My Favorite Piece of Le Creuset Cookware Is Just $22

I’ve been fixated over Le Creuset ever since my college friend received a French press as a graduation gift, or maybe it was after my brother called “dibs” on the family Dutch oven before I could walk (being the youngest is tough). Le Creuset cookware, prized for its durability and heirloom quality has always been something to be coveted. It has also always been expensive. 

But it doesn’t have to be. While I have a Dutch oven and love it, my favorite piece of Le Creuset cookware is one I bought this year. In fact, I love it so much, and the price was so low — just $22 — I ended up buying two of them. (Fun fact: If you say the product name fast enough and only slightly incorrectly, it sounds like a Prince song). 

Mini Round Cocotte 

Time and time again, I’ve been surprised by how versatile Le Creuset’s Mini Round Cocottes are. I originally bought one as a salt cellar, and it does the job wonderfully. How can something that is simply holding salt perform wonderfully? Maybe it’s because it looks like a miniature of the Dutch oven on the stovetop next to it combined with the satisfaction I get from opening and closing the lid of that mini Dutch oven every time I need to season. 

But it’s not just a great salt cellar, and I got tired of having to dump my salt into a bowl while I used it for other things (why I have two of them now). Since it’s made with glazed stoneware that’s oven-safe up to 500°F, it’s also a great baking dish. With an 8-ounce capacity, I can make a mini apple cobbler, a mug brownie, or even just use it as a serving bowl. You know the miniature helmets at baseball games with ice cream? This cocotte is essentially that, and I swear, a scoop of vanilla, a swirl of whipped cream, a drizzle of fudge, and a handful of sprinkles never looked or tasted so good. 

While these stoneware miniatures come in 23 colors — I personally own the artichaut and the Marseille, two classics — Le Creuset also has variety of special designs and materials, so much so that I already have more on my wishlist. There’s one that is actually made from enameled cast iron for $95 and there’s one that looks like a little pumpkin, which is just perfect as decor and as a baking dish. 

But it doesn’t stop there: There’s one with a flower lid, one with olive branches adorning the lid, option, and one with a Christmas-themed lid with a star as the knob on top. The Eiffel Tower ones are also fantastic. 

This is all to say, you don’t have to spend over $100 to get a timeless piece of Le Creuset cookware. In fact, you only have to spend $22. 

Shop More Le Creuset Mini Cocottes: 

Eiffel Tower Mini Cocotte

Noël Themed Mini Cocotte

Mini Cocotte with Flower Lid

Pumpkin Mini Cocotte

Olive Branch Collection Mini Cocotte

At the time of publishing, the price was $22.