Baking Temperature Conversion Chart (Gas Mark, °F, °C)

If you have ever opened a British or Australian recipe and found it calls for gas mark 6, you know how confusing oven temperatures can be. Gas marks, Fahrenheit, and Celsius all describe the same heat in three different languages. This chart translates between all three so you can follow any recipe with confidence, wherever it came from. The values below are the established conversions used by test kitchens and cookbooks. Keep in mind that every oven runs a little differently, so treat these numbers as reliable starting points rather than exact promises.

How to Use This Chart

Find the temperature your recipe gives you in any one column, then read across to the units you need. If your oven dial shows gas marks but your recipe is in Fahrenheit, match the two and set the dial. Always give the oven a full 10 to 15 minutes to preheat so it reaches the target before food goes in. Baking times in recipes assume the correct temperature, so an oven that runs hot or cold will change your results more than a small dial adjustment ever could.

The table below groups the temperatures most bakers reach for by what they are making. Ranges are given because a lean sourdough and a soft sandwich loaf are both bread but bake very differently.

Fan (Convection) Oven Adjustment

A fan oven circulates hot air, so it heats food faster and more evenly than a conventional oven at the same setting. If a recipe was written for a conventional oven, reduce the temperature by about 25°F (15°C), or drop one gas mark, when using fan or convection mode. For example, a cake at 350°F (180°C) conventional becomes roughly 325°F (160°C) fan. Start checking a few minutes before the stated time, because fan ovens can also shorten baking times.

• Buy an inexpensive oven thermometer and place it on the center rack. Many home ovens are off by 25°F (15°C) or more, which is enough to under-bake a cake or burn cookies.
• Preheat fully. Set the temperature, then wait until the thermometer confirms the oven has reached it before loading your bake.
• Bake in the center of the oven unless a recipe says otherwise, so heat surrounds the food evenly.
• When any dish contains chicken, such as a chicken pot pie, the oven setting matters less than the internal temperature. Cook until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), the USDA safe minimum, measured with an instant-read thermometer.
• Treat recipe times as guides. Rely on visual and doneness cues (golden color, a clean skewer, an internal temperature) rather than the clock alone.

What is gas mark 6 in Fahrenheit and Celsius?

Gas mark 6 equals 400°F, which is about 200°C. It is a common setting for scones, pastry, and hot pies.

Do I need to change the temperature for a fan or convection oven?

Yes. Reduce the conventional temperature by about 25°F (15°C), or drop one gas mark, and start checking your bake a little earlier than the recipe states.

Why do my bakes brown faster than the recipe says?

Most likely your oven runs hotter than its dial claims. Confirm with an oven thermometer, and avoid placing pans too high, where the top heat is strongest.

What temperature should I bake a dish that contains chicken?

The oven is usually set around 375 to 400°F (190 to 200°C), but the key is doneness: the chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) per USDA guidance.

Is gas mark 4 always 350°F?

Yes, gas mark 4 is the standard equivalent of 350°F, or 180°C. Some charts round the Celsius figure slightly, but 180°C is the accepted value.