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Best baking sheets

What are the best baking sheets to use?

Honestly, the best baking sheets for me are the simple and inexpensive Nordic Ware. These are found at Walmart. I use the Member’s Mark brand at Sam’s Club as well. I see no difference at all between these two brands. Both bake identically and feel and look the same.

My best baking sheets are NordicWare.NordicWare baking sheets come in three sizes

They must be good sugar cookie sheets. They have tens of thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon alone!

Don't take my word for it though. See for yourself what the eight best baking sheets of 2022 are, I'm pleased to share: Best of 2022

These baking sheets are heavy-duty, commercial-grade aluminum. Therefore, they do not warp. They bake my sugar cookies evenly with no browning on the bottoms (such a pet peeve of mine).

If you are wondering if they will fit in your oven...

-full sheets measure 26" x 18" and fits at least 15 average-sized cookies

-1/2 sheets measure 18" x 13" and fit 12 average-sized cookies comfortably

So yes, your oven (if it's a full-size one) will hold either pan nicely.

As far as a bread rack, the 1/2 sheets work great for each shelf, 2 deep.

This image shows 1/2 sheet baking pans fitting a bread rack comfortably.I store my pans upside down when not in use.

The full baking sheets do not fit well. The pans are a bit too narrow for the shelf braces and sideways are too long. However, I will use them like these when needed when I bake sugar cookies. (See how I save time and effort.)

The image depicts full baking sheets being too large for a bread rack.

I’m not saying that these are the very best baking sheets on the market, though perhaps they are. But for someone just starting a sugar cookie business, or a conservative (that’s me 😊), I don’t know why you would want anything else.

There is just one caveat, however.

I prefer to use parchment paper with these.

Not only does parchment allow for easy clean-up, but it also helps the cookies bake evenly, either of these pans can leave a minimal amount of aluminum residue on the washcloth when washing them. 

As long as the sugar cookies are protected from that, I’m okay with them with parchment between the pans and cookies.

Best baking sheets…a few of my experiences

As first a professional cake decorator, I bought Fat Daddio pans. I fell in love with them. I still won’t consider using any other brand for my cakes.

Since I was so happy with them, I ordered a couple of the anodized Fat Daddio ones for my sugar cookies, thinking these would be the best baking sheets.

This image shows two of Fat Daddio baking sheetsFat Daddio baking anodized sheets

Heavy duty? Check.

Non-warping? Check.

Big? Check.

Why was I disappointed?

Because I was used to the cheaper pans that did not turn the bottoms of my baked sugar cookies brown.

No matter the tweaking on the oven temperature (I had a brand new oven then) and time baking the cookies, they left me with less than perfect results, including doughy middles at times.

If you have read in other places on my site, like How to Bake Sugar Cookies, then you see I do not use a cooling rack with the Nordic Ware pans. However, with the Fat Daddio pans, I did and still got the brown bottoms.

I also did not like that there are no sides except one side having the ‘handle’ part. Though this was my fault because I knew that but didn't think ahead. I faithfully use parchment paper. Without the sides, the cookies and paper wanted to slide off the pan when transferring from the oven. Eeek!

The idea with no sides is two-fold. First they allow for air to flow more freely into the cookie. Second, they give room to get your spatula in under the cookie. If you have read How to Bake Sugar Cookies (link above), you'll see that part doesn't matter to me.

I invested $60 with shipping for the two baking sheets at the time, so I was not thrilled.

I tried another name brand for $30, Pampered Chef. It was quite small with no sides. I still was not happy. They are definitely not the size for a sugar cookie decorator with a business!

I tried another expensive brand for $40 a sheet but again, it left the cookies with a brown bottom (and bumpy on their bottoms).

Perhaps I'm just a fanatical perfectionist about it, lol!

At that point, I gave up. I now stick with my trusted Nordic Ware and Member’s Mark which I've used for years. Why throw good money after bad? I just stick with what works...

My favorite and best baking sheets for cookies are NordicWare (from Walmart) or Member's Mark (from Sam's Club).

Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet, 2-Pack, Silver

Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet, 2-Pack, Silver
9.5/10 WeCookier's Golden Cookie Award!
Check Price
  • Naturals commercial bakeware is made of pure aluminum which will never rust for a lifetime of durability. For sweet or savory baking; from cookies to sheet pan dinners, this is the pan youll reach for.
  • Foods bake and brown evenly due to aluminums superior heat conductivity. Reinforced encapsulated steel rim prevents warping and adds strength.
  • Compatible with parchment paper or silicone baking mats if desired. Easy clean up; hand wash recommended.
  • Pan exterior dimensions 17.9 x 12.9 x 1 inches and interior dimensions 17.1 x 12.1 x 1 inches.
  • Proudly made in the USA by Nordic Ware
  • Aluminum is reactive to acidic ingredients such as vinegar and tomato products. These foods may darken, pit or corrode the pan after prolonged use.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

Will I ever switch from my best baking sheets?

I do see now that Fat Daddio has heavy-duty aluminum baking sheets with sides, ½ sheet size. These are not anodized (but neither are the cheaper store brands I bought).

What does anodized mean?

In simple terms, it means the pans have been put through a process to cover them so the aluminum does not corrode, making the pans very durable, therefore usually the cost is more.

They will need to be hand-washed as well. Anodized also means they are non-stick.

That's why I love to bake cakes and cupcakes in them!

I do think the company is very good. I’m willing to test those. I just placed an order for one through Michael’s for $16.99 with $6.95 shipping. That's a  fair price. I will write a professional review for you later.

For right now though, the best baking sheets I have tried and used are the Walmart and Sam’s store brands.

Hope that helps!

Now back to How to Make Professional Cookies


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