The Best Cookie and Baking Sheets of 2026

A dependable baking sheet is a vital—and versatile—tool in the kitchen. Whether you're baking cookies, roasting vegetables, or cooking a frozen pizza on a busy night, a great baking pan will make your life easier.

The best baking sheets and pans withstand high temperatures, release food easily, and clean up without a fight. But which cookie sheets are up for the task, and which just aren't worth the money?

To find out, we tested the top-rated baking sheets, making seemingly endless batches of cookies, oodles of roasted vegetables, and enough frozen pizza to feed a small army. We also washed everything, noting what was easy to clean and what required some elbow grease.

After extensive testing, the Nordic Ware Baker's Half Sheet (available at Amazon for $31.50) stood out as the best baking sheet. It's lightweight, large enough to fit more than a dozen cookies, and easy enough to clean.

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Other baking sheets we tested

How we tested cookie & baking sheets

To find our winner, we tested products of various styles (rimmed, rimless, AirBake, nonstick), materials (aluminum, aluminized steel, carbon steel, steel), and sizes. We used each pan to bake frozen pizzas, sugar cookies, and mixed veggies, then scored each on size, weight, warp resistance, ease of food removal, how much effort it took to clean, and the overall experience of using the pan.

What to consider when buying a baking sheet

The worst thing you can do for your kitchen is stock it with equipment you don't like. That's especially true with baking sheets—you'll use them for everything from cookies to sheet-pan dinners.

Size

Size is an important factor in a baking sheet. When testing baking pans, we judged them by how many cookies they comfortably fit, whether a frozen pizza would fit, and, of course, whether they fit in a standard oven.

Most of the baking sheets we tested were about the size of a half sheet pan, roughly 13 x 18 inches, often with a 1-inch lip. That's a good size for most home cooks, as it fits standard ovens and stores relatively easily. Smaller quarter sheets fit less food, while full sheets, common in commercial kitchens, hold more food but don't fit in most home ovens.

Weight

While a baking sheet with a bit of weight isn't necessarily a bad thing—solid construction means it's less likely to warp—a heavy sheet is tough to hold on to. When testing, we assessed how easy it was to handle each tray with one hand and whether we could comfortably hold the sheet while transferring food to a cooling rack.

Cooking & cleanup

Throughout testing, we paid close attention to the overall experience of using each pan. Was it easy to grab? Did it hold food securely? Was baking even? After cooking, we also judged nonstick performance: How easy was it to remove food from the tray? And how easy was it to clean?

The best baking pans and cookie sheets are easy to handle, hold food securely, and, most importantly, bake evenly. After baking, food should release easily, and cleanup should be headache-free.

How to clean baking sheets

No one wants to scrub and scrub to clean a baking sheet. If you have stubborn messes on your baking pan, follow these three steps.

What you'll need

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Hot water
• Steel wool
• Soap

Step 1

First, measure 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of vinegar. Then spread the baking soda evenly over the baking sheet, pour the vinegar over it, and let them react.

Step 2

In a sink, submerge the baking sheet in hot water and let it sit for 30 to 45 minutes. Drain the sink and scrub away the grime with steel wool.

Step 3

Finally, wash the sheet with regular soap and water and let it dry.

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