Insulated Cookie Sheets

[LittleIsland]

I've just baked a couple batches of these Chocolate Chip Cookies and still had a bit of spread and, even with a little extra baking time, cookies that were a little soft. So I realise I'm usually having to bake my cookies longer than stated times, and wonder if this is due to my using insulated cookie sheets.

Sarah Phillips over at baking911 says that non-insulated, NON non-stick cookie sheets are best, and this appears to be corroborated by Cook's Illustrated's recommendation of Vollrath cookie sheets. Apparently insulated sheets do not heat up fast enough to set a cookie quickly, thus causing them to spread.

Trouble is, I only have insulated cookie sheets. Is there any way to overcome this problem (apart from baking frozen dough)?

Or will I need to get non-insulated cookie sheets? And, which are the best to get? I'd love some recommendations. The Vollrath are too wide for my oven so I need 16" x 14" ones.

[K8memphis]

I don't like the insulated ones either.

I use a shinry smooth aluminum sheet--pure flat edges on three sides and on the other edge, a fold up for a handle. No woggle--stays flat and secure--bakes pretty and level.

Because this nice sturdy heavy duty pan also doubles as a tool for cake torting--to slide big whonking fragile layers onto and off of.

I'm trying to remember this great place in Washington where I got mine online...

[baroness]

I couldn't look at the recipe you linked to, but I use insulated (AirBake, I think) and heavy half-sheet pans for my cookies. The baking times for the 2 types of pans do not vary; if I'm using a Silpat as well I may need a minute or so of additional baking time.

Have you checked your oven temperature for accuracy? It may not be as hot as you think!

[K8memphis]

Well here's a Magic Line one.

Magic Line

And Cook's Dream http://cooksdream.com is the site but they used to make their own. Now they just have Magic Line and Fat Daddio's.

Fat Daddio's

I don't know, those FD's look weird and they would shelter the heat too much with those giant wings on the sides I think for cookies. But I've never used 'em.

Edited March 7, 2009 by K8memphis (log)

[JeanneCake]

I have a few Fat Daddio cake pans, and I'm not impressed with the quality or the way they conduct heat. Maybe their cookie pans are better, but based on my experience with the cake pans, I'd choose Magic Line first. I have a few Cooks Dream pans as well, they've held up pretty well.

[LittleIsland]

Thanks so much for the link to the Magic Line sheet! I have Magic line cake pans and LOVE them. I didn't know they had cookie sheets. Going to check it out and hope they ship internationally :-)

[paulraphael]

I don't know, those FD's look weird and they would shelter the heat too much with those giant wings on the sides I think for cookies. But I've never used 'em.

←

i think you're looking at an optical illusion ... those aren't giant wings, it's a picture of 3 sheets arranged in an unfortunate way! they're just like the volrath sheets ... flat, with a small bent up rim on two sides. haven't used those either but have seen them in the store. they look like they'd work fine. expensive, though. the magic line pan you linked is cheaper and looks nicer.

I have some insulated sheets. There are very few things that they're good for baking. Things that you don't want to brown at all. But for this kind of thing, you can just stack a pair of regular sheet pans and get the same amount of insulation.

I keep the insulated sheets around because they make great baker's peels. I'm always using them to slide things in and out of the oven. They're flat and rigid.

You could also use flat cookie sheets like the ones K8 linked for this. The ones with a single bend edge would be better. I don't have any of these because the ones I see at the store always cost too much. I just use an upside down sheet pan for cookies. Not as easy to use, but the results are as good. If I were baking mountains of cookies I'd spring for some good flat cookie sheets, use them for baking and also as peels, and give away the insulated things.

Edited March 8, 2009 by paulraphael (log)

[andiesenji]

I agree with using regular sheet pans upside-down. When I had my commercial oven I baked cookies on full-size sheet pans that slid onto the side rails in the oven either way and now that I have a small oven I use the half-size sheet pans the same way. They don't warp and are useful for multiple baking tasks so I have tossed most of the other cookie sheets I had. I have two insulated pans used only for meringues that I don't want to brown at all.

[K8memphis]

Jeanne, yes Fat Daddio's is anodized and they are made to perform at lower temperature is my undertanding. I was given a 6 inch pan that baked some brownies ok--but I have my sentimental favorites, which are sets of cake pans when I bake a big cake. So when baking a big cake it would be awkward to factor in a different temperature for a handful of pans. There's too much to think about as it is huh.

Little Island--I did not know they made cookie sheets either. Surprise surprise. I went looking for the ones that Ultimate Cook's Dream used to make.

PaulR--wow who knew. That's a weird photograph huh. The marketing department was having a bad day on that one. Finally I see it. It's three different sizes--whoa that was crazy.

[Kayakado]

My mother bought a couple of insulated cookie sheets and she stores them at my house (she winters with me). I hate them.

When I am doing large quantities of cookies, those insulated sheets take forever to cool. My flat sheets can be laid on the ceramic countertop or marble slab and cool really quickly, so I am not standing around waiting for sheets to cool.

I bought wilton cookie sheets using 40-70% off coupons I get from the hobby stores, so they cost me about $8-$10. They are plain aluminum, lip on one edge and work great. They haven't warped at all. They're all I use. I have a large oven so I can accomodate fairly large cookie sheet (14X20).

My cake pans and such-I buy at Lloyd Pans. They may be the makers of magic line, but you are not paying for a fancy name stamped on the bottom.

Edited March 10, 2009 by Kayakado (log)