Two Years Later, This $14 Gift from My Mom Is Still the Best Thing in My Kitchen (It’s So Versatile!)

If there is one thing that’s consistent about my Christmas list every year, it’s that there’s always at least one kitchen-related item on it. Over the last several years, I’ve been trying to build up my bakeware collection beyond ceramic baking dishes and loaf pans, which I have plenty of. So, instead I asked my mom for a set of classic white ramekins, thinking that they would be perfect for making crème brûlée — something I hadn’t attempted before because I didn’t have the right vessels for it.

A couple of years after she gifted them to me, I still love having my beautiful, classic Le Tauci ramekin set in my cabinets. As it turns out, I never even ended up making crème brûlée with them, but I have found a myriad of other uses for these sweet little bowls that have made them an extremely valuable asset in my kitchen. And did I mention how affordable they are? They’ve paid for themselves a hundred times over!

Whether you actually are planning to make sweet, crispy, custardy crème brûlées soon or are in need of a versatile set of little bowls, Le Tauci’s Ramekin Set is an affordable and pretty option. You will, of course, get six ramekins in this bundle, but you can decide how big you want them to be and what color works best for you. I personally have the 4-ounce ones in white. Once of my favorite things about them is that they have a classic look, with the ribbing around the outside and smooth lip at the top. That said, if you want something that offers a pop of color, you can go for the red or blue version.

These ramekins are also totally safe to use throughout the kitchen. By that, I mean you can pop them into a hot oven, toss them into the microwave, and even put them through your dishwasher instead of scrubbing them. Even though I received these as a gift, I would’ve definitely purchased them myself considering that each bowl costs about $2.

I may not have used these for what I originally intended (never say never!), but I have found this set to be incredibly useful in my kitchen. My favorite way to use them? As little ice cream bowls! I love putting a couple of scoops of vanilla into these ramekins, squeezing a little chocolate sesame sauce on top, and topping it off with some sprinkles. These bowls not only look so cute holding my ice cream sundaes, but they are also easy to grip due to the texture.

Beyond that, I also love using these bowls for kitchen prep. I’ll have them store cut-up veggies and my own seasoning blends, and I’ll place butter inside to melt it in the microwave. Plus, they’re super handy for reheating small portions of pulled chicken, ground turkey, and other leftover meats the next day. Of course, they’re also great for baking single-serve desserts. They also fit in Our Place’s Wonder Oven with the included baking sheet, so that’s a really nice benefit when I don’t want to go through the whole to-do of using my full-size oven. 

I’m actually shocked by how often I use these pretty ramekins for tasks beyond baking — and I’m even more surprised by how budget-friendly they are. Now that I have them, I truly couldn’t (and wouldn’t want to) imagine my kitchen without them. They’re the perfect small gift for yourself or anyone else, regardless of whether they’re avid home chefs or not! There’s no question that they’ll actually use and appreciate this set.

Buy: Le Tauci Set of 6 Ramekins, $13.97 (normally, $17.99)