another agent, to moisten and allow the brownies to slide out with ease.

6. Pry it Out

When all else fails, you can always resort to prying it out. However, do so gently. You’re trying to avoid a crumbling mess, not create one.

I suggest using a rubber spatula to remove stuck-on brownies. Maneuver it around the edges of your brownies to try and “loosen them” off the pan. When you start making some progress on the sides, slip the spatula underneath to help pick them out of the pan.

You can also use a knife if you don’t have a rubber spatula on hand. It can still work, but a knife is obviously less pliable than a rubber spatula. So, you might not get the same great results that the spatula can provide.

Note: This trick works best right after warming up the brownie pan. So, use tip #5 before trying this, if possible.

Bonus Tips: What to Do With Crumbly Brownies

If you tried everything but ended up with crumbled, lifeless brownies, don’t throw them away! Just because they’re not “aesthetically pleasing” doesn’t mean they can’t still be utilized. There are many ways to use brownies aside from the traditional bite-sized treat. 

Here are the top three ways to use them:

• Ice Cream Topping – Grab a bowl of your favorite ice cream and add some crumbled brownies on top, or toss the ingredients in a blender with some milk to create an out-of-this-world milkshake.
• Brownie Pops – Brownie pops are like cake pops, only better. Try them the next time you’ve found yourself with a crumbly brownie disaster!
• Cheesecake – If you prefer a more sophisticated dessert, consider making a cheesecake using your crumbled brownie pieces.

FAQs

Removing brownies from a pan is a cinch when you have a properly greased pan and a good liner. Still have some prying questions about brownie removal? Keep reading to find out the answers.

What is the easiest way to remove brownies from a pan?

The easiest way to remove brownies from a pan is to grease the pan heavily and place a liner on top. Leave a few extra inches of the liner so you have something to grip onto for removal.

How long should brownies cool before removing them from the pan?

The longer, the better, but 30 minutes minimum. This works best for those using a liner. If you’re not using a liner and rely on grease alone, you might have to heat the pan once more to remove the brownies.

What to do if you forgot to spray the brownie pan?

While this is a big no-no, don’t worry. You can stick the brownie pan inside a larger bowl filled with hot water. Let the brownies sit for a few minutes and try to remove them.

Why are my brownies sticking to the pan?

You likely did not grease the entirety of the pan or use a liner. However, you may also have used the wrong type and size of pan for brownies. 

Final Thoughts

Brownies may have notoriously stuck to the pan in the past, but now you know how to combat this sticky situation and remove brownies from the pan with ease. Just make sure you grease heavily and line the right size and type of baking pan for the best results.

How do you remove your brownies from the pan?

I have been a lover of sweets since day one. This led me on a self-taught baking journey starting at the age of 13. It's been over 10 years since the start of my baking adventures, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. Now, people rave about my delectable treats, whether it’s a chocolate cake or a strawberry crepe.