Most US loaf recipes are written for an 8.5 × 4.5 in (1 lb) or 9 × 5 in (1.5 lb) pan. Fill the pan with dough to about half or two-thirds of its depth: roughly 700 g of dough for the smaller pan and 900 g for the larger, our estimate for a typical sandwich or sourdough pan loaf.
Which pan? An aluminized steel 9 × 5 in pan for most recipes; an 8.5 × 4.5 in pan for taller loaves from smaller doughs; a lidded Pullman for square sandwich bread. Moving a recipe to a different pan? The pan size calculator compares the two pans by area and volume; it does not set the dough weight for you.
Best for most recipes
About 850 to 950 g of dough (our estimate)
Aluminized steel with a non-stick coating and a ridged base that releases loaves cleanly; the size most recipes assume.
Taller loaves from less dough
Up to about 750 g of dough (our estimate)
The 1 lb pan; a recipe written for it rises taller than in a 9 × 5.
Square sandwich bread
About 1,000 to 1,100 g of dough (our estimate)
The sliding lid bakes a square, tight-crumbed loaf for sandwiches (pain de mie).
Made by USA Pan for King Arthur
About 650 to 750 g of dough (our estimate)
The same corrugated coated pan style, sold by King Arthur: 8½ × 4½ × 2⅝ in, for a 3 to 3½ cup flour recipe.
How we know: weights and sizes are the makers' published figures, linked from each product page, and a dough range marked “our estimate” is our arithmetic on them. We do not perform hands-on testing. How we compare.
Pan sizes are the inside measurement across the top. Sloped sides make the base smaller, which is why two "9 × 5" pans can bake different loaves. Measure top length, top width and depth inside; the pan size calculator turns them into area and volume and compares two pans.
Fill the pan about half to two-thirds full with shaped dough. A lean sourdough rises less in the oven than an enriched sandwich dough, so it can take a little more. To fit a recipe to your pan, scale the dough to the weight in the table.
| Pan, inside top | Common name | Dough weight |
|---|---|---|
| 8.5 × 4.5 in | 1 lb loaf pan | about 650 to 750 g |
| 9 × 5 in | 1.5 lb loaf pan | about 850 to 950 g |
| 9 × 4 × 4 in Pullman | Small Pullman | about 650 to 750 g |
| 13 × 4 × 4 in Pullman | Large Pullman | about 1,000 to 1,100 g |
Aluminized steel and aluminum heat evenly and brown well. Dark non-stick pans brown faster; lower the oven by about 25°F if crusts come out too dark. Glass and ceramic heat slowly and hold heat; loaves may need longer and can stick. Corrugated bases help air move under the loaf and release it cleanly.
Grease even a non-stick pan lightly for sourdough, which is wetter than most sandwich doughs. Turn the loaf out after 5 to 10 minutes so the crust does not steam soft. Hand wash coated pans and avoid metal scourers.
Sourdough bakes well in a pan: shape it as a log, proof it in the pan (overnight in the fridge works well), and bake at 425°F for 45 to 55 minutes, as King Arthur bakes its everyday sourdough pan loaf. It is done at about 205°F in the center; a probe thermometer takes the guesswork out.
A 9 × 5 in pan holds up to about 950 g comfortably; for a full 1 kg, use a 13 in Pullman or split it between two smaller pans.
A long, straight-sided loaf pan with a sliding lid. With the lid on, the loaf fills the pan and bakes square, with a fine, even crumb.
Yes. Proof it in the pan and bake it at 425°F until the center reaches about 205°F, 45 to 55 minutes in King Arthur's recipe.
Keep what you own when it does the job. These are the other exact models we profile.
A 9 × 4 × 4 in lidded pan for a smaller square loaf; bake it open for a domed top.
A 1 lb, 8.5 × 4.5 × 2.75 in loaf pan of 24-gauge aluminized steel with a nonstick coating, sold by Central Milling and made by Choice.
