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Entire List of Baking Sheet Substitutes And Alternatives

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These are the best alternatives for what to use instead of a baking sheet. Whether you’re out of baking sheets or simply run out, common household items can be used instead. Save yourself a trip to the store and use these great baking sheet substitutes.

Cookie dough on a baking sheet. There is a gold cookie scooper next to it.

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Whether you’re baking sweet treats, reheating bread, or need a tray to store hot food, these alternatives are here to make sure your baking journey stays exciting and stress-free. 

What To Use Instead Of Baking Sheet:

These common household items can be used instead of a baking sheet:

  1. Aluminum Foil
  2. Parchment Paper
  3. Disposable Aluminum baking pan
  4. Food-grade Silicone Mats
  5. Pans
    1. Cast Iron Pans
    2. Carbon Steel Pans
    3. Stainless Steel Pans
  6. Oven-Safe Dishes
    1. Casserole Dish
    2. Glass Baking Dish
  7. Roasting Pan
  8. Pizza Stone/Pizza Steel
  9. Bread Oven
  10. Dutch Oven
  11. Bread Loaf Pans and Jelly Roll Pan
  12. Cake Trays/ Cake Pans
  13. Pie Pan

If you’ve discovered you need another baking sheet but don’t want to run to the store, then fear not! Many substitutions might already be in your kitchen. 

This is your time to get creative and be resourceful. As long as it is oven-safe and heat resistant, then it can be a replacement for a baking sheet.

What NOT To Use Instead Of Baking Sheet:

Do not use the following items in your oven:

  1. Nonstick Pans
  2. Wax Paper
  3. Paper Towels, paper plates, and cardboard
  4. Paper grocery bags
  5. Plastic wrap or any type of plastic
  6. Pot holders
  7. Wooden cutting board and any type of wood
  8. Ceramic plates and containers
  9. Glass containers that aren’t oven-safe
  10. Dinner Plates that are not oven-safe

Anything that is not oven-safe should not be used as a baking sheet. If you use any of these items, there is a risk of the oven catching on fire. For example, you should not put a paper towel in the oven. This can lead to serious fires in your kitchen!

Corn and chicken being baked wrapped in aluminum foil

Can I use aluminum foil instead of baking sheet?

Yes, you can use foil instead of a baking sheet. Foil is a great substitute because most baking sheets are made of aluminum. The easy cleanup is convenient too since you won’t have to wash the foil.  Unlike wax paper and paper towels, it is safe to use in high heat.

Directions to use foil instead of baking sheet

To use aluminum foil instead of a baking sheet, simply pull out a large sheet and fold it multiple times to make a thicker square or rectangle. 

For best results, spray the foil with cooking spray to prevent your food from sticking. Since foil does not have non-stick properties, you will need to grease it. If you do not have cooking spray, you can use vegetable oil, coconut oil, or any type of cooking oil you have in your kitchen pantry.

When using this d.i.y. cooking sheets substitution, be aware of the weight that aluminum foil can hold. Since the foil can bend, you do not want to bake too many at a time.

When your food is done baking, use tongs or an oven mitt to take out your food individually. Do not take out the entire foil square as it is hot and you risk your food falling.

wax paper and parchment paper on a table.

Parchment Paper as a Baking Tray Substitute

You can use parchment paper as a baking sheet substitute. Parchment paper is great when baking sweet treats, cookies, and breads. However, most parchment paper is rated for use at temperatures no higher than 420 to 450 degrees (source: America’s Test Kitchen).

Can I use wax paper for baking?

Unfortunately, all paper is not created equal, and this applies to papers that are used for baking and cooking. You cannot use wax paper for baking. You should not use it in your oven because it is not heat resistant.

Just like a burning candle, when the wax paper is heated up, the wax melts. The wax will melt at high temperatures and the paper could catch on fire.

