Favorite cookie sheet?

[daisymommy]

I'm feeling very grouchy that all my hard earned work making several kinds of cookies yesterday wasn't all it was cracked up to be. And I'm blaming it all on the cookie sheets darn it!

So, what is your favorite cookie sheet? I wish I had a subscription to CooksIllustrated.com so I could see what they like.

I suppose it could be my oven being off temp. wise too. I wonder what a good oven thermometer is.

Basically, cookies are getting done around the edges, or bottoms, but not in the centers.

[pastrygirl]

I do have a CI subscription :) , and here's what they say:

Highly rec: Vollrath Cookie Sheet
Recommended, in order: Chicago Metallic Commercial Cookie Sheet, WearEver Commercial Jellyroll Pan, Kaiser Bakeware Cookie Sheet, All-Clad Cookie Sheet

I use something like the jellyroll pan, but cheaper from a restaurant supply store or BJ's. For browning problems, they say to use parchment and not a dark/nonstick sheet. I always use parchment or Silpat, and my cookies are alway fine... but I baked cookies professionally for a while. ;)

Do you have enough space between your cookies? For choc-chip-like cookies, I only do a dozen per sheet.

Oven therm recs, in order (none are "highly"): CDN MOT1 Multi-Mount Oven Thermometer, Maverick Oven-Chek Large Dial Oven Thermometer

[daisymommy]

Aha!
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/images/document/testing/MJ05_CookieSheets.pdf

But I'd still like to know what real-mommies are using ;)

[SnuggleBuggles]

I have a Calphalon that came as part of a bake ware gift set. It's heavy and has been working well. I use a Silpat sheet on it, btw.

I highly recommend buying a pizza stone to keep in your oven. It really evens out the temp..
Beth

[TamiRuns]

I'm quite happy with the insulated cookie sheets I've been using for almost 15 years. Not quite sure where I purchased them....maybe Linens 'n Things. These work great for me and I won't use anything else.

[belovedgandp]

I got a new "double" oven last year the kind that fits a normal free standing spot and has a small oven on top and larger below, ditching the drawer. Until then I had Wilton non-stick dark sheets, that I still use and are fine, but they didn't fit in the small top oven. My brother and SIL gave me smaller sheets from Williams Sonoma; their nonstick goldtouch ones. They are heavenly. I would never have purchased them myself, but I do really enjoy them.

[daisymommy]

Thank-you so much Christina!

And a pizza stone to keep in the oven you say? Really? Do I put it on the bottom rack below the middle rack with the cookie sheet on it? Will a cheapy one do?

[mskitty]

I do have a CI subscription :) , and here's what they say:

Highly rec: Vollrath Cookie Sheet
Recommended, in order: Chicago Metallic Commercial Cookie Sheet, WearEver Commercial Jellyroll Pan, Kaiser Bakeware Cookie Sheet, All-Clad Cookie Sheet

I use something like the jellyroll pan, but cheaper from a restaurant supply store or BJ's. For browning problems, they say to use parchment and not a dark/nonstick sheet. I always use parchment or Silpat, and my cookies are alway fine... but I baked cookies professionally for a while. ;)

Do you have enough space between your cookies? For choc-chip-like cookies, I only do a dozen per sheet.

Oven therm recs, in order (none are "highly"): CDN MOT1 Multi-Mount Oven Thermometer, Maverick Oven-Chek Large Dial Oven Thermometer

I have multiple Chicago Metallic jelly roll pans with parchment. The heavy pans make a huge difference on evenly baking.

mskitty

[DebbieJ]

I'm sure you know what cookie sheets I like. :) We have some aluminized steel ones now that are fantastic!

You can bake cookies on a flat stone, too.

[lizzywednesday]

I want some jelly roll pans/half-sheet pans instead of the ones my mom bought me ... they are super-fancy and stainless steel but I absolutely despise them!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Thank-you so much Christina!

And a pizza stone to keep in the oven you say? Really? Do I put it on the bottom rack below the middle rack with the cookie sheet on it? Will a cheapy one do?

I keep mine on the bottom rack full time. I either put pans right on top of it or I cook directly on it, like pizza. We notice a huge difference. We gave one to my ILs too and it really helped them. I don't think our pizza stone was very expensive.

Beth

[caleymama]

I highly recommend buying a pizza stone to keep in your oven. It really evens out the temp..
Beth


I keep mine on the bottom rack full time. I either put pans right on top of it or I cook directly on it, like pizza. We notice a huge difference. We gave one to my ILs too and it really helped them. I don't think our pizza stone was very expensive.

I never really thought about it with regard to cookies, but DH keeps a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven. He bakes a lot of bread and uses it for that, but otherwise it lives in the oven. When he makes pizza he puts it on a pizza pan but I think the pan goes right on the stone.

I've been using Norpro Stainless Steel baking sheets from amazon for several years now and am pretty happy with them. They are still in great shape - much better than the cheapie nonstick or aluminum ones I've had in the past. I have 4 of them and use them for everything. Mine are 12" x 15" but I only see 12" x 16" (http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-16-Inch-Baking-Sheet-Stainless/dp/B000F7A58A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1261588335&sr=8-1) or 12" or 14" (http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Baking-Sheet-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000F7823U/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1261588335&sr=8-3) at amazon now.

HTH :)

[DrSally]

Interesting. I used to keep a pizza stone in the oven, but it got super gunky, so I tossed it when I moved. I like the idea of putting the pizza on a pizza pan and then ontop of the stone. So, so you think it evens out the oven temp b/c it absorbs heat and helps to keep the oven at a consistent temp?

[thomma]

My cookie sheets came from an elementary school kitchen. They rock!!!

I want to get a few more though so thanks for this thread!

Kim
ds&dd-6

[daisymommy]

I wanted to post an update that I put my pizza stone in the oven and baked a ton of cookies one the 24th, and they all turned out MUCH better! Not perfect (still didn't have great cookie sheets, I'll have to buy them online, no-one near me sells any good ones), but better.

My oven thermometer always registers 20* higher than what I set it for, but with the stone in the oven, I set the temp for 350* and it stayed there perfectly for a few hours while I was baking--incredible! Thank-you so very much for the tip!

[DrSally]

Wow. Where did you get your pizza stone? They used to carry them at Kohls, but I haven't seen them there in a long time.

[daisymommy]

Well, mine is from Pampered Chef. I bought a nicer one to use for cooking pizza every Friday night. But I am going to buy the one from Target for $13 which includes a pizza cutter and rack (Bialetti brand) just for keeping in the oven full time. That way, who cares how nonstick it is, or if it heats evenly for pizza crust, it's just keeping my oven at a constant temp :)

[jenandahalf]

My cookie sheets are Kitchenaid, I got a set of two in Marshalls for $8 and they are amazing. They are designed so you can slide the cookies off one edge when they are done. Never burnt a single one using these and I used to burn them all!

http://www.shopkitchenaid.com/product_detail.asp?HDR=bakeware&T1=KTA+KB2900

[zoestargrove]

I have the ones recommended by CI, but my favorites come from Southern Living home party. I now have 3 of them!