Common Baking Temperature Conversions: Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Gas Marks
Fahrenheit, Celsius, and gas mark equivalents for common baking temperatures, how to adjust for a fan (convection) oven, and how to check your oven is telling the truth.
The Formulas
To convert exactly: °C = (°F − 32) × 5 ÷ 9, and °F = (°C × 9 ÷ 5) + 32. So 350°F is exactly 176.7°C.
Recipes don't use exact conversions, though. British and Australian recipes round to the nearest 10 or 20 degrees, so 350°F is written as 180°C. These small differences don't matter for baking; your oven probably varies more than that.
Quick Reference Chart
These are the equivalents most recipes use:
- 225°F = 110°C = Gas 1/4 (very slow: meringues, drying)
- 250°F = 120°C = Gas 1/2
- 275°F = 140°C = Gas 1
- 300°F = 150°C = Gas 2 (slow: cheesecakes, slow-roasting)
- 325°F = 160-170°C = Gas 3 (pound cakes, custards)
- 350°F = 180°C = Gas 4 (most cakes and cookies)
- 375°F = 190°C = Gas 5 (muffins, quick breads)
- 400°F = 200°C = Gas 6 (roasting vegetables, pies)
- 425°F = 220°C = Gas 7 (biscuits, roast potatoes)
- 450°F = 230°C = Gas 8 (crusty bread, pizza)
- 475°F = 240°C = Gas 9
Fan (Convection) Ovens
A fan oven blows hot air around the food, which transfers heat faster. To get similar results, most recipes suggest setting a fan oven about 25°F lower in US terms, or 20°C lower in UK and Australian recipes (which often list both, for example "180°C / 160°C fan").
Some newer ovens adjust automatically when you choose the convection setting, so check your manual. Either way, start checking for doneness a few minutes early the first few times you bake something with the fan on.
Gas Marks
Gas marks are a UK oven scale from 1/4 to 9. Each step above Gas 1 is roughly 25°F (about 14°C). They're still used in British and Irish recipes and on some UK gas cookers. If you have an older British recipe, the chart above or our Oven Temperature Converter will translate it.
Is Your Oven Telling the Truth?
Home ovens are often 15-25°F off the temperature on the dial, and many cycle up and down by that much as they hold temperature. If recipes regularly bake faster or slower than they say, your oven is probably running hot or cold.
- Buy an inexpensive oven thermometer and hang it in the center of the oven.
- Preheat to 350°F (180°C) and wait 20-30 minutes, then read it.
- If it's consistently off, set the dial higher or lower to compensate. Many ovens can also be recalibrated; your manual explains how.
- Give your oven a full 15-20 minutes to preheat. Many "ready" signals come before the oven walls are fully hot.
Common questions
What is 350°F in Celsius?
176.7°C exactly. Recipes round it to 180°C, or Gas Mark 4.
What is 180°C in a fan oven?
About 160°C fan.