<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> I've been using the Weight Watchers cooking spray for baking; as far as I can tell it's gluten-free, and it works really well. It bakes on like heck to any surface that isn't covered by batter, but eventually scrubs off if you need it to be off -- I've kind of given up on that since I spend so much time in the kitchen already! I have been using Crisco (I haven't called for awhile to make sure it is GF since I've had this can so long. I'm not certain if the butter-flavored is GF.) Anyway, you definitely don't want to use butter on the pan...it will burn. And that French bread recipe is so low fat that SOME grease needs to be used to prevent sticking. If you prefer no Crisco, maybe you could use GF extra virgin olive oil. Also, whether a pan is shiny or black makes a difference on sticking and burning. I developed the strategies below over the last 15 years of gluten containing bread baking and have transported them into my gf bread baking. Here's what I do. 1. Always grease bread pans unless specifically instructed not to. I use a spray (PAM) for convenience, but butter, shortening or oil work well also. 2. Be sure to cook the product fully. I have found undercooked bread more likely to stick to the pans. 3. Use good quality metal bakeware. I have some with a coating (not Teflon or siverstone or anything like that) that really helps prevent sticking. I think it's called Bakers' Secret and I bought it at Caldors (a chain store like K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Bradlees ...) 4. Keep baking pans scrupulously clean. When baking more loaves than I have pans, each pan is completely cooled and washed before it is used for the next batch. 5. For breads baked on a cooky sheet (like hamburger or hot dog rolls), try sprinkling corn meal on the cooky sheet before shaping the dough for the last rising. I have never tried this with GF breads, but it works great with the rye bread I used to make (it was my signature recipe -- sometime I'll have to try a gf version). I use Dole Pineapple cans, the small ones, I also use Bette Hagman's cookbooks. I cut the bottoms out and I use Pam olive oil spray to grease the cookie sheet and also the cans, then I put the cans on the cookie sheet, it makes about a dozen great buns. I always grease my bread pans and also sprinkle a little corn meal in the pan before spreading the batter. You may want to invest in a high quality commercial type bread pan. I find they bake a better loaf. For the bun rings, I either use the large size tuna cans or have my husband cut the bottom and top off the large size (48oz) tomato juice cans. It's a lot cheaper than buying rings especially to make a dozen or so buns at once. I spray it or grease it with shortening, pour in the batter. When it comes out of the oven, sometimes I take it out of the pan immediately and lay it on it's side to cool. Sometimes I'll leave it in the pan awhile and lay it on it's side, but I think it tends to get mushy in there. I've not had any problem with it sticking. Old tuna cans greased make good hamburger buns too. I've even baked a little dough in an old soup can. If it comes out good, you get cute little round slices when cut. Check around and see if you can find a "pan release" product at the market that is safe for your crew. I recently discovered "Professional Crisco Pan Release" - it is *wonderful*! (soy oil, soy lecithin and propellant - no water, no alcohol). Nothing sticks anymore - even the gloppy dried fruit candies that I make from time to time! I let stuff cool in the pan for a few minutes, then pop it out. Most all bread pans need to be greased (shortening works well) before the dough/batter is placed in the pan. After placing the dough/batter in the pan, cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap that has been greased on one side. The greased side will go facing down into the pan. The plastic wrap will keep the dough from drying out and the greased part will keep the dough from sticking to the plastic wrap if it rises that high. After baking the bread, remove from the oven and sent the pan on a wire cooling rack on it's side for a few minutes. By doing this it allows air to flow to the bread and also to the pan bottom. After 5 - 10 minutes in this position, the bread should come right out for complete cooling on the wire rack. I like the use of air cushioned loaf pans for making GF breads. They allow the bread to bake nicely but without burning. These pans are a bit expensive but well worth the cost. They are made up of baking sheets that have a cushion of air between 2 layers of metal that makes up the baking pan. The use of round cookie cutters work just as well and are lots cheaper. They come in all sizes and can also be bend to oval shapes easily. If children in a family on a gluten-free diet, use different shaped cookie cutters to make special rolls. Sorry it's not really a summary but it's the best I can do with the time I've got. Karen, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada [log in to unmask]