There’s always a certain amount of chaos in my kitchen.
The oven is screamin’ hot. There are egg yolks in the egg whites. Flour : Everywhere. I have an 8-inch round pan, a 9×13-inch pan, a burnt saute pan from Ikea, and a wooden spoon….and now I need a special spring-form pan just for a cheesecake!? Yea…
Also… there’s flour everywhere. A cat, too. The cat, however, is medium normal.
There is something that can ease my chaos. Ok… there are a lot of things that can ease the chaos: a dishwasher and a kitchen assistant, for starters. But I’m thinking of something that costs far far less… parchment paper!
Let me tell you… a roll of parchment paper is a lifesaver in the kitchen!
It’s worthy of roasting garlic. It’s everything when it comes to baking cookies and roasting vegetables. It’s a nonstick wonder, and makes clean-up a breeze. Parchment paper is also, often, reusable. If I make cookies, I simply remove the cooled parchment, fold it up, and save it for the next round of baking.
Other incredible parchment paper uses: for sifting flour onto, for gift wrapping, and food styling.
Parchment paper isn’t just for Martha Stewart-like home bakers, or pastry professionals. Parchment paper was designed for people like us… people who don’t want to dirty a spatula just to get fresh cookies off a baking pan.
A warning: parchment paper does not belong anywhere near a broiler. That’s how one sets their house ablaze.
Please consider this a useful tip, a high-five, and a loving shove into the kitchen… get cooking!
xo joy
Bradly Storsteen
I just love using it to bake with it, The clean up is a snap every time.
Mark
Everybody is chatting about clean up….
Parchment changes the nature of the raw product’s (the dough’s) physical contact with the heated surface (your pan.) Things cook DIFFERENTLY with parchment; less aggressively. This is a very good thing. In particular, less over-browning will occur.
Jeanie C
I wonder if I can use parchment paper to wrap, form and store the little chocolate coconut raisin candy I make in my frying pan?
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Helpful info. Fortunate me I discovered your web site by chance, and I’m stunned why this accident did not came about earlier! I bookmarked it.
Roz Weitzman
Yes, parchment has become my best friend in the kitchen too! Thanks for the tips!
And I love your website.
Regards, Roz
http://www.rozw.wordpress.com
http://www.pinterest.com/rozweitzman
ida
for anyone in the Los Angeles/Culver City area I find that the best place to buy parchment paper is Surfas on Washington bl in Culver City. i buy a pack of 250 sheets (half sheet size for around $13 to $14.
Lauren
I buy my parchment paper at Costco. Apparently I go through it pretty quickly.
Chineka
I love parchment paper and aluminum foil for all their many uses in baking.
Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See
Flour: everywhere. So true! Not to mention, it is the biggest pain-in-my-butt to clean up…. I prefer flowers in the house :)
JenMarie
Great tip! I tend to use tinfoil for garlic and other things, but will try parchment instead!
Jef
You can buy flat, large sheets in a bundle at Gordon Food Service stores if you have one in your area. The package slide in the same place you store you cookie sheets and there are so many, they last forever.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes
Parchment paper and silpat mats are life savers :)
Sondra
I consider parchment a necessity in the kitchen.
Kendra
I recently discovered the joys of parchment and now I’m hooked! I love the idea of using it for roasted garlic. I’ve been using foil, but it’s much more costly than parchment. After this post, I’ll be testing out the parchment on a lot more of my cooking projects! I believe a Costco trip is in order so I can stock up!
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy
great post! parchment is a LIFESAVER! however, i did learn the hard way about the broiler…..nothing horrible, just a flaming tray haha
Dawnie
I’ve just discovered the round parchment cake holders for doing round cakes. Saved my life! x
Amielle
I’m adding this to the grocery list ASAP. Anything that makes life easier and can be reused is wonderful in my books!
Melissa
I use it to line the compost bin so yucky stuff doesn’t stick to the bottom. Oh, and for cookies.
nancy k.
I think parchment is one of my favorite tools in the kitchen. I love the brown version…seems lighter but actually sronger. I purchase it by the role …very inexpensively… at a place in my area called The Christmas Tree Shop( odd name as it really has mostly stuff not related to Christmas).
