One of the pans we use in the kitchen the very most is the beloved sheet pan, aka cookie sheet. As much I love banging my sheet pans in the oven to make my favorite chocolate chip cookies, there are plenty more good uses for a sheet pan in your kitchen that you may not have thought of.


It is actually an item that is underutilized in most kitchens. Here are a few ideas on how to think outside the box and utilize this pan even more:

1. Easy Sliders to Feed a Crowd


This one might be my favorite idea of all because I, like many people, love sliders! These miniature burgers are the perfect way to experiment with a new sauce or different toppings you want to use.

You can actually just press your ground and seasoned beef right into the pan--this makes it super easy to slice up and put together tons of sliders quickly. This would be perfect for a luncheon, sports party or shower of some kind. 

Press your favorite meat patty mixture into an even layer in the pan, score all the way through into small squares and bake at 425 degrees F until cooked through. Serve with mini buns and classic toppings like onions, pickles and iceberg lettuce.

2. Frittata Pan


Here is another meal that is perfect for a brunch or party with finger foods: frittata. Spread cooked cubed potatoes across the bottom of a buttered and floured sheet pan--cover with beaten eggs, shredded cheese and your other favorite mix-ins, and bake until puffed. Cut into squares for easy serving.

3. Sheet Pan Quesadillas

This has got a weeknight wonder recipe written all over it for my family. All you do is spray a sheet pan with oil, layer 6 tortillas all over the bottom so that half the tortilla hangs over the edge. Add a tortilla to the center to completely cover the bottom of the pan, then top with your favorite quesadilla fillings-- whether that is just cheese, or you could venture out to carne asada, green chili chicken, grilled onions and bell peppers etc. Place one more tortilla on the top (on top of all fillings), then fold each tortilla towards the center. Place a second sheet pan on top of tortillas (to help the quesadilla hold its shape) and bake at 425 degrees F until tortillas are beginning to turn crispy, about 20 minutes. Remove top baking sheet and continue baking until tortillas are golden and crispy, about 15 minutes more. Slice into Rectangles and serve warm with sour cream, shredded lettuce and pico de gallo.

4. Pizza Peel or Pan

One great way to get your fully loaded pizza into the oven on your hot baking stone is to flip over a sheet pan and slide the pizza onto the back. Carry the pizza to the oven and slide it off the sheet pan and onto the stone. If you don’t have a baking stone, place your dressed pie in an oiled sheet pan, right side up. Heat the pan in the oven first for an extra-crispy crust.

5. Slab Pan Pie

You can make one delicious pie to feed the masses by covering the bottom and sides of a sheet pan with store-bought pie dough, trimming and sealing the pieces together as necessary. Spread with pie filling, top with lattice strips of more pie dough, and bake. 

For another version you can press shortbread cookie dough into a sheet pan and bake until golden. Let cool, then spread with jam and top with berries. Whipped cream is the perfect topper for either.

6. Pot Lid

If you have a really large oversize skillet or stock pot that doesn’t have a lid, you can simply use a sheet pan instead.

7. Ingredient Organizer


French chefs swear by the mise en place, which to to prep all your ingredients before you start to cook. A lot of times this involves having ingredients all separated in tiny bowls and dirtying up lots of extra dishes. Cut down on washing all those extra dishes by organizing your chopped and washed ingredients in piles on a single sheet pan.

8. Drip Catcher

Most of you already probably do this but try to make sure you save yourself from having to scrape burned overflow from your favorite berry pie by placing a sheet pan on the rack below an dish you are making so it drips onto that pan and you can easy clean that mess. Dishes such as pies, souffles, lasagnas, gratins and other casseroles are the biggest culprits..

9. Skewer Soaker


Bamboo skewers are essential for good kebabs on the grill--but they are also really flammable. It’s a good idea to soak the skewers for at least 20 minutes before you grill and adding a layer of water to the bottom of a sheet pan is the perfect place to soak them, rather than finding a bowl that is tall enough to hold them all. When you’re done soaking, use the emptied pan to transport your food to the grill. 

Do you have any unique ways you like to use your baking sheets? Please share your suggestions in the comments below.