Cookbook:Baking Sheet

A baking sheet, called an oven tray, cookie sheet, sheet pan, and more, is a type of baking pan, consisting of a rectangular metal tray used to hold food items (typically cookies or bread) while baking within an oven. If it has sides, they are very low, which differentiates the baking sheet from other types of baking pan like cake pans.

A baking sheet can be accompanied by a cooling rack of similar size which the baked goods can be quickly removed to when they are done cooking.

Types

Cookie sheet

Cookie sheets are completely flat, rimless sheets specifically designed for baking cookies. They may have a slight lip to make holding the pan easier, but they otherwise have no sides. They are not suitable for cooking anything that may produce liquid while cooking, or that needs agitation.

Rimmed sheet pan

Rimmed sheet

Rimmed baking sheets have a short rim, usually around 1 inch (2.5 cm) high. The rim makes the pan easier to hold, and it is useful for containing any liquids present during the cooking process. The rim does have a slight impact on airflow in the oven, which can affect the consistency and browning of baked goods like cookies.

Materials

Baking sheets are available in non-stick materials, but these tend to overbrown cookies on the bottom before thoroughly cooking them. To avoid this, professional bakers use more evenly conductive materials, such as heavy-gauge stainless steel, covered with a sheet of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to provide a non-stick effect without altering the sheet's effectiveness. Many consumer alternatives, such as insulated aerobake sheets, are also available, which will cook more slowly but with similar effectiveness.

Standard sizing

In the United States, rimmed sheet pans can be found in the following standard sizes:

Whole sheet: 26 x 18 inches (66 x 46 cm)
Half sheet: 18 x 13 inches (46 x 33 cm)
Quarter sheet: 13 x 9 inches (33 x 23 cm)
Eighth sheet: 9 x 6.5 inches (23 x 16.5 cm)