When it comes time to bake your grandmother's famous holiday cookies, or you want to try that new cookie from the New York Times cooking department, you want a cookie sheet you know will perform. When you look at your cookie sheets, do they make you feel excitement for baking? We didn't think so.
Let's find the best baking sheets by using the options on our list. They're reliable and offer something for everyone. Plus, we've answered a few questions you may have about how to choose and what to expect. Choosing is difficult, so keep reading to sort it all out.Best Pick
Checkered Chef Baking Sheet with standard sizes and compatible cooking racks, this two-pack levels up your baking and roasting with professional results.
Budget Pick
Nordic Ware Baking Sheet with their natural aluminum and excellent construction provide a reliable baking and roasting tool that won't break your wallet.
Quick Comparison: Top 10 Best Baking Sheets
1. Checkered Chef Baking Sheet and Rack Set
The Checkered Chef set features a lightweight aluminum baking sheet with traditional edging and a matching cooling rack. When you combine them, you get an easy way to roast veggies and meats quickly while letting drippings fall and air circulate around each piece.
The pans are aluminum layers designed to withstand heat and clean up easily. They're dishwasher safe and measure 18 by 13 inches. They have a generous lip to allow you to stir foods a bit during cooking and the sloped edges give you some leverage to drain off liquids.
The cooling racks feature 100% stainless steel, an ultra-strong construction that won't warp during cooking. They heat up a little more slowly but hold temperatures steady during cooking. They measure 17 by 12 inches and nestle into the pans for roasting.
Why You'll Love It
The combination baking sheet and the cooling rack is a convenient partnership, allowing you to expand the types of dishes you can make. The aluminum is lightweight but resists warping even at high temperatures thanks to the generous lip for structure.
The crossbar on the baking sheets also helps resist warping by providing extra support across the width of the rack. Stainless steel is a long-lasting material that heats up more slowly, but the rack provides the perfect amount of heat and air circulation.
The two-pack of standard baking sheet sizes is suitable for a variety of dishes and oven sizes. The nestled cooling racks store easily inside the pans and don't take up much space.Pros
Cons
2. Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet
Nordic Ware's aluminum baker's sheets are a light silver color with reinforced sloped edges for containing liquids. They resist warping thanks to those same edges and come in a standard baking sheet size — 16.5 x 11.38 x 1 inches of available baking surface.
They fit into most ovens and have a light coating that makes it easy to see when food is browning or finishing. The sides are less sloped, so they'll contain food just a hair better for stirring than some other types of baking sheets.
Nordic Ware's materials are top quality, and the aluminum resists warping through a reinforced and encapsulated steel rim. Aluminum offers superior heat conductivity, heating quickly and efficiently, while steel rims help slow and resist changes in shape.
The surface is easy to clean and resists rust and corrosion. You can use silicone baking mats or parchment paper for acidic foods and preserve the life of your pan.
Why You'll Love It
The two-pack is convenient, and the standard sizing with slightly straighter sides is a versatile design. The edging contains steel, a much more durable metal to help ensure you never have to deal with a warped pan again, but you don't have to sacrifice heat conductivity.
The surface is easy to clean, and you can put them in the dishwasher if you need to. The aluminum alloy is hardened to resist scratching on the surface, and it's nonporous to ensure a better cooking experience with less sticking.Pros
Cons
3. OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Cookie Sheet
OXO's baking sheet has a unique bottom construction designed to reduce sticking and increase circulation for well roasted or baked goods every time. It features a lip on one side for gripping and nearly flat edges on three sides to help slide food off when it's done.
The pan uses hardened aluminum for superior heat conductivity, and infused ceramic prevents and resists warping even at high temperatures. The coating creates a naturally nonstick surface while the ridges ensure things don't get baked on.
It measures 18.5 by 14.2 by 1.77 inches — a standard measurement for most ovens. The pan is suitable for the dishwasher, and it has a scratch-resistant surface that can stand the test of time.
Why You'll Love It
The micro-textured surface helps improve your food's overall cooking result by keeping the bottom from sticking and encouraging better airflow. The ridges aren't deep enough to create a hassle when cleaning, however.
The edges aren't truly flat. They're still reinforced to prevent warping, but OXO reduced the edge's surface to make sliding food off still possible. It's an excellent blend of function and form.Pros
Cons
4. Circulon Total Bakeware Set Nonstick Cookie Baking Sheets
Circulon's baking pack comes with two sheets in slightly larger sizes of 15 by 10 inches. The pans feature a nonstick coating that's Cadmium-free and uses micro swirls to help circulate air and temperatures.
