| Use | Do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling | Sit bakes on the wire grid | Air circulates, no soggy steamed bottoms |
| Cookies | Rest on the pan 2–5 min, then onto the rack | Firm enough to move; finish cooling crisp |
| Cakes | Cool in the tin ~10 min, turn out onto rack | Sets enough to release without breaking |
| More uses | Elevate roasts, drain fried food, catch glaze | One rack, several jobs |
How to Use a Cooling Rack
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Set cakes, cookies and bread on a cooling rack's wire grid so air can circulate underneath and the bottoms cool crisp instead of turning soggy from trapped steam. Let cookies firm up on the hot pan for a few minutes and turn cakes out of the tin after about ten before moving them to the rack, and the same rack doubles for elevating roasts, draining fried food and catching glaze.