Use These 8 Pans to Shape and Bake Your Portable Cycling Snacks

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Written By Tyler Zipperer

In this post, I share a list of my very favorite baking pans and tools to shape my portable cycling snacks (all of which I use and love). These pans are versatile, high-quality, and offer great value for the money. 

I use these types of 8 baking pans more than anything else in the kitchen and highly recommend them to any Bakin’ Biker who wants to make homemade snacks to take with them on rides.

When it comes to shaping and forming snacks for your rides, it's important to note that the pans you use can make a difference in how well they hold up. I have tested many recipes using these pans for shaping my snacks while out on mountain bike rides, gravel rides, and other outdoor adventures.

Enjoy!

Baker’s Tip: For most of the recipe categories that come to mind when you think of "baking" (such as cookies, brownies, biscuits, cakes, muffins, and the like), metal is the way to go. Metal pans are great conductors of heat; in other words, they heat up quickly, but in turn, they also cool down more rapidly once removed from the heat source.

All of the baking pans in today’s list are items I own. None of this post is sponsored—truly just items I love and am happy to recommend to fellow home bakers and cyclists. A lot of these links are affiliate links. Meaning I earn a commission at no extra cost to you when you buy through the links. Purchasing items through my links helps me provide affordable, equitable nutrition and cycling programs for youth, especially those most in need.

1. 8x8 Inch Baking Pan

What I use and own: USA Pan 8x8-inch baking pan. 

My go-to pan for making bars, cakes, or blondies is the 8x8-inch baking pan. I love using the USA Pan square pan for my portable ride snacks. It has a super non-stick surface, which makes cleaning up a breeze, and it produces tidy square edges for your snacks. The pan heats quickly and bakes evenly, resulting in beautifully browned treats. It's perfect for snacks requiring less than 30 minutes of baking.

Fill this pan with these recipes for a quick and easy way to make portable ride snacks.

Then just Bake em. Cut em. Wrap em.

2. Brownie Bar Pan

What I use and own: Wilton 12-Cavity Brownie Bar Pan

If you are a perfectionist and want to make perfectly square-shaped bars, use a brownie bar tin. I frequently use this pan to make Muesli Energy Bars, Banana French Toast Cakes, and cereal bars. This pan makes 12 bars and each cavity is 2.5 in x 1.5 in. giving you a good-sized bar to fuel you for a 1+ hour ride.

Make these recipes with a brownie bar pan:

3. Quarter Sheet Pan

What I use and own: USA Pan and Nordic Ware 9x13-inch quarter sheet pan.

A 9x13-inch quarter-sheet pan is ideal for baking small batch cookies, scones, pastries, sheet pan pancakes, and forming rice cakes. And yes, all of these types of baked goods are great portable fueling options. USA Pan and Nordic Ware make solid quarter sheet pans that bake foods evenly and consistently with excellent heat distribution

Make these recipes with a quarter sheet pan.

4. Muffin and Mini Muffin Pans

What I use and own: USA Pan Muffin, USA Pan Mini Muffin Pan and Wilton Mini Muffin Pan

When you think of muffin pans, you might only think of using them to bake traditional bakery-style muffins. However, these pans can be used for much more. You can use a muffin or mini muffin pan to create round cakes, oat-based bites, and even pancake muffins, making it a versatile tool for any baker who loves to ride. So, it's highly recommended to own a couple of these types of pans for your baking needs.

Make these recipes with a muffin pan:

5. Bread Loaf Pans

What I use and own: Emile Henry Loaf Pan , USA Pan Bread Loaf Pan, and Wilton 8-Cavity Mini Bread Loaf Pan

A bread loaf pan is primarily used for baking various types of bread, ranging from banana bread and zucchini bread to sandwich loaves and other quick breads. These breads are not only delicious but also make great portable snacks. However, this versatile pan can also be used to shape granola or no-bake bars that can be cut into long or bite-sized pieces.

The 9x5-inch Emile Henry Loaf ceramic pan is of incredible quality—durable, sturdy, and warp-resistant. A 9×5-inch loaf pan is the standard size most bread recipes call for, but you can also use the 8.5×4.5-inch USA Pan loaf pan too. I own and love both sizes.

Need a quick, hand-sized loaf to take with you on a ride? A mini bread loaf pan is your answer! With this pan you can make a quick banana bread or sandwich loaf and cut them into slices to make a mini sandwich! A mini loaf pan is also a great tool to shape and bake energy bars.

Make these recipes with a bread loaf pan:

6. Waffle Maker 

What I use and own: Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker

The $30 Cuisinart Waffle Maker is not only a great companion for preparing delicious, warm waffles in the morning, but it's also perfect for making on-the-go waffle sandwich rides. The waffle maker creates pockets in the waffle that work great for spreading jams, cream cheeses, and nut butters without them spilling out.

Make these recipes with a waffle maker:

7. Whoopie Pie Pan

What I use and own: Wilton 12-Cavity Whoopie Pie Pan

A Whoopie Pie Pan is a fun and easy way to make thin cake layers that can be filled with a variety of delicious fillings. Imagine cake sandwiches made of sweet potato, banana, or chocolate with fillings like jams, nut butter, and cashew cream. 

The Wilton Whoopie Pie pan comprises of 12 cavities that are perfectly sized to make tops and bottoms for six Whoopie pies. Each cavity measures 3" in diameter and 1/2" in depth. Made of sturdy steel with a non-stick finish, this pan is user-friendly and easy to clean. Simply prepare your favorite recipe's batter, bake, cool, then pop them out of the pan to decorate with your preferred toppings or fillings.

Make these recipes with a whoopie pie pan:

Fill your whoopie pies with these recipes:

8. Miscellaneous tools

These tools are not as commonly used to shape your portable ride snacks, but they can be useful for quick or unique creations. I have used them sparingly to make my snacks.

 

Ice Cube Tray

An ice cube tray can be used to make tiny portions of rice cakes, no-bake energy bites, or other bite-sized snacks, similar to what you would use a mini muffin pan for, without the baking.

Measuring Cup

Want to make a quick leftover rice cake? Need a single serving of your favorite energy bar? A ⅓ - ½ cup-sized measuring cup is a great way to shape a single serving of your favorite portable, no-bake snack.

Rice cakes formed with a measuring cup.

Donut Pan

The idea of taking a donut with you on a ride is magical. A donut pan can help make it come true. Make perfectly round donuts with their signature hole in the middle using a donut pan. Wilton is your go-to brand for making ride donuts.

Ice Cream Scoop

Need a round, bite-sized portion snack to take with you on a ride? Reach for an ice cream scoop. Simply fill your scoop with an energy bar batter and release it to shape your snack. The ice cream scoop is also a great tool for making drop cookies.

Drop cookies formed with an ice cream scoop.

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What is Your Favorite Way to Shape and Bake Your Portable Ride Snacks?

Share your favorite ways and tools to shape your cycling snacks below. Have a favorite portable snack recipe? Share those too!

Tyler Zipperer

I’m a Squarespace designer and trainer that helps entrepreneurs and small business owners start, build and grow their website presence.

https://tylerzipperer.com
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