The pans are dishwasher safe and easy to use. Reinforced edges help prevent warping even in high heat while the cooking surface gently discourages scratching, sticking, and stains. Heavy gauge steel also resists warping and cooks to an even, sustained temperature.
Cleanup is simple, and the pans can last for a long while. Extra-large lips give you some stirring capability but still qualify as a baking sheet for crisp baked goods.
Why You'll Love It
Nonstick surfaces are convenient and help make cooking a snap. The swirls work alongside the coating to ensure you never have another stuck cookie while driving heat throughout the bottom of whatever you're cooking.
The pans are sturdy and feel well balanced in your hand. They produce beautiful roasted foods and crispy cookies with minimal effort. The construction is a little bigger, so you can accommodate bigger servings with more food.Pros
Cons
5. Rachael Ray Nonstick Bakeware with Grips
Rachael Ray blurs the line between the traditional baking pan and baking sheet here with extra generous grips on either side. The pan uses heavy gauge steel to prevent warping and hold temperatures steady while the traditional nonstick coating provides a simple yet effective cooking surface.
Rubber grips on the sides ensure your hold is secure, and it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to roast larger items besides just simple veggies or bake cookies. It's safe to 500 degrees, and a portion of sales proceeds goes towards Rachael Ray's nonprofit.
It measures the size of a standard baking sheet at 10x15 inches but be sure you account for lip clearance before you settle on this one for your oven.
Why You'll Love It
This pan is a darker metal, so it will cook faster, especially for cookies and quick roasting. The nonstick coating works well to prevent foods from sticking, but there are no ridges to catch food.
The corners are gently sloped and won't capture grease, while the slightly taller sides help ensure you have enough space to stir (gently). The pan supports Rachael Ray's primary mission: helping parents and children develop healthy relationships with food.Pros
Cons
6. Circulon Nonstick Bakeware Set, Nonstick Cookie Sheet
Circulon's nonstick bakeware set uses a steel construction to withstand high heat without warping. If you're hesitant about roasting on stainless steel, the ridges will encourage thorough heat circulation while discouraging sticking.
The lips are taller and straighter, so you won't lose liquids over the side or get things caught in the corner. Lighter color may help smooth out potential scorching while the utensil-safe surface won't scratch or chip.
The handles are wide enough for a good grip but won't interfere with your oven's available size in most standard cases. This set offers two different sizes — 9x13 and 10x15.
Why You'll Love It
Circulon's reputation is stellar. They use reliable and long-lasting materials to create a naturally stick-resistant surface with a warp-resistant construction. The pans are dishwasher safe, and you should be able to clean the ridges by hand fairly quickly.
The grips are generous, and the sides provide some protection for stirring or shifting contents. Plus, they're scratch resistant even when you end up using metal utensils.Pros
Cons
7. Wildone Baking Sheet with Rack Set
This baking sheet set comes with three different sizes of pan — 16 x 12 x 1 inch, 12.25 x 9.65 x 1 inch, and 9 x 7 x 1 inch — and three compatible cooling racks for a fun set that completes most of your baking needs. They use pure stainless steel for warp resistance to ensure that you can handle those high roasting heats.
The sides are deep and full to help contain your cooking juices or to allow you to stir or rotate foods more safely.
The cooling racks double as roasters with excellent air circulation and a steel band that runs their lengths to prevent warping. A mirror finish is suitable for ensuring stick resistance, but you may have to adjust your cooking times to account for the light finish and stainless steel. They're a tough set.
Why You'll Love It
These are dishwasher safe, scratch-resistant, and highly durable. They won't chip or wear away with regular use, and they're both dishwasher safe.
Speaking of easy to clean, these options are some of the most straightforward options to stay looking great because the surface is so scratch resistant. If you do end up with oil staining, you can really get in there to restore the surface without ruining your pan.Pros
Cons
8. Nordic Ware Prism Eighth Baking Sheet
These options from Nordic Ware are durable cooking tools. Natural uncoated aluminum is lightweight and excellent for heat conduction. There are no surface materials that can scratch or chip off into your foods.
The ridges at the bottom help create a naturally nonstick surface that helps circulate air around your food when roasting or baking. It's safe up to 500 degrees and extra rigidity across the bottom to prevent warping.
It fits most standard ovens and is the perfect miniature sheet pan for side dishes and smaller meals for one or maybe two. This is an adorable way to throw in some extra veggies or make smaller desserts.
Why You'll Love It
The simple texture of the bottom of the pan helps reduce the amount of sticking and encourages better roasting results for vegetables or a nice crispy texture for cookies. The extra small size also helps it maintain compatibility with your oven situation no matter what you have. Toaster oven and RV oven owners will love this option.
