Actually, Cookie And Baking Sheets Are Not The Same Thing

Internet users may be shocked to learn that cookie sheets and baking sheets are not interchangeable terms, as there are a number of slight but distinct differences between the two pieces of flat oven cookware.

Let's break it down: Cookie sheets utilize a lip on their short sides to allow ease of access when handling the item in a hot stove, as well as flat edges which allow you to slide freshly baked cookies directly off the edge without disturbing their delicate shape. This is in stark contrast to the high rimmed edges of a baking sheet, which prevent oils or other juices from pouring over the edge and smoking up your stove. 

This news has been sweeping the internet, with a number of flabbergasted comments on one TikTok video echoing our surprise. One comment simply reads "What? Cookie sheet?" while another states "thx I learned something new today... after years thinking it's a cookie sheet"

Though both items can be used to crisp your preferred treats to perfection within the oven, the differences in their shape and structural integrity make cookie sheets and rimmed baking sheets ideal for different kinds of foods. It's an important distinction, even if many of us weren't even aware of the difference until now.

While cookie sheets and baking sheets do have different shapes, they can be interchangeable if you're in a pinch, but only when you're cooking certain items.

For instance, the rimmed edges of the baking sheet can prevent oil from pooling along a flat edge and spilling into the heating element of your oven, making them ideal for applications such as roasting meat or vegetables. Of course, rimmed baking sheets can be used to make cookies as well if that's all you have at your disposal, so long as you utilize parchment paper rather than aluminum foil to prevent the cookies from sticking to the surface, and carefully agitate your treats with a spatula to prevent them from losing shape.

Conversely, cookie sheets can still operate like rimmed baking sheets, easily serving as a surface to reheat frozen foods that won't roll or leak liquids over the sides. If you're really in a bind, you could even create an artificial barrier for the edges of your cookie sheet to replicate the rimmed edges of a baking sheet. This can be achieved by using tin foil along the edges of the cookware, which could truly benefit you if you find yourself needing to roast something on a significant time crunch.