Oven Baking Temperature Guide

I wrote this little guide to oven cooking temperatures, to make my life easier in the kitchen, and for you to enjoy as well!

In fact, when we cook ourselves, we’re often led to wonder at what temperature and for how long we should bake certain preparations in the oven… and it would be a shame to spoil all our preparation efforts with unsuitable baking.

Oven Temperatures: The Universal Guide

If you are cooking in the United States, your oven dial or digital display will use the Fahrenheit (°F) scale rather than Celsius (°C). While the “Thermostat” (1–10) system is common in Europe, American recipes usually specify the exact temperature or use descriptive terms like “Slow,” “Moderate,” or “Hot.”

The key to remember for conversion is that 180°C is approximately 350°F—the most common baking temperature in American kitchens.

Fahrenheit Conversion & Usage Table

Fahrenheit (°F)	Celsius (°C)	US Oven Setting	Best Used For:	Thermostat (EU)
85°F	30°C	Cool / Proofing	Rising bread dough or yogurt making.	1
140°F	60°C	Warm	Keeping food warm without overcooking.	2
200°F	90°C	Very Low	Slow-cooking meats or drying meringues.	3
250°F	120°C	Slow	Slow-roasting ribs or “low and slow” BBQ.	4
300°F	150°C	Low	Delicate cakes, cheesecakes, and custards.	5
350°F	180°C	Moderate	The standard: Cookies, muffins, and most cakes.	6
400°F	200°C	Moderately Hot	Roasted vegetables and puff pastry.	–
425°F	220°C	Hot	Shortcrust pastry, biscuits, and baked potatoes.	7
475°F	240°C	Very Hot	Roasting red meats to get a deep crust.	8
525°F	270°C	Broil (Low)	Homemade pizzas and quick browning.	9
550°F+	300°C	Broil (High)	Professional pizza ovens and searing.	10

Quick US Kitchen Tips:

The 350°F Rule: If a recipe doesn’t specify a temperature, 350°F is the “universal” setting. It is hot enough to brown the food (the Maillard reaction) but cool enough to cook the center without burning the outside.
Convection (Fan) Ovens: If you are using a “Convection” setting in the US, the air circulates more efficiently. A general rule of thumb is to reduce the temperature by 25°F from what the recipe calls for.
Broiling: In the US, the “Broil” setting uses only the top heating element. It is the equivalent of a “Grill” setting in the UK or Europe and is used for melting cheese or searing the top of a steak.