I reuse it repeatedly on my cookie sheets with no problem. I have never been a fan of waxed paper…except to use when I am doing something messy and want to keep things contained on a surface and easy to clean-up.
Kathleen @ Simplified Paleo
Know what else is fun? Not knowing the difference between wax paper and parchment paper and setting your oven ablaze.
kendra
I’ve totally done this! woopsies!! But now we know. :-)
!
Joey Diana
And…it is compostable!
nadia
dear joy…reading your blog is something i happily look forward to. it really acts as a stress reliever….thank you & keep it up :) btw, LOVE parchment especially for rolling out cookie dough so it doesn’t stick too much to the rolling pin :)
Sarah
How can anyone NOT be crazy about parchment paper? I like to put a piece over the bottom of a spring form before clipping the whole papered affair into the ring. That way, the “walls” are the only thing that needs to be cleaned afterwards, and I can move the cake around (to a cake platter, the fridge, whereever) easily, thanks to the sturdy paper it rests on. If it needs to look good, I cut off the paper close to the cake and just leave the rest underneath.
anna
love this! didn’t know that it’s resuable!
Mary's Pastry Lab
parchment paper is something that we don’t have on this side of the world. strange, i know. have been using silpat ;) it has everything except the part for gift wrapping :|
Ethel
Oh man, I don’t know how anyone can live without parchment paper! Without it, I’d have many burnt pans to scrub.
Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
I finally just found brown parchment paper recently and was so excited. Yes…I got excited about a particular color of parchment paper. Do I sound super lame? Anyway, I’m quite a fan too…sooo good for photos when you don’t have the right plate for a shot!
Kelly
And let us not forget the role played by parchment paper in the presentation of your “cheese plate,” an idea I totally stole, to much acclaim, when I hosted a big wine and cheese party last month (the idea of writing types of cheese ON the paper=genius!) I also second the idea of putting pizza on parchment before you slide it onto your pizza stone–you can put many more toppings on without the heinous risk of gluing your crust to your peel, and the parchment only colors demurely on the pizza stone and does not at all hinder browning. (I was once at someone’s house when the dreaded wax-paper substitution happened–smell of melting crayons, smoke alarm triggering automatic signal to local fire department, ladder truck and volunteer fire people in full gear . . . I don’t recommend it, unless you’re feeding small boys who like ladder trucks, as we happened to be doing).
m @ random musings
I’m a big fan of waxed paper for lining and holding food stuffs.. Its only one-time use, but makes cleanup a breeze, and for $2 a roll is absolutely in my price range. I also have a silpat. Both are wonderful options.
On
How funny :)) Here in Germany you can get parchment paper everywhere. Even in the tiniest stores. I know parchment paper since i was a little kid. you have the opportunity to choose between various sizes, too.
Bev @ Bev Cooks
Joy, it was so great meeting you this weekend! So great I might just wrap myself up in parchment paper. Right now.
Heather {The Lovely Cupboard}
Ode to parchment paper! I too love the stuff and have tried to find ways to use it in other rooms of the house…no ideas so far. Parchment paper lamps shades? Hmm, probably not.
mary beth
Ah! Oh how I love parchment paper. I even sew it with a regular old sewing machine and make paper bags out of it for baked goods. Thank you for even more ideas!
Angela Harvell
Thanks for the tip. I did set the mini-oven on fire. Until now, I didn’t know why. Otherwise, it is great stuff. Thansk for the tips.
birrrd
ok. I just moved to Florida. and ..I didn’t know it would be so hard to get parchment paper here – like in germany there’s lot’s of different and cheap parchment papers in every store. here I just saw one kind of it for big money between lots of stupid plastic wrappers and zippers and foils.
oh – and fresh yeast. no fresh yeast nowhere. that ruined my yesterday.
But maybe that’s just Florida..
Penny
try KingArthurFlour.com. They have all those items you can’t find in Florida and oh so much more!
Katie
Amen sister! And I reuse my parchment all the time too.
Marilyn
Pick me, pick me! I can be your kitchen assistant! :)
amber
i made the mistake of using wax paper instead of parchment paper once. i just figured they were similar. that experience is filed away under “things i learned the hard way” thanks for the tip! :)
Ken Ashe
This is a great tip. I’m a novice cook who has never used parchment paper I have to pick some up.
