I’m a simple home baker. I don’t need every clever kitchen gadget to make a batch of cookies. Honestly, I’ve reached for a butterknife over an offset spatula to frost cakes more times than I can count.
Baking isn’t all about gear but, there is one kitchen splurge that I keep stocked in my pantry, without fail: the parchment paper sheet. I was first introduced to large pre-cut parchment paper sheets working in bakeries. They’re lightly coated in silicon and measured to fit a half-sized sheet pan. When it comes to large scale food production these are a huge time saver. At home – they’re an easy insurance policy. A low cost, long-lasting casual game changer. No matter how many biscuits you have coming out of the oven, here’s why you should buy yourself a pack of parchment paper sheets most immediately.
- Parchment paper sheets make every pan nonstick and easy release. So no more ??? about whether the peanut butter fluff cookies will stick to the pan or the banana bread will turn out of the pan without a hitch. Parchment paper coats every pan in disposable silicone and makes loaves and bars super easy to lift from the pan instead of inverting.
- Sheets are pre-measured to be a half-sheet pan size, making them easy to cut in half for quarter sheet pan bakes. Most importantly, they’re served up flat instead of rolled. I don’t know about you but wrestling a rolled piece of parchment paper is a battle I despise when I’m baking. Not to mention the quiet agitation when I don’t get a clean tear of paper off the parchment paper roll.
- Two magic words: less dishes. I can Dirty Every Dish with the best of ‘em and I’m eternally thankful for a sheet pan I only have to wipe clean with a dishcloth.
- While parchment paper sheets are billed as disposable, I treat them as though they’re reusable. Baking cookies? Those sheets can be used at least 5 times (at least they can in my kitchen). They’re so reusable, I generally keep old sheets, gently wiped clean, nestled inside my sheet pans so they’re ready to go when I am.
- I might use parchment paper like craft paper. It’s super versatile. I reach for a sheet to cover the counter if I’m decorating cookies. It can be used, wrapped in a bundle, to steam fish. I use two sheets to roll out a crumbly dough like gluten-free pie crust. Do I have a round of brie wrapped in parchment paper in the cheese drawer right now? Yes, absolutely.
There’s a lot of reasons to love it the humble (though somehow bougie) pre-cut parchment paper. Welcome this little kitchen hack into your life.
Should I make you an extensive list of my favorite kitchen splurges that are actually worth the money and kitchen drawer space? Lemme know in the comments below.
35 Responses
For a cooking lover, parchment paper is a must-have in the kitchen
Yes to precut parchment paper. I also use the precut paper rounds for cake pans. They are a lot easier than the roll. I always keep a roll on hand, but the precuts work so well.
I would love a post on kitchen splurges or favorite tools (even multiple posts with examples of how you use your tools).
Not that I expect that you would devote a post to it, but I’d love to know tips on using a Kitchen Aid mixer. I have to store mine (no counter space) and I find myself always pulling out a hand mixer. I need to use my Kitchen Aid to justify its existence in my house. I consider myself to be a good cook, but I haven’t yet discovered the beautify of my mixer.
Yes to the splurge list! or cooking/baking basics to have on hand. Thanks for the parchment suggestion and tip to reuse!!
I’ve been baking for 10 years and I can’t even remember how much parchment I used
Show me the storage for these blessed things. I’ve started buying the Reynolds folded sheets to fit in my drawer because the big flat box was doing me no favors.
I keep mine on the pantry shelf against the wall standing on the thin end with the exit hole exposed so I can easily reach in and grab. If I’m doing a lot of baking that day, I stand it behind the knife block on the counter for easier access. Standing on the thin end only takes up the width of the box so not much space at all. I’d imagine it could also fit like that in a lower cabinet.
That’s