Question for Cookie Bakers

My SIL who is an awesome cookie baker, swears by her Pampered Chef stone wear pans. I haven't had the luck with mine that she has, but her cookies look like they are from a bakery--perfect!
The cookie sheets I like best are the non-stick kind. "Air bake" I think...

ETA OH! I just remembered--parchment paper on the sheets!

Get the airbake kind. It has two layers of metal with air in between, so the direct heat hits the bottom layer instead of the layer holding the cookies. Don't worry that the'yre not "non-stick" because there's enough butter in cookies that it doesn't matter. I've had mine for years, definitely worth the extra few dollars. You can get them at W*mart or other such stores.
Deb

Hi happy-

I got some of those silicone baking pan liners (happened to catch them on sale - a closeout - at my local food lion).

They are the BEST! My cookie sheets are beat up...but it doesn't matter as the liner keeps the cookies from sticking!

Best Luck
michele/cat

Chicagowear is AWE-SOME!!! Love it so much.

Also, get a separate thermometer for your oven to make sure it is hitting the correct temperature. Also, maybe move the center rack up a notch.

Happy baking.

I promise you that the Pampered Chef baking stones are the best cookie sheets to bake on. I two of the rectangular, flat baking stones and they are the best! They do not burn, tranfers flavors (like you can bake biscuits, garlic bread or cookies on them and you will never transfer flavor to your sweet treats!) My daughter has now taken baking and she adores these stones also! She bakes for us, her friends and others all the time. The stones all loved by all! Check out Pampered Chef, I am not a consultant for them, but I do own also all of their products! I should be a consultant!!
Enjoy!

I use a regular cookie sheet but I line it with a silicone baking mat. You can get inexpensive ones at Target or more expensive (and durable) ones called a sil-pat (I think) at cooking stores. We use it to cook almost everything. Nothing ever sticks (or burns).

I have a big stainless steel sheet that works beautifully for not buring cookies. I also love to bake on stone. I would have to try to burn something on those. For some reason, they don't work as well on certain cookies (snickerdoodles for example), so for those I use the stainless steel sheet.

I got a set of two heavy-duty aluminum ones from Costco and they work great with parchment paper. I also have one cushion-aire sheet that works pretty well too.

I use heavy duty cast aluminum pizza pans.

Sam's Club aluminum half sheet baking pans. They will not rust and there is no nonstick surface to worry about flaking into your cookies. They come in a 2 pack for less than $11. Also check your oven temperature.

I use heavy duty stainless steel cookie sheets and grease them well for cookies. They've lasted me years, I can scour them when necessary and the bottoms of my cookies don't burn unless I forget to turn on the timer and everything is burned.

I was going to tell you about the 2 half sheets at Sams Club! (but someone a few posts down did too!) They are great. Plus you can bake sheet cakes and brownies (lots of brownies) in them too. I love mine. Be careful if you take them anywhere though. They may walk away. (a few of mine have so I never take them anywhere anymore). Happy baking!

I love my airbake cookie sheets!! I bought them when I moved out back in 2001 and they still look brand new.

Hi,
I had the same problem last year . Every cookie sheet I tried would not work . Then I tried old fashioned method of grasing and flouring the cookie sheets. No more problems works for all kinds of cookies.Hope this helps and don't sound really dumb.

H.

My cookie sheets are new, as I was using the cheapo ones before too. The ones I bought are "Wearever" and they are great. Got them at Target. I only wish they had a lip on them, as I still need to keep my cheapo ones around for whenever I bake something that leaks (my bacon-wrapped cream-cheese-stuffed jalepenos this evening).

My friend swears by her baking stone. Her coookies come out yummy and she says she uses her baking stone every time.

I have the Cushionaire (sp?) ones - they have a layer of air between the two layers. I think they brown nicely and don't burn.

I love the cookie sheets with the air btwn. I also use silicone matts on them-I never need to grease. I have had my air cookie sheets for over 15 yrs. you do have to hand wash them.

Keep your cookie sheets and just get a silicone liner (Silpat is a great brand). They are a little pricey (@$20) and must be hand washed, but they will last FOREVER. You can't burn something on them if you try! I've had mine over 10 years and they are still like new. (and I bake A LOT)

As suggested below, half-sheet baking pans. Costco, Sam's Club, or a restaurant supply place should have them.

Sams Club has a two-pack of GREAT cookie sheets for under 15.00----you'll love them. You'll probably get this same info. on a lot of responses.

I love my Calphalon cookie sheets! They are non-stick and super easy to clean and give great results! They are a little more expensive than others, but they are worth the money because they will last a long time!

I second the pampered chef stoneware. I have several of them and don't like to bake on anything else!

Try lowering the oven temp a tad, and keep an eye on it as it bakes, and take it out when nicely done.

The cheap cookie baking sheets, probably heat up more/hotter, than good expensive cookie sheets.
Cheap-o cookie sheets, or often sub-par metal... or a mix of metals.
Not pure steel or aluminum.
Thus, they heat up and can get, hotter than an oven temp would indicate.

And yes, silicone baking sheets are great.

Another vote for the Silpat mat. It works great, it seems indestructible. I also have the big cookie sheet with a layer of air in it. It also works really well but the one I have is giant and it has to be hand washed. Kinda unweildy in the sink. The silpat mat is so easy to use and clean.

I use plain old cookie sheets, nothing special. But I do find when baking (bread, cookies etc.) that a lighter colored pan produces a lighter product underside. So if you can find a sheet that is silver/aluminum in color you may have more luck. You could try lowering the temp a bit, see if you get a better result. But actually I would FIRST recommend you get your oven checked to make sure your temp is accurate. That will be costly tho. Before calling a repair man buy a oven thermometer to check the accuracy of your oven/thermostat yourself. Compare the temp your oven says it is to the temp the thermometer says it is. If the two are relatively similar you don't need to spend the $ on a repairman.

I use parchment paper, even on my old, burned cookie sheets it keeps the bottoms of my cookies nice.

Make sure to use the centre rack!!

If you venture off to Nevada/California stateline border, go to Williams Sonoma Outlet. They have everything there for less than you would get it anywhere else. They have the stones, silpats and Chicago Metallics bakeware (my favorite) for 40%-60% off. I used to burn everything and hated baking until I bought my bakeware from there. Now I absolutely love baking. What a difference good materials make!

I'm sure you know this, but be sure the oven in preheated to the needed temp. long before you put the cookies in.

If it's not, it will overcook the bottoms and they'll look dark brown.

(: