How to Use Parchment Paper in Baking
One of the most important things you can have in your kitchen, as I have discovered, is parchment paper. I can’t live bake without it and I’ve always got a roll handy.
It really was an epiphany the first time I baked with the help of parchment paper, and I haven’t looked back. If you’ve ever been frustrated with cakes that stuck to the pan, or messed up brownies trying to dig them out of a pan, this post is for you.
Here’s how parchment paper can help you out in the kitchen…
For cookies, biscuits and scones
Placing cookie dough, biscuit rounds and the like on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper ensures your final product won’t stick. No need to use cooking spray and add extra grease, and your pans are much easier to clean as you can just throw it away when you’re done.
I know a lot of bakers use and love silicone baking mats, but for whatever reason, I’ve always just used parchment paper.
For cakes
To get your cakes to come out perfectly from the pan each time, simply trace the outline of the cake pan onto parchment paper and cut it out. Line the bottom of the pan with the parchment paper, and then either grease and flour, or coat with baking spray. Your cake is guaranteed to come out in one piece, I promise.
For brownies, bars and quick breads
For 4-sided (square or rectangle) deep pans I always line it with parchment paper like this— measure out the parchment paper to the width of the longest side, then make sure it’s long enough to line the entire bottom of the pan, the two sides, and have a few inches of overhang on either side.
When you are ready to remove your baked good from the pan, simply use the overhanging parchment as handles to lift it straight out of the pan. For brownies and bars, it’s best to let them cool completely before removing them from the pan, as warm bars are soft and can buckle.
An important note, wax paper is not the same as parchment paper. Wax paper will actually burn in the oven, so don’t confuse the two.
Look for parchment paper at your local grocery store next to the plastic wrap and aluminum foil, for only about three dollars. One roll lasts me, a very frequent baker, about a month. Baking supply stores sell it also, but I’m partial to the convenience of the cheap stuff.
I love the precut parchment from the kitchen store, I can’t lie. It never rolls up and it’s always the right size. Makes my life easier, I don’t know how anyone bakes without parchment!
I prefer to cut my own parchment paper. Its cheaper. Take note parchment paper is also known as baking paper or sheet in some countries.
Annalise,
I use parchment paper all the time. It’s a life saver. Sometimes I reuse it too, if it doesn’t get too messy and I’m making a lot of cookies.
Annamaria
Agreed. Sometimes I’ll reuse it, too. 🙂
I reuse it too😊😊😊
It’s so funny, now that I am reading this post, because everything finally comes together 🙂
Long story short: I am from Germany but currently living in Canada – I was talking to my boyfriend’s mother about “baking paper” which you can get everywhere in Germany – I think it is pretty much standard and I don’t know anyone who bakes without it.
My boyfriend’s mother told me that I should get wax paper as an equivalent and when I first wanted to use it I knew that there was something wrong 🙂
So thanks for clearing this up for me!
Best wishes,
Vivienne
I didn’t think parchment paper was worth the expense until I tried it! I use parchment for baking, but also for pizza, vegetables, fish… I used the cheaper grocery rolls, too, but I splurged on King Arthur parchment sheets, and to me, they are worth the extra cost. They don’t roll, and they can be reused, so this package will last me a long time. You can also buy round parchment which would eliminate cutting circles and wasting the square edges, and might be worth the cost if you bake a lot of cakes.
AMEN! We can’t live without it at our house. I also love how they really help your baked goods cook evenly. (We’ve done tests in our house.)
I like to buy mine from King Arthur Flour. Every few months they go on sale and have free shipping. I get the sizes for all my baking sheets and cake pans. 🙂 I’ll also keep a roll (like you have pictured) for other projects.
Lovely photos. (As usual. 🙂 )
Parchment paper is such a great tool for baking. I buy it at Costco (wholesale) and it’s such a large roll that it lasts me all year and is such a great bargain that way.
I love your recipes! And thanks for all the great baking tips 🙂
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Which side do you put dough on? Shinny or dull?
Both sides of my parchment paper look the same.
Shinney.
Parchment paper problem. I just made a batch of rolls that I have made many times before. I bake them on parchment paper. The first times I made them was in Florida baked in an electric stove. We came home, Wisconsin, and I made another batch and baked in a gas stove. They stuck like they were super glued to the paper. The recipe is a no knead type and the dough is on the sticky side but the same recipe. Does parchment paper have a wrong side and does it go “bad”? Can’t figure this out! Thx
Hi Karen! Parchment paper should never stick to anything when you’re baking with it. Hmmm. Are you sure you weren’t using wax paper?