Pros
Cons
9. Joho Baking Sheet Pans Cookie Sheet
This bakeware set includes both standard baking sheets and a deeper cooking pan to provide flexibility. The golden color is a nontoxic, nonstick coating designed to make roasting and baking a little easier to clean up.
The baking sheets are standard sizes, and the deeper baking pan gives you those tall sides you need for stirring or adjusting foods. They won't warp in the oven under high heat, and they're dishwasher safe.
The materials are durable and long-lasting, while the reinforced edges help the pan resist warping even during cooking. These are reliable and straightforward. You get two 10x13 baking sheets, and the baking pan is 9x11 inches.
Why You'll Love It
Extra-rounded corners don't capture grease or liquids, and it's much easier to get in them to clean. The set includes standard sizes of pan, and the deep baking pan is a nice touch for the set.
This set makes a great gift set because of the beautiful gold tone and the different sizes in the set. Weddings, new homes, or any other occasion — these will never disappoint.Pros
Cons
10. Chicago Metallic Professional Non-Stick Cooking/Baking Sheet
The Chicago baking sheet provides you with an extra-long surface for cooking multiple things at the same time. You'll need to ensure that it fits into your oven, but if it does, it's worth it.
The standard gray finish heats well and cooks evenly while the nonstick surface discourages scorching and helps release food. Heavyweight carbon steel is suitable for multiple types of cooking and resists warping.
Small lips give you some grip and prevent liquids from rolling over the sides. The material is dishwasher safe, and it's big enough for a traditional jelly roll ( a dealbreaker for some of you reading this).
Why You'll Love It
Honestly, it's a unicorn for some cooks because the length is excellent for full-sized desserts, but the width won't block the door of your oven. It allows you to separate foods for sheet pan meals or cook extra-large batches of typical desserts.
The sides are easy to clean, and the rolled lip provides a good grip even with oven mitts. The nonstick coating is long-lasting (no utensils, please), and it cleans just as well in the dishwasher.
Pros
Cons
Things to Consider Before Buying A Baking Sheet
Before you decide on your perfect baking sheet, you should consider a few different aspects. Your decision is more than just size. There are quite a few factors to think about.
Baking Pan Versus Cookie Sheet
These terms are used interchangeably in everyday speech, but they aren't exactly the same. Baking sheets have rims to prevent juice or other run-off from falling over the sides of the pan, while true cookie sheets have a lip on the short side and flat edges on the other.
Cookie sheets allow you to slide cookies from the pan without disturbing their shape and allow maximum air circulation around whatever you're cooking. Baking sheets sometimes have no lip or roll at all.
How to Choose The Right Baking Sheet
Here are the elements to think about as you choose your baking sheet.
Material
All serious cooks have metal preferences, but if you don't know your aluminum from your copper, it's not a big deal. Most baking sheets are either aluminum or aluminized steel, making your choice pretty simple.
Aluminized steel is a more durable material and more expensive, but aluminum itself is lightweight, allowing you to load the pan down and not feel as much weight. Remember that acidic foods can react with aluminum, so you'll need parchment paper in those cases.
Finish
The finish is a matter of personal preference. A nonstick finish is easier to clean, but it wears out over time and is difficult to work with once it gets scratches or chips.
A regular finish will require some preparation before you place your food or dough for cooking. Nonstick pans sometimes have a darker finish than regular, so you'll need to adjust the cook times to account for the difference.
Construction
Most cooking sheets are the same — either layers of aluminum or treated aluminum with steel. Some baking sheets are insulated, meaning they have a layer of air between the two sheets of metal.
Insulated sheets have a gentler heat, making it easier to bake delicate deserts without affecting the shape or rise. They can take a long time to preheat as a downside, so they aren't necessary if you're baking standard dishes and desserts.
Rim Or Rimless
Here's another matter of preference. Rimmed baking sheets are versatile, allowing you to cook a variety of things besides cookies. The rim keeps oils and juices inside the pan, and you can stir the food for maximum heat circulation without things sliding off.
Rimless sheets tend to cook things slightly faster and give you the chance to slide your food onto a cooling rack with minimal disruption. Your choice will depend on the types of dishes you think you'll be cooking most often and your cooking style.
Size
Standard sizes are the easiest to work with because they fit into most ovens and hold a decent amount of food.
If you often cook for more than just a small group of friends or family, extra-large baking sheets provide enough cooking surface for a main dish and sides or enough cookies for everyone to have their fill. This may not work if your oven doesn't have space.
Extra small baking sheets are excellent for switching out between the oven and your toaster or convection oven. They also work to stick in with other things for smaller side items or roasting ingredients that will go into a separate dish.