Jesse
i’ve never purchased parchment paper but clearly, i need to!
Venessa
Oh Yeah! Parchment paper is the best. It also makes great piping bags in a pinch. I buy a huge box of it at our local Cash and Carry (I don’t know if they have that everywhere, I live in Seattle) and keep it on top of my fridge. It’s super cheap and one sheet ripped in half fits my sheet pans *exactly* unlike any of the brands I have ever bought that come in a roll.
Ali @ Gimme Some Oven
Love parchment paper! Plus, it’s cute!!!
Nicole @ the Dirty oven
Gotta love the parch! Have a good week!
Margarita
I have never used parchment paper until about 2 months ago when my awesome boyfriend picked it up at the grocery store. It is indeed a life saver… for a long time, I thought about it as an expensive and unnecessary purchase, but really in the long run, it has a lot of uses and the best part is that it can be used multiple times!
AlohaCookieGirl
Yep, I agree completely — parchment paper is a life-saver in the kitchen!
I’ve been buying it in bulk for years, here — you can’t beat the price, quality and FREE Shipping!
http://www.ebay.com/sch/the-baking-queen/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=
Meghan
thanks for the tip! I heat being able to buy almost anything in bulk – and I love the unbleached option!
Ann P.
I love parchment paper! I wish I could buy it in bulk.
wesley @ the way home
I’ve heard so much about parchment paper and definitely need to give it a try. I’m all about not having to clean pans. Almost bought a silpat once too, I’ve heard great things about them as well! Thanks for the reminder :)
The Fatboy Cookie Company, Inc.
We’ve used the silpat a few times & don’t love it. We like the parchment paper much much better!
Leanna
Love, love, LOVE my Silpat!!! I have two! I bought one and just looked at it for years before I tried it. I just knew it was going to leave an off-taste to anything I cooked on it. I was wrong! I have a Christmas cookie recipe that has crushed peppermint candies in it. That cookie doesn’t just stick to non-stick cookie sheets . . it actually embeds itself into the coating. Not so with the Silpat. I allow it to cool a bit until it won’t just fall apart and I don’t need a spatula to remove the cookies. I can delicately pick them right off . . easily. So . . try the Silpat. I’ve never ever had anything stick to them . . and the bottoms of the cookies are perfect!
lee
I didn’t realize you could re-use parchment paper. That makes me feel a little better, and not so guilty for using a liner when I bake cookies, etc. =)
The Fatboy Cookie Company, Inc.
Yes, we reuse parchment paper after baking cookies – sometimes multiple times. Easy & guilt-ree :)
Lady Jennie
I need parchment paper to roll out gluten free pâte brisé and carry it over into the crèpe pan. Otherwise it’s way too sticky.
Faye
Three cheers for parchment paper!! Love that stuff!!
Julie
I’m a little in love with parchment – as much for the look of it as anything! Especially when it gets a little toasty and curled around the edges…
Eileen
Parchment paper is absolutely one of my favorite kitchen tools. I’m actually out–so thanks for the reminder! Definitely don’t want to get caught without any the next time I bake. :)
Ana
I’ve using parchment paper for a while now and it always makes such a difference when I don’t. I love the fact that most of the time you can reuse it too.
Shut Up & Cook
For an embarassingly long time I thought wax paper and parchment paper were the same…couldn’t figure out why mine kept smoking when I’d bake cookies on it…
Ah yes, now I know.
Really enjoyed your panel this weekend at BlogHer Food!
Becca - Cookie Jar Treats
I always use parchment paper. I’m afraid to NOT use it. Parchment paper is my best friend in the kitchen :)
Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
I definitely go through rolls of parchment paper like they’re going out of style. I’ve started buying to giant rolls from Costco. Just seemed more economically sound.
Reformed Foodie
Amen to that. My kitchen would be a whole lot more chaotic (than it already is) without it.
Sarah
That garlic looks oh so good, but my mother would probably yell if I roasted garlic in the house ;)
?Sarah?
theantiquepearl.blogspot.com
Meghan @ After the Ivy League
I love parchment paper and have to use it whenever I bake cookies. It’s magical. I didn’t think to save and reuse it though, great idea!
