Bakeware & Pans

Cooling Rack

Wire grid that lets bakes and fried food breathe

A wire grid that lifts cookies, cakes, and bread so air circulates underneath and they cool without going soggy. Set inside a sheet pan, it also keeps fried and roasted food crisp. Choose an oven-safe one and it pulls double duty for roasting.

A cooling rack is a raised wire grid that lifts baked goods off the pan so air circulates underneath, letting cookies, cakes, and bread cool evenly instead of going soggy in their own trapped steam. That same airflow makes it a quiet hero beyond cooling: set inside a sheet pan, it elevates roasting chicken or bacon so fat drips away and all sides crisp, props fried food up so the bottom stays crunchy, and holds glazed pastries while the icing sets. Buy an oven-safe one and a single rack pulls double duty for baking and roasting.

Types & varieties

Grid (cross-hatch) rack

Closely spaced wires in both directions — most versatile and oven-safe; holds small items.

Parallel-bar rack

Wires run one way only; cheaper but small things slip through and it can sag.

Stackable / collapsible rack

Tiered or folding designs that save counter space when cooling big batches.

Cooling vs. roasting

For cooling, the rack's job is airflow underneath so steam escapes and bottoms don't sweat. For roasting, set the rack inside a rimmed sheet pan: meat sits up out of its own drippings and crisps on every side while the pan catches the fat. Make sure the rack is oven-safe before using it for the latter.

Cooling: lifts bakes so they don't steam-soften
Roasting: elevates meat in a sheet pan for all-around crisping
Glazing: catches drips while icing or chocolate sets

What to look for

A tight cross-hatched grid is far more useful than parallel bars — it supports small cookies and fries without them falling through and resists sagging under a heavy roast. Stainless steel is best for oven use; confirm the rating on chrome or nonstick versions, which can flake or discolor with high heat.

Common uses

Cooling cookies, cakes, and breadRoasting meat elevated in a sheet panCrisping bacon and oven friesHolding glazed or iced items while they setDraining fried foodResting seared or fried items to keep them crunchyDrying washed produce or air-drying brined poultry

Tips & pitfalls

Buy a grid-style rack that fits inside your sheet pan — it nests for storage and turns the pan into a roasting set.
Confirm it's oven-safe before roasting on it; some chrome racks aren't.
Cool delicate cakes briefly in the pan first, then turn out onto the rack so they don't break.
Set a rack over a sheet pan to keep fried or breaded food crisp while you finish the batch.
Scrub sticky racks soon after use — dried glaze and grease are stubborn once set.

Good to know

Material: Chrome-plated or stainless steel wire (some nonstick-coated)
Oven safe?: Stainless yes; check that nonstick and chrome versions are rated
Best grid: Tight cross-hatched grid — holds small items without sagging
Fits: Half-sheet-pan-sized racks nest inside a standard sheet pan
Reusable?: Yes — durable for years
Price range: Low to moderate