14 Ways of Upcycling Gu Ramekins

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If you love Gu puddings just as much as we do then you may also have a cupboard full of empty little glass pots. They are very sweet and often seem like they will come in handy for *something* although I’m not always entirely sure what. This post takes a look at some of the ways you can start upcycling Gu Ramekins.

I have a massive sweet tooth and while I love cooking baking isn’t really my forte. This means we often end up buying puddings to have as a treat, usually on a Friday night in front of Gogglebox.

As I’m always trying to be more environmentally friendly, I really don’t like throwing things away that could potentially be used at some point. And I think that’s how I ended up with a cupboard full of Gu ramekins.

I do occasionally throw a few into the recycling when we get too many, but at the same time, I do have to admit they have their uses, and lots of them too.

14 Ways of Upcycling Gu Ramekins

Hopefully, this post will give you lots of ideas for upcycling Gu ramekins and making use out of them around your home.

1. Upcycling Gu Ramekins: Fill Them With Snacks

This is probably the most obvious use for these little glass ramekins but filling them with snacks is an easy way to make use of them.

While they might be a little bit small for crisps, they are perfect for olives, nuts, habas fritas, Bombay mix and other nibbles. I most commonly use them when I have friends over for drinks and we want a few little bits to snack on.

Plastic pringles lids actually fit perfectly over the ramekins (although be aware it’s not a tight fit) but it’s perfect if you want to cut down on using cling film as the lids can be used over and over again.

2. Condiments & Dips

Gu ramekins make an excellent sized dish for serving any type of condiment, whether it’s ketchup, mayo, sweet chilli, barbeque or any other type of sauce.

You could also fill them with dips such as hummus, sour cream or salsa. Perfect for dipping nachos, pitta bread and vegetable crudites.

3. Tealight Holders

Gu Ramekins make excellent tealight holders. You could even jazz them up with some glass paint. Or you could use other items from around your home to decorate them such as burlap and lace. Lovely tutorial for that here. 

This could be a great thrifty way to make centrepieces for a wedding too.

4. Rice Mould

Want to make your curry look a bit fancier? Gu Ramekins are the perfect size for using as a rice mould. They could also be used for moulding other foods such as mashed potatoes or diced vegetables.

5. Make Creme Brûlée

If you making homemade Creme Brulee then you’ll need ramekins and the Gu glass ramekins are perfect for this purpose. My absolute favourite is Baileys Creme Brulee which I will definitely be attempting to make sometime in the near future.

6. Use Gu Ramekins For Growing Vegetables

Gu Glass pots are actually perfect for growing vegetables in. Whether its something simple like cress or whether you are trying to grow your own from the leftovers in the fridge, they are small enough

7. Posh Pate

I love eating Pate and somehow it always looks fancier if served in its own dish and Gu glass ramekins are perfect for this, especially if you’ve made your own pate. It’s also the perfect hack for making shop-bought pate nice if you’re serving it for a special occasion.

How To Make Melba Toast

8. Sell Them Gu Glass Ramekins

Yes, that’s right you can sell Gu ramekins on eBay and they actually sell quite well. You could also try selling them locally, such as on the Facebook marketplace if you’re worried about sending glass in the post or by courier.

9. Use Gu Ramekins As Sugar Bowls

Gu Ramekins make a lovely sugar bowl if you have unexpected guests and need to put together a little tea set unexpectedly.

10. Upcycling Gu Ramekinds: Use As A Penny Pot

We actually use a Gu glass dish as a penny pot in our kitchen. We just pop any odd pennies we find around the house in there – when you have a toddler you need to get them out of the way quick!

11. Fill With Ingredients For A Recipe When Cooking

If you making something that has a lot of ingredients, sometimes it can help to have all the things you need measured out or chopped before you start cooking. Gu Ramekins are ideal for this purpose. They are also perfect for holding sprinkles and other bits when cake decorating or baking with children.

12. Use Gu Ramekins As Tapas Dishes/Bowls

We love having Tapas, especially in the summer when we like to enjoy it in the garden with a glass of wine or two. Gu Ramekins make perfect dishes for places with lots of different Tapas items including:

• Olives
• Cooked Chorizo
• Mozzarella wrapped in ham
• Squares of Manchego cheese
• Bacon-wrapped dates
• Sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• Anchovy Fillets
• Aioli
• Churros and Chocolate dipping sauce.

13. Use Gu Ramekins For Making Chocolate Whip

Okay, so I know that making Angel Delight might seem a bit dated. But we have a toddler who tried it at nursery and loves it so we’ve made it home from time to time recently too. Gu pots make the perfect sized serving for us – one packet of Angel Delight fills three Gu ramekins so we have one each.

It’s also not just for kids. Add Baileys and double cream to make an adult-only version using this recipe. 

14. Use Gu Ramekins For Paint Pots and Crafting Activities

Gu ramekins are perfect for filling up with paint and water when children do some painting. As they are glass, extra care should be taken but so far we’ve not had any issue with using them with our daughter, possibly because she’s so focused on making a mess with the paints themselves!

They are also great for craft activities and filling up with beads, buttons, googly eyes and any other bits and pieces you might be using.

Reusing GU Glass Ramekins – Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Recycle Glass Ramekins?

Finally, you might be wondering whether you can recycle Gu Glass Ramekins. The answer is yes, they can be recycled, either by placing them in the recycling box where you’d usually put glass or by taking them to your local recycling centre

Are Gu Glass Ramekins Oven Safe?

If you’ve only ever bought cold desserts from the Gu range, you might not realise that some of their desserts need to be cooked or heated in the oven. So this means that, yes Gu ramekins are oven safe and you can use them for creating your own dishes, such as soufflés, at home.

They do get very hot in the oven though, so take extra care when taking them in and out.

Can You Use Gu Ramekins In The Air Fryer?

Yes, you can use GU Ramekins in the Air Fryer. Air Fryers work in the same way as oven but typically don’t get nearly as hot as an oven can.

Cooking in the Air Fryer with a Gu ramekin could actually help save you time and energy costs when compared to cooking in normal gas or electric oven although you may find you need to adjust the cooking time of the dish you’re making slightly.

Can You Use Gu Ramekins In The Slow Cooker?

Yes, you can use GU Ramekins in the slow cooker. There are lots of recipes for making dishes such as creme brulee and creme caramel which a Gu glass ramekin would be perfect for.

Can You Put Gu Ramekins In The Freezer?

Yes, Gu Ramekins are completely safe to put into the freezer. Most other types of glass ramekins should also be fine to freeze.

If using a glass ramekin to freeze a liquid, such as a sauce or stock reduction, don’t forget to leave some room for it to expand as it freezes.

Can Gu Ramekins Be Recycled?

If you really don’t want to try any of the ideas above, you can be GU glass ramekins in your glass recycling box to be recycled by your local council.

I really hope this post has helped you with some fun ideas for upcycling Gu ramekins.