When it comes to baking, always use parchment paper. If you are out of parchment paper, then you can use one of the baking sheet substitution options listed in this post.

cast iron pans stacked on top of one another.
Cast iron pans can be used for baking instead of baking trays and parchment paper

Cooking Pans As A Baking Sheet Substitution

Cooking pans are the best options to use when you run out of baking sheets! 

Cast Iron, Carbon Steel, and Stainless Steel Pans

Pans such as cast iron skillets, carbon steel, and stainless steel pans are oven-safe. You can even use aluminum pans in the oven. For example, a lot of professional chefs place these pans in the oven at restaurants.

It is a good idea to grease or oil the bottom of the pan to prevent the food from sticking. Don’t worry, all you need is a thin layer of oil so that your food does not stick to these pans.

Can I Use Non-Stick Pans Or Ceramic Pans In The Oven?

Do not put the pan in the oven if it has any plastic, wood, or nonstick coatings. Even though the non-stick surface is nice, it should not be used inside your oven. These materials are not oven-safe. Moreover, you can damage your pan if you place it in the oven.

Are Silicone Mats Oven-Safe?

Yes, but only up to a certain temperature. The temperature limit of a silicone baking mat is 428 degrees Fahrenheit. They are safe for baking when the recipe does not exceed that temperature. 

However, if you are baking recipes that require the oven to be preheated to over 428℉, then I would skip this method and opt for a pizza stone, cast iron pan, bread oven, or aluminum foil.

Food-Specific Substitutions For Baking Sheet

Before deciding what to use instead of a baking sheet, you need to consider the type of food you are trying to bake or heat up.

cookie dough on a cookie sheet. It is covered in plastic wrap and will be baked later.

What To Use Instead of Baking Sheet for Cookies

You can use a cookie sheet, aluminum foil, cake pan, parchment paper, or any oven-safe substitution that was listed above. 

My favorite method for baking cookies is to place multiple layers of aluminum foil and then have one sheet of parchment paper on top. I like to use parchment paper because the cookies will not stick to it. This saves me the step of using cooking spray.

Can I Use Aluminum Foil Instead of Cookie Sheet?

Yes, you can use foil instead of a cookie sheet for baking cookies and all it takes are a few simple steps. 

To start, place multiple layers of aluminum foil on top of one another. This will give some structure and ensure that your cookie dough does not fall off of the foil. Second, you’ll need to grease the foil before placing the cookie dough on it. This will help create a nonstick surface that your cookies won’t stick to.

Freshly baked bread inside a jelly roll pan
Consider using a jelly roll pan or bread pan as a baking sheet substitute

What To Use Instead of Baking Sheet for Bread

You have LOTS of baking tray replacement options when baking bread.  You can use parchment paper, aluminum foil, a cast iron skillet, a Dutch oven, or a bread oven. 

Because bread dough is solid and you don’t have to worry about liquid seeping out, you are open to all the options listed above. 

You can use a classic bread loaf pan if you have one of those lying around. Those are best for sandwich bread recipes.

If you are making dinner rolls, consider using a cupcake tray or muffin tin. When baking a loaf of bread such as this Italian artisan bread, you can use a Dutch oven or bread oven. 

What To Use For Liquid Foods

When baking liquid foods and you run out of baking sheets, an excellent substitute is pans that have high sides. For example, a jelly roll pan or bread loaf tin would be a great alternative. What is important is that the sides of the pan will prevent the liquids from spilling. Use any oven-safe dish with high sides.

For liquid foods, I would not use aluminum foil or parchment paper. These would allow the liquids to spill.

If you are a bread fanatic, I highly recommend investing in a bread oven. The bread loaves baked in a bread oven are much better than those that are simply baked on a baking sheet.

Baking french fries in the air fryer. The fries are inside the basket of the air fryer

Consider Using The Air Fryer Instead

If you have run out of baking sheets or simply do not have one, then consider using the air fryer instead of your oven. Since it has a built-in basket, you won’t have to worry about finding a baking tray substitute.

The air fryer works the same way a convection oven works: heats to the specified temperature and then circulates hot air around the food. Placing your food in the air fryer will give you similar results to baking. 

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