It Only Takes 10 Minutes To Fix A Warped Baking Sheet. Here's How

Have you ever walked away from a batch of cookies as they're baking only to hear a loud, troubling thud come from inside the oven? If you have, hopefully, you found that nothing exploded, and it was just the sound of your baking sheet working out some dents. That sheet is warped. It's annoying, but it's also totally normal. 

According to Steve Dunn of America's Test Kitchen, this wobbly state occurs when metal goes from a hot oven to a cool temperature, causing the alloy to "[expand and contract] unevenly." As a result, using a warped baking sheet can lead to unevenly cooked roasted and baked foods. But before you throw out your misshapen pan with yesterday's trash, it's worth your time to give it a second chance. 

It's super easy to salvage a seemingly busted baking sheet. All it takes is an oven, a couple of towels, a mallet-like tool, and about 10 minutes of your day. Here's how to do it. 

It may seem counterintuitive to put a warped baking sheet back in the oven that caused its dents, but that's exactly what you're going to want to do. Steve Dunn says to set the thing to 200 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes, or until it feels warm to the touch. Then, lay the pan upside down on top of a towel on the flattest, sturdiest surface you can find, and lay a second towel over the top. With a mallet or a hammer, Dunn says to gently tap out the dents until the pan regains its original shape. 

If this sounds like too much work for you, the best you can do is prevent your sheet from warping in the first place. Allrecipes contributor Hannah Klinger suggests letting your pan come up to room temperature before putting it in the oven to avoid temperature shock. If that's not possible — say, if you're putting a pan of chilled, ready-to-bake peanut butter cookies straight from the freezer to the oven — then make sure whatever you're baking covers the pan from end to end. Dunn agrees. "Any bare spots will heat faster, and the temperature differential can cause the pan to buckle," he says. 

On "Do Better With Ham," an Instagram reel series from New York Times Cooking, chef and food YouTube darling Ham El-Waylly (the spouse of culinary superstar Sohla El-Waylly) shares tips and tricks for being a more well-rounded home cook. In one episode, Ham discourages viewers from dumping sheet pans covered in sticky food juice, or "fond," into the sink. Instead, he suggests employing a similar process as the one mentioned above. Not only will your pan look shiny and new again, but you'll also be treated to a flavor-packed sauce to drizzle over your dinner. 

First, he reheats the pan over medium heat on the stovetop until it's nice and warm. When the fond (which Ham describes as "caramelized bits of sugars, proteins, and fat" that has rendered out of whatever protein you're working with) starts to bubble, he cuts the heat. Next, he pours hot water over the shallow cauldron of fond and scrapes up the stuck-on bits with a spatula. Finally, he strains the liquid into another pan, where it serves as the base of a delicious, glossy sauce.