Other Features
Baking sheets have a reputation for warping, so look for a design that helps resist it. A heavy gauge metal can help resist warping and make it so much easier for you to manage. The
Thickness is measured by "gauge," but the smaller the gauge, the thicker the metal. 18 gauge is the minimum we recommend, but you could go up to 14 or 12 for heavy-duty baking sheets. If your sheet is completely flat, something on the lower end like 12 to 10 will work to prevent warping even without the support of a rolled edge.
What are The Advantages Of Baking Sheets?
Baking sheets allow you to cook things more quickly with a crispy outside finish by circulating the maximum amount of heat and air around the food. They're a necessity for any kitchen and expand what you can do for dinner or dessert.
Baking sheets are useful for maintaining the shape and consistency of delicate desserts as well as things you need to take out before they're fully cooked through. For example, cookies are difficult to remove from a standard pan but slide off the side of a cookie sheet.
Heavy gauge cookie sheets are hard to warp and hold up over time to the high temperatures required of a lot of dessert baking. As opposed to nonstick versions, regular pans are also easy to clean and hold their finish over time.
What are The Downsides Of Baking Sheets?
There aren't many downsides, but if you don't have quality material, they'll warp. You may get talked into purchasing insulated pans at a higher price, but this isn't necessary. Just ensure that you have a heavier gauge of metal — for flat pans, the heavier, the better.
You'll need to ensure your baking sheet will fit into your oven. Some baking sheets come in nonstandard sizes that won't fit. And if your baking sheet is square instead of a rectangle, you'll have to be especially careful.
Baking sheets don't offer much space to stir or baste foods. Their circulation is excellent, but foods that require constant agitation or stirring could fall over the side of baking sheets (even with a lip). These are best for foods set to bake or roast without much intervention.
How To Use (And Clean) Your Baking Sheets
These are designed to withstand the high heats of roasting and baking, but always check the manufacturer's recommendations for the individual pan's max heat. If you notice that your pans pop while in the oven, you may be pushing the limits for heat tolerance.
Nonstick options don't require any oil or prep, but regular surfaces will benefit from a coating of oil before going into the oven. Be careful using metal utensils because many baking sheets are not compatible with removal in that manner.
Cleaning your baking sheets will always be better with hand-washing, even if they're dishwasher compatible. Your pan's surface can require some care in maintaining, but many of the pans on our list are dishwasher safe in a pinch.
If you have baked-on grease, a little baking soda (not for nonstick surfaces) can gently remove those baked-on stains. It's always best to clean the pan as soon as you can to prevent rebaking the same stains further into the surface.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buying and caring for the best baking sheets is pretty straightforward, but these are some common questions we get about them.
- Are baking sheet dishwasher safe? — It depends on the manufacturer and the material, but many of today's baking sheets can go in the dishwasher. To help your sheet last longer, we still recommend hand-washing most of the time.
- What causes baking sheets to warp? — Cheap thin metals are reactive to high heat. When you put in something to roast on 475 degrees, the heat expands the metal in odd spots causing it to warp. Choose something with a thicker gauge and double layers to prevent this.
- How do I restore my baking sheet? — Browning on baking sheets is common, but if you sprinkle baking soda and pour peroxide onto the sheet and allow the foam to sit for a while, you should be able to get those baked in oil stains off. If it's a nonstick coating, there's no reviving it once it chips or cracks.
- Are baking sheets toxic? — Nonstick coatings catch a lot of flack, but recent studies show that common nonstick coatings are fine. Copper and aluminum won't leach enough into your food to cause damage, either. Replace your baking sheet once it starts to crack or chip, however.
- Why should I line my baking sheet with parchment paper? If you're cooking acidic foods, they'll react to the metal. If you're baking with other things, parchment paper helps keep foods from sticking and preserve the surface of your baking sheet for much longer.
- Can I unwarp my baking sheet? — If the warping is minimal, you can heat up your pan on low for about ten minutes. Remove it and cover it with a towel on a flat surface. Tap the pan with a mallet to help smooth out warps, increasing pressure if it doesn't budge. Use caution.
- When should I replace my baking sheet? — If your sheet's surface is severely chipped or scratched, your cooking experience is only going to get more frustrating. Also, major warps and dents are not worth keeping.
Final Thoughts
Choose the most professional option or our budget choice, but the end results will still get you quality food with less hassle. The best baking sheets clean up well and ensure a long life of performance that can withstand some experimentation.
Choosing the right baking sheet gives you so many choices for weeknight dinners and spoiling guests and family with great deserts. Whether you're looking for a set or a nonstandard size, our options will help ensure you have the tools you need.
Baking sheets in different sizes are an excellent option for cooking flexibility. Add one of the options from our list, and you'll have some flexibility and creative inspiration for cooking, baking, and sharing with family and friends.