Annalise — THANK YOU! I have been tasked with baking brownies for a family (huge) reunion. Someone told me about parchment paper… so I found your blog page, read it, bought some and baked away. This stuff is BRILLIANT! Thanks again!
Parchment paper itself does not have 100% non-stick properties for baking needs. For this purpose parchment needs silicone coating. This coating can be applied to one side or to both sides of parchment. Thus you need to be careful when using parchment for baking and check which side (if not both) has the silicone coating. This is the side which is 100% non-stick.
Hi Sergey! I have never ever had issues with parchment paper sticking to anything while baking, but maybe the kind I buy is silicone coated. I’ll have to look at the label. Thanks for the info!
Hi Annalise,
If the manufacture specifically makes parchment for baking, then they apply the silicone coating onto it. This way it is 100% non-stick and can withstand any temperature of the oven.
However, you can sometimes find in stores parchment at a lower price which may say that it can be used for baking purposes also but without the silicone coating. This product can be burned and should be used at limited temperatures only.
Regular parchment without any coating is designed for wrapping of food stuff with high fat (grease) content in the first place.
Love using parchment but an important SAFETY warning: as the box states “not to be used in ovens lit by a halogen lightbulb”. I left the oven light on while baking the last sheet of a few cookies and 4 minutes into the bake time, the parchment had erupted into flame and the cookies were briquettes. It was such a hot fire it had burned itself out in that time and luckily I was in the kitchen to notice the smoke, so no damage other than very frayed nerves. I didn’t even realize it was a halogen bulb before this. The manufacturer believed the bulb heated the oven over the 420 degree max rating. TY for letting me add this warning.
Thanks for the information, Susan!
Can you cook pizza on parchments without oil? Will crust stick?
Yes you can, and no it will not stick. I bake pizza on parchment all the time!
Do you need to add baking time when using parchment paper?
Can you slide parchment paper with cookies off the baking sheet and let them cool in the paper?
Sure, that’ll work too.
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I’m getting ready to make a homemade chocolate cake and was wondering if I can use parchment paper instead of greasing and flouring the pan? Every time I grease and flour a pan and I go to frost the cake, my cake crumbles.not sure what I’m doing wrong or if it’s related to greasing and flouring the pan.
Can one use the parchment paper in baking pies so the crust doesn’t weld to the glass bottom on my peach pies? I usually wind up serving peach cobbler instead of a slice of pie.
Hmm, maybe it’s time for a new pie pan? I never have any issues with my glass pie pans. Never used parchment paper on a pie dish either, so I can’t offer any suggestions there. Sorry I’m not more help!
Can I use parchment paper to bake salmon?
I have just baked a fruit cake with greaseproof paper. Greased the inside of cake tin before placing the grease proof paper but have found the paper has stuck to the cake. Any ideas?
I make gluten free bread and the parchment paper always sticks to the bread. I’ve prepared the paper with butter, left the paper dry, coconut oil, and olive oil. It doesn’t matter, the paper always sticks. Does anyone have a solution?
Hmm I’ve never had any issues with parchment paper and it shouldn’t need any greasing. What brand of parchment paper are you using? I typically use Reynold’s.
I’ve unsuccessfully used noon stick spray to prevent my cheesecake from sticking to the sides of my springform pan. I saw a video recommending that you grease the sides of the pan and stick parchment paper to the grease. Do you agree or is there a better way.
Hi Harold, I always use nonstick baking spray on my springform pans when making cheesecake no problem. If you don’t have success with that, perhaps it’s the quality of your baking spray. I use Baker’s Joy or White Cap. That being said, if you have a method that works for you, go with that. Butter + flour is an option, and so is parchment paper. Good luck and happy baking!
The role of baking paper and baking mat The tool I often use and highly recommend is baking paper. However, I don’t like rolled baking paper because it is easy to roll up and it is inconvenient to cut. I prefer to use cut-out baking paper, which can be found everywhere nowadays and can be bought in bakery stores (or buy some from your favorite bakery). If it is used at home baking pans, a piece of baking paper can be cut into two pieces for use (home baking pans are usually half the size of professional baking pans).
https://www.chinapapershop.com/product/natural-brown-greaseproof-baking-paper
I’ve been using No-Name parchment for my sourdough loaves. Zero sticking. I bought a roll of Pillsbury brand parchment at Home Hardware and aaaakkk! It stuck! It’s awful! It didn’t stick to my rye loaf, which is a lower hydration, but the white loaf is fused on the bottom.
How to get it not to roll up
Amazing writeup, I was expecting this from you. You can check my blog too, http://www.kitchennblog.com