<p>A series of hierarchical nanosheet-structured ZSM-5 zeolites were successfully synthesized via a dual-template synthesis strategy. The impacts of the material ratio in the gel include meso-/microporogen and Si/Al molar ratio, as well as the type of microporogen on the morphology of the hierarchical structure of zeolites, pore architecture, and acidic properties were systematic explored. Moreover, the relationship between the morphological changes and the arrangement of the template within the uncalcined zeolite was unveiled. The results indicated that the molar ratio of C_18-6-6Br (mesoporogen)/TPAOH exerted a remarkable influence on the morphology of zeolites. With the increase in the proportion of the C_18-6-6Br, the morphology of the zeolites shifted rapidly from massive to lamellar. Concomitantly, N₂ adsorption–desorption experiments show that both the specific surface area (ranging from 380 to 570&#xa0;m²/g) and the external specific surface area (ranging from 188 to 382&#xa0;m²/g) increased significantly. While the Si/Al ratio variations adjusted acid strength and quantity through crystallinity interplay, the type of microporogen influenced crystallization via electrostatic interactions and steric effects. Light olefins were produced by the catalytic cracking of waste cooking oil model compound in laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactors to evaluate the catalytic performance of these zeolites. The maximum light olefin yield (38.8%) could be obtained owing to the suitable acid amount and relatively large specific surface area of zeolite (500&#xa0;m²/g). While meeting the yield requirements, it also achieved a relatively low coke deposition (23.54% coke content) through excellent diffusion performance.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>