Emily
two things: Thomas Keller also describes in his book ad hoc at home how to make a parchment lid. This is good for when you want something halfway between a covered pan and non-covered pan. Also, for baking sheets I use silpats. Now those changed my life – and you can reuse them pretty much forever so they are better for the environment than continually using parchment paper on baking sheets.
Emily
Couldn’t live with out it! Well I could probably live, but can’t bake with out it! And now Costco sells KS parchment paper in bulk and it’s a steal!
OliePants
I love parchment paper. I remember first buying wax paper thinking it was the same. My poor oven. My next step is to buy a Silpat.
Arthur
I love Silpats nonstick silicon mats!
Claudia from Idiot's Kitchen
Once I started baking on parchment paper I felt so dumb for not having discovered it sooner. That fancy French baking mat hasn’t been out of the closet since. Oh, and crinkled up it makes a great cat toy.
Sherry
How are you reusing your parchment paper? Mine gets crackly and fragile. Not to mention the burnt curled up edges from batch after batch of cookies. But I have to say, I do love my parchment paper, the baking is much more even, and the removal, much easier!
Erika
I love using parchment paper. I love anything that saves me from handwashing dishes :)
sandra
My discovery of parchment paper was revolutionary. I always use it for baking now – no fuss, no mess.
doe mora
you will undetsand then, why a i almost wept with happiness to see a jumbo jimbo roll of parchment paper at Costco. it (the paper, not Costco) occupies space #1 in my paper/plastic drawer
Shawna
Wow, I have never used parchment paper but I can tell I am missing something uber good. It’s on my grocery list now!
Roshni
You are the ultimate inspiration! Such a cool idea to dedicate an entire post to the unsung hero!
Lindsay @ The Live-In Kitchen
So true! Unfortunately my store doesn’t sell the pretty brown parchment like you always use. We just have the white stuff, which is much less photogenic.
Shirley@bells-bakery
You re-use your parchment paper? Ive never even heard or thought of this for that matter! well you learn something new everyday :)
Devon @ the food bitch blog
Parchment paper is God’s gift to bakers… Especially messy ones like me. My kitchen is almost always covered in a fine layer of flour!
chefroommate
Parchment paper is such a wonder! I just moved and was forced to bake without some this past week, blurg. I had to deal with mysteriously greasy silpats (I felt so in the know during that podcast). But now I’ve loaded up – here’s to nonstick goodness!
Mi Vida en un Dulce
I am the kind of person who can’t live (or cook) without parchmant paper, I always have to have it, even if I don’t need on that moment, but knowing that I have ti at my kitchen is a relief
Candice @ NotesFromABroad
Amen to parchment paper !
I started using it to line pans or casseroles a while back and love it and the best thing is that it is pretty tough, you don’t get a lot of leakage or ripping or sticking to the food.
Eliz. K
haha, I’ve begun thinking of adding a roll of parchment paper to wedding gifts I give– it is SO useful and wonderful!
Meister
Fellow parchment-paper aficionado here, though I also use my Silpat for everything, on account of it being a bit greener. (Or is it?? Sigh… being eco-friendly is so hard.)
lee
I’ve recently been wondering the same thing. I’m new to using parchment paper, and as much as I like the benefits, eventually you throw it away…then I heard about the Silpat liners. So I can’t help wondering whether the Silpat is better because it would last longer…or the parchment, which (per a comment above) can apparently be purchased in eco-friendly brands.
I’ll defer to Kermit the Frog – “it’s not easy being green.”
lisa
love the parchment paper, actually gave a roll to my 23 yr old son 2 weeks ago, trying to make him wordly and smart.
i bought a springform pan on saturday, and made ina garten’s cheesecake. dee-lish, and no crack in the top! i know you’ll modify the recipe, but it’s a great cheesecake recipe.
love and chaos,
lisa
Jennifer
Completely agreed about parchment paper. I had no idea you could reuse it after baking though. Mine tends to get very brown around the edges.
Makirio
I can’t believe I’ve been throwing mine away after one use (mostly for baking cookies)! WT…?! Thanks for the tip!
cindy
I don’t know what I would do without parchment! Probably just scrape cookies off the pan, I guess.
