Start with a toaster-oven-sized recipe
Choose a pan that fits with the clearances required by the manual. Small-batch cookies, muffins, quick breads, gratins, and compact cakes are easier than shrinking a large recipe by guesswork.
Confirm that glass, ceramic, silicone, or metal cookware is approved for the oven and temperature.
Preheat when structure depends on it
Preheat for cakes, cookies, biscuits, bread, and other foods that need immediate heat for lift and set. Wait for the oven's ready signal, then load quickly and close the door gently.
Do not rest a pan on the open glass door unless the manufacturer explicitly designs and approves that use.
Manage top and bottom color
Begin at the specified bake rack position. If the top darkens early, verify the rack and pan before changing temperature; if the bottom stays pale, compare pan color and placement.
Rotate only when needed and safe. Opening a small chamber drops heat and can collapse delicate bakes.
Judge doneness, not just time
Check a few minutes before a full-size-oven recipe would finish. Use visual cues, a skewer, texture, or a food thermometer appropriate to the recipe.
Never taste raw batter or dough. Cool the pan on a heat-safe surface and unplug the oven when finished if the manual directs it.