What should I consider when buying a cookie sheet?

Most people like to bake cookies, whether for a special occasion or just to satisfy a sweet tooth. Some bake cookies on whatever bakeware they have available, but a cookie sheet is really the best utensil for the job. A cookie sheet is usually a sheet of sturdy aluminum, often with a raised “lip” on one end so it can be handled with ease. Since cookies, unlike cakes or brownies, do not have to rise to fill a pan, sides are not necessary.

One of the first things to consider when buying a cookie sheet is size. How big a cookie sheet should a shopper buy? That may depend on the size of the oven. Some small apartment stoves have narrow ovens, and a large cookie sheet will not fit all the way inside. It’s never a bad idea to measure the length and width of the cooking rack if you have a smaller stove.

Some cooks find a jellyroll pan, that is, a baking sheet with shallow sides, to be good for baking cookies. This may be a lifesaver for larger or heavier cookies that might slide off a regular cookie sheet. A jellyroll pan’s shallow sides do not interfere with how the cookies bake.

A cookie sheet may be aluminum, coated with a non-stick finish or “insulated.” An insulated cookie sheet has two layers of aluminum, with air in between. This helps ensure golden-brown, not burned, bottoms. However, the cook needs to remember that insulated bakeware of any kind should never be immersed in water for cleaning. Rather, it should be washed by hand and spray-rinsed. Otherwise, water could seep in through the seams in the metal, ruining the pan.

A cook should always have more than one cookie sheet. Cookies are rarely baked in a single batch, and a second, or even third, cookie sheet can help a cook bake multiple batches more efficiently. Quality and size usually determine the price of a cookie sheet. A medium cookie sheet may cost anywhere from 5 to 25 US dollars (USD), depending on maker and quality. The cookie sheet can serve many functions in a kitchen, and the wise cook will make sure to have one around.

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