I think it’s fair to note that waxed paper does not equal parchment paper. They look similar, but are not…business will stick to waxed paper!
Liz @ Tip Top Shape
Gotta love parchment paper!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
awww yeah. Parchment paper can save lives. I speak the truth.
Ellen
Preach! Love that parchment paper…for all things.
Hannah @ All-Purpose and Semi-Sweet
I remember reading awhile ago that you don’t own a spring-form pan for cheesecake…have you rectified that situation?!
Sara {Home is Where the Cookies Are}
I used to think parchment paper was only for fancy-schmancy bakers – until I started using it. And, Oh Lordy. It’s awesome – and a huge clean-up saver. I use it, probably, for way too many things – like french fries and chicken nuggets too. . . . High five right back atcha. I totally agree!
Lila
Just a heads up–we use parchment paper a lot on sheet pans at cooking school but chef believes you can’t roast veggies to perfection with parchement paper. Carmalization is more difficult with parchment paper (more likely to steam) although it does make clean up a breeze. I like buying mine in sheets rather than rolls–so much easier!
caroleena
Parchment sheets are the best thing ever invented!!!!!!!
AmI
SO true! Parchment paper is much more for us messy bakers than the tidy, organized Martha types! (though oh how I wish I could be tidy too)
It’s a life saver, a time saver and also a washing up saver – I use it when measuring stuff out on my scales so I don’t have to wash the bowl between weighing butter and flour.
Priya
I agree with the re-usability of parchment paper… While baking a cake, if it starts browning too fast, cover the cake loosely with parchment paper; it prevents over-browning and ensures even baking… Totally worth having in the kitchen!
Rosie
I am a pastry professional. Today I showed up at work to find out we out of parchment paper. I was dumbfounded. I looked at my manager with a “you expect me to do my job with out it” face. Hardest day of work ever (and I didn’t even have to scrub my own pans)
But at home I live by parchment paper. After I bake on it. I often us it as a plate.
My favorite use you didn’t mention, funnel. Works like a charm.
Alison
Think of the environment! Be nice to it by reusing as much as you can and doing the occasional low-impact dishwasher cycle! Kudos for reusing for cookies, Joy!
Kate @eatrecyclerepeat
My favorite parchment paper is “If You Care” brand. It is unbleached and compostable! It’s made from silicon, which is non toxic and renewable. So I don’t feel guilty throwing it away, even though I use it about 25 times before I do get rid of it. I love it for roasting sweet potatoes and squash – if they ooze out onto the pan it is a huge mess to scrub off, but you can reuse the parchment paper too! It is very sturdy, and even the cardboard box is recycled materials and biodegradable. Win!
Julia {The Roasted Root}
Every roll of parchment paper I ever buy is dedicated to brownies. While I bake other things that could easily necessitate parchment, for some reason I use it solely for brownies…that tells you how much I care about brownies compared to other baked goods. Have never used it to roast vegetables – this is brilliant as my roasted veggies always leave charred remnants stuck to my dishes. Will do this from now on ;)
Lizz
Parchment paper’s close cousin, tin foil is my bff. I don’t think I’ve used a naked pan in five years. Tin foil is also awesome for crumpling up and throwing at obnoxious siblings who demand use of the stove for ramen noodles when you’re trying to cook an elaborate feast for dinner to impress your sweetie.
Hännah
I’ve been wondering about all the parchment paper I’ve been seeing around the blogosphere! I actually have some in my cupboard but haven’t even used it. After reading your post, I’ll definitely be pulling it out for the oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies I have planned for tomorrow. Thanks!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
I use foil more than I use parchment for lining pans but both are great…anything to reduce the amount of dishes I need to scrub is a blessing!
Margherita
I should write an ode to parchment paper because my life without him (it?) would be a true and utter nightmare!
Rachel F.
How do you sift flour with parchment paper? How have I never heard of this trick?
Jayne
I think she meant sift flour ONTO parchment paper. Makes it easier than sifting into a bowl and also much easier to transport. :-)
Angela @ the fairy bread chronicles
Ah humble parchment paper, so useful and versatile, yet so often overlooked. If parchment paper were a guy, I’d be kinda into him.
ooh dear, did i just say that?