Cooling rack functions as a way to cool down baked goods, and a handy place to store baked goods until you serve, frost or pack them. Cooling racks come in many different sizes and are usually made of metal. Small metal bars run across the rack, allowing air to circulate not only on top of cookies or cakes, but also underneath them. The rack may also have bars running in both directions or be composed of fine metal net if you're cooling small items.

Cooling racks allow air to circulate all the way around your baked goods. This helps to release heat faster and prevents moisture buildup.

Most racks are made of steel, and coated with chrome or a non-stick finish.

The cooling rack should have small feet that lift the metal bars or net up off the surface upon which it sits. A flat cooling rack without any lift may be cheaper, but it won’t give the main advantage, which is the ability for air to circulate completely around the food. Also if you’re making anything particularly sticky or chewy, you might want to coat your cooling rack in non-stick spray so that when the items are cool they don’t stick to the rack.

Sizes of cooling racks vary considerably.Single racks be great for cooling a batch of cookies, cupcakes, or a single layer of a layer cake. Other cooling racks have several tiers or levels, and are frequently collapsible so they don’t take up much space when stored. These are great for shorter items, like a batch of cookies for instance, though many feel that the heat from each rack may increase cooling time.

Whether you've got a heavy Bundt cake laden with fruits and nuts or a few paper-thin wafers, this sturdy cooling rack will keep your baked treats high and dry. It's constructed with tightly spaced grids that provide even support, and has four feet that stand 1/2" above the counter. Because the feet are softly rounded, they won't scratch polished countertops

You should look for cooling racks that will best fit your baking needs. For instance, if you bake many cookies, the three-tiered collapsible cooling racks may be the best choices. If you make large oblong cakes, look for cooling racks upon which the pan will sit comfortably. It’s definitely a mistake to use a cooling rack, especially when turning out a cake that is too small. That tends to be the pathway toward breaking a cake when you try to get it out of a pan.

You can find round, square and rectangular cooling racks. Round ones are especially useful for round layer cakes, and they make for an excellent way to easily flip a cake out of the cake pan.