Sheet pan

A sheet pan, baking tray or baking sheet is a flat, rectangular metal pan used in an oven. It is often used for baking bread rolls, pastries and flat products such as cookies, sheet cakes, swiss rolls and pizzas.

These pans, like all bakeware, can be made of a variety of materials, but are primarily aluminum or stainless steel. The most basic sheet pan is literally a sheet of metal. Common additional features that may be found in sheet pans include a lip on one or more edges to prevent food from sliding off, handles to aid in placing the pan into the oven, and removing it again, or a layer of insulation or air (air bake pan) designed to protect delicate food from burning.

Types and sizes

A sheet pan that has a continuous lip around all four sides may be called a jelly roll pan. A pan that has at least one side flat, so that it is easy to slide the baked product off the end, may be called a cookie sheet.

Professional sheet pans used in commercial kitchens typically are made of aluminum, with a 1 in (2.5 cm) raised lip around the edge, and in the United States come in standard sizes. The full-size sheet pan is 26 by 18 in (66 by 46 cm), which is too large for most home ovens. A two thirds sheet pan (also referred to as a three quarter size sheet pan) is 21 by 15 in (53 by 38 cm). A half sheet pan is 18 by 13 in (46 by 33 cm); quarter sheets are 9 by 13 in (23 by 33 cm). The half sheet is approximately the same size as mass-market baking sheets found in supermarkets, and the quarter sheet is a common size for rectangular, single-layer cakes. Other commercial kitchen equipment, such as cooling racks, ovens, and shelving, is made to fit these standard pans.