Baking Sheets

• Baking sheets are most often made of aluminum and are used to bake everything from cookies to pot roasts. They also can be placed under other bakeware, such as pie pans, to catch drips and conduct heat.
  
  A common baking pan is the half-sheet pan, which measures 18 by 13 inches. The smallest standard baking sheet, a quarter-sheet pan, measures 12 by 9 inches. Jelly-roll pans measure 15 by 10 inches and are used to make jelly rolls or to bake small items.
  
  Cookie sheets are flat to maximize heat circulation and make it easier to slide cookies onto cooling racks.
  
  

Pie and Tart Pans

• Most aluminum pie pans measure between 9 and 10 inches in diameter and have 1 1/2-inch, sloped sides. Aluminum pie pans work well for fruit and cream-filled pies because aluminum absorbs heat well, which produces a crisp, brown crust.
  
  Tart pans come in a variety of shapes, but round ones are the most versatile. Most tart plans have fluted edges, while others have removable bottoms that make it easier to remove the tart from the pan.
  
  

Cake Pans

• Cake pans come in many sizes and shapes. Round pans commonly measure 8 or 9 inches in diameter and are a good choice for making layered cakes, such as birthday cakes. Square pans work well for brownies, and rectangular pans are a common choice for brownies, cakes and cornbread. Other popular cake-pan types include springform pans for cheesecake, tube pans for angel-food cake and bundt pans, which help make it easy to cut and serve cake.
  
  

Racks and Mats

• Cooling racks are most often made of heavy-duty metal. You can raise them above the surface they rest on so that air circulates above and beneath them, aiding the cooling process.
  
  Silicone baking mats are flexible, heat-resistant and nonstick. They remove the need to grease a pan and work well with delicate cookies.
  
  

Pie and Pastry Tools

• Pastry blenders have a handle and several parallel, curved blades. They work well to cut fats, such as shortening, into small pieces mixed into flour. Rolling pins, often made of wood or marble, are useful for thinly rolling out dough for pie or pizza crusts.
  
  Cookie cutters come in various shapes and sizes. Popular for the purpose of baking holiday cookies, cookie cutters made of metal cut better than those made of plastic.
  
  Precise measurements are key to successful baking. Measuring cups and spoons help ensure your ingredient amounts are exact.