Types of Baking Pans

Sheet pans are an indispensable cooking tool in commercial kitchens. These flat pans go by many names - you'll hear them referred to as bun pans, cookie sheets, and baking sheets. No matter what you call them, sheet pans serve many functions. You can use them for baking buns, pretzels, or cookies. Pair them with a bun rack to store, proof, or stage your baked goods before baking. Sheet pans can also be used to roast vegetables and meats in the oven. The raised edges prevent juices and oils from spilling over, helping to keep the oven clean and reducing the risk of spills and messes.

• Best Applications: Baking, roasting, cooling, and food preparation tasks
• Materials: Aluminum, anodized aluminum, aluminized steel, stainless steel, carbon steel
• Sizes: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, full-size

Cake pans are an essential type of baking pan that's primarily used for baking cakes of all kinds, including layer cakes, sheet cakes, and specialty cakes like bundt cakes. The shape and high sides of a cake pan are important for commercial baking. The round or square shape provides a uniform baking surface, ensuring that the cake bakes evenly and maintains its shape. The high sides of cake pans help contain the batter, preventing it from overflowing during the baking process and resulting in a mess-free baking experience. Whether you need a small cake pan for individual portions or a large pan for a tiered cake, there is a cake pan to fit the bill. From traditional aluminum pans to non-stick options, commercial kitchens can choose the best cake pans to meet their specific requirements.

• Best Applications: Baking cakes, brownies, bars, and layered desserts; casseroles
• Materials: Aluminum, cast aluminum, anodized aluminum, aluminized steel, steel, stainless steel, glass
• Shapes: Square, rectangle, round, heart

Loaf pans are specifically designed to help bakers achieve perfect loaves of bread that require a uniform shape and size. These pans are also ideal for creating pound cakes, banana bread, meatloaf, and even certain types of casseroles. Their rectangular shape and deep sides make them suitable for baking dense and moist items that require longer cooking times. Bread and loaf pans are compact and stackable, making them easy to store in your kitchen without taking up too much space. They can be neatly organized on shelves or in storage racks for efficient use of space.

• Best Applications: Baking bread, rolls, cakes, meatloaf, casseroles
• Materials: Aluminum, anodized aluminum, aluminized steel, steel, exopan steel, stainless steel, glass, porcelain-coated
• Styles: Baguette pans, Pullman pans, strap loaf pans, brioche pans, mini loaves, hamburger/hotdog bun pans

Muffin pans are designed specifically for baking muffins, cupcakes, and even mini quiches or individual cheesecakes. They are typically made of aluminum, steel, or silicone, and come in a range of sizes and configurations to suit different baking needs. These pans are ideal for creating individual portion sizes, making them perfect for catering events, buffets, or bakeries looking to offer a variety of treats. They also help ensure consistent baking results, with each muffin or cupcake coming out evenly baked and perfectly shaped. Keeping muffin pans in your kitchen arsenal allows you to expand your menu offerings and cater to customers with different preferences. Whether you're serving breakfast pastries, sweet treats, or savory snacks, these pans can help you create delicious baked goods with ease.

• Best Applications: Muffins, cupcakes, mini quiches, mini cheesecakes
• Materials: Aluminum, steel, silicone, aluminum foil, anodized aluminum
• Sizes: Mini, standard, jumbo
• Number of Compartments: 4 to 48 compartments

Pizza pans are specifically designed to create the perfect crust for all types of pizza. Made from durable materials such as aluminum or stainless steel, these pans are built to withstand high temperatures and frequent use. The design of pizza pans ensures that heat is distributed evenly across the entire surface, resulting in a crispy crust and perfectly cooked toppings every time. This consistency is crucial in maintaining the quality and taste of your pizzas, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. Pizza pans come in a range of sizes and shapes to accommodate different pizza styles, from traditional round pizzas to square or rectangular pies. 

• Best Applications: Pizzas and flatbreads
• Materials: Aluminum, steel, tin-plated steel, hard-anodized aluminum, heavy-weight aluminum, silver-anodized aluminum, carbon steel
• Styles: Perforated, coupe, Detroit-style, Sicilian-style, flatbread

Pie pans are specifically designed to bake delicious pies, quiches, tarts, and other pastry items with ease. Their shallow, round shape and sloped sides allow for even baking and easy removal of the finished product. When it comes to materials, pie pans are commonly available in aluminum, stainless steel, and glass. Aluminum pans are lightweight, durable, and offer excellent heat conduction, making them a popular choice for commercial kitchens. Stainless steel pans are known for their durability and resistance to corrosion, making them ideal for heavy-duty use. Glass pie pans are great for showcasing baked goods and are perfect for items that require a clear view of the crust.

• Best Applications: Pies, tarts, quiche
• Materials: Aluminum, aluminum foil, glass, cast iron, steel
• Sizes: 4" to 16" diameter

Roasting pans are typically larger and deeper than standard baking pans, making them ideal for cooking larger cuts of meat or poultry. The deeper sides of roasting pans help contain juices and prevent spills, while the spacious interior allows for even heat distribution. One key feature that sets roasting pans apart is their compatibility with roasting racks. These racks elevate the meat to promote even cooking and allow air to circulate, resulting in a crispy exterior and juicy interior. While roasting pans are primarily used for roasting meats, they can also double as baking pans for casseroles or vegetables.

• Best Applications: Roasting meat and poultry
• Materials: Stainless steel, aluminum, enamel-coated
• Sizes: 3.5 to 42 quart

Baking dishes and dutch ovens are distinct from other types of baking pans, such as sheet pans, in terms of their design and functionality. A baking dish has high sides to contain liquid-based batters or ingredients, which is ideal for baking casseroles, lasagnas, or other dishes that require a deeper vessel for baking. These dishes are often made of materials like ceramic, cast iron, or glass, which provide excellent heat retention for slow cooking or braising dishes in the oven. Another unique feature of baking dishes is that they can go from the range top to the oven. If you want to roast a whole chicken, reach for a roasting pan. If If you want to sear cuts of meat on the range before slow roasting inside the oven, use a dutch oven. 

• Best Applications: Braised meats, casseroles, pasta dishes, enchiladas, fruit crisps and cobblers
• Materials: Porcelain, terra cotta, stoneware, cast-iron, enamel-coated, cast aluminum, stainless steel
• Styles: Casserole dishes, dutch ovens, cocottes, rarebits, mini servingware, soup crocks