What Is a Jelly Roll Pan?

If your beloved cookie sheet looks like a shallow cake pan with 1-inch-deep sides, you have a jelly roll pan. These pans have edges because they're made for baking the thin layer of cake used to make jelly rolls. But even though these pans are made with a specific purpose in mind, they're versatile and can be used for so much more.

One Pan, Many Uses

  • Even if you don't make jelly rolls all the time -- or have never made one -- the pan comes in handy in most kitchens. For example, you can use a jelly roll pan to grill food items that give off juices, such as meats, fish and vegetables. You can also use this type of pan to bake breads and rolls, which typically benefit from some sort of edge to keep them from spreading onto the oven rack when baking. You can also use them to bake cake bars.