This Utensil Can Save Your Dirty Baking Sheets

We’ve all forgotten to put down parchment paper or tin foil and then baked food right onto our cookie sheets. That residue can get stubborn, but there’s an unexpected utensil that can help.

A dough cutter can aid in scraping down your pan and removing all that leftover gunk.

If you don’t do much baking, you might not be familiar with a dough cutter (also called a bench scraper), but you’ve probably seen one. They’re the rectangular piece of steel you see bakers using to cut through their dough, create portions, and transfer it between surfaces. They often feature wooden handles for a good grip.

Briana Holt, head baker at Tandem Coffee Roasters, said they’re also perfect for scraping food and baked-on crud from your baking sheet.

While you don’t want to scrape so deeply that you damage the sheet, you can hold your pan diagonally in your sink and push the cutter over the leftover food adding more pressure if need be. Thanks to the wooden handle, you’ll have a good grip for scrubbing, and since there’s no super-sharp edge, your sheet should remain scratch-free with a light hand.

Of course, there are alternative methods if you’re concerned about damage. You can always opt for soaking your pan in extra hot water with plenty of dish detergent to break down any food, and you can also try an abrasive cleaning method like steel wool or Bar Keepers Friend.

Let’s be honest, though, sometimes, it’s just time to retire a pan. If you’re in that position, here are some of the best to choose from.

[Via The Kitchn]