Sheet pan facts for kids
A sheet pan is a flat, rectangular metal tray. People also call it a baking tray or baking sheet. You put it in an oven to bake yummy foods. These include cookies, bread rolls, pizzas, and sheet cakes.
Sheet pans are made from different materials. Long ago, they were made of iron. Now, most are made of aluminum or steel. Sometimes, they have a special coating like PFAS. This coating helps food not stick.
Sheet pans can have different features. Some have flat edges to easily slide food off. Others have raised edges or "lips" to keep food or liquids inside. Some even have handles to help you move them. Special pans might have air insulation to protect delicate foods. Pizza trays often have small holes to help food cook faster.
The first time sheet pans were recorded was in Scotland. A baker named Henry A. Gillespie used them.
Contents
What Are Sheet Pans Made From?
Commercial sheet pans are often made from a material called aluminized steel. This material mixes aluminum and steel. Aluminum helps with heat and stops food from sticking. Steel makes the pan strong and sturdy. The aluminum part is usually 90% aluminum and 10% silicon.
The weight, how well it heats up, and the color of a pan are important. They help food cook evenly.
Types and Sizes of Sheet Pans
A sheet pan with a raised edge all around its four sides is called a jelly roll pan. You can bake a jelly roll cake in it. A pan with at least one flat side is called a cookie sheet. This flat side makes it easy to slide baked goods off.
Professional sheet pans are usually made of aluminum. They have a 25 mm (1 in) raised lip around the edge. They come in standard and special sizes. Other kitchen tools, like cooling racks and ovens, are made to fit these standard pans. American and European sizes are often similar enough to be used together.
For pans with rims, the rim takes up some baking space. This means smaller pans lose a bigger part of their flat baking area compared to larger pans.
European Sheet Pan Sizes
European standard pan sizes follow something called GN numbers. This is set by the European Committee for Standardization.
Gastronorm sizes | Dimensions |
---|---|
GN2/1 | 650 × 530 mm |
GN1/1 | 530 × 325 mm |
GN2/3 | 354 × 325 mm |
GN2/4 | 530 × 162 mm |
GN1/2 | 325 × 265 mm |
GN1/3 | 325 × 176 mm |
GN1/4 | 265 × 162 mm |
GN1/6 | 176 × 162 mm |
GN1/9 | 108 × 176 mm |
European trays usually come in depths of 20, 40, 65, 100, 150, and 200 mm.
U.S. Sheet Pan Sizes

In the U.S., a full-size sheet pan is 26 in × 18 in (660 mm × 460 mm). This is usually too big for most home ovens. A two-thirds size pan is 21 in × 15 in (530 mm × 380 mm). A half sheet pan is 18 in × 13 in (460 mm × 330 mm). Quarter sheets are 9 in × 13 in (230 mm × 330 mm). The half sheet is about the same size as the largest baking sheets you find in stores. The quarter sheet is good for a regular-sized box of cake mix.
Another common size for home baking is 10 in × 15 in (250 mm × 380 mm). This size is often used for jelly roll cakes. It is bigger than a quarter sheet but smaller than a half sheet.
Conventional U.S. Size Name | Outer width (in) |
Outer depth (in) |
Outer height (in) |
Outer width (mm) |
Outer depth (mm) |
Outer height (mm) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full | 26 | 18 | 1 | 660 | 457 | 25 |
Two Thirds (Three Quarters) | 21 | 15 | 1 | 533 | 381 | 25 |
Half | 18 | 13 | 1 | 457 | 330 | 25 |
Quarter | 13 | 9.5 | 1 | 330 | 241 | 25 |
Eighth | 9.5 | 6.5 | 1 | 241 | 165 | 25 |
These sizes are close estimates and can change a little based on the pan's rim and style.
How Sheet Pans Are Used in Big Kitchens
In big kitchens, like those in restaurants or bakeries, sheet pans are used for many things. They are not just for baking. Kitchens often plan their cooking around using sheet pans. This is because sheet pans are found everywhere in commercial food areas.
When baking bread, the dough often rests on sheet pans. These pans are stacked in special racks. These racks might have wheels to move them around. Some racks are enclosed and can control the temperature.
See also
In Spanish: Bandeja de horno para niños
- Griddle
- Springform pan
- Gastronorm sizes, European standard cookware sizes
- Parchment paper, often used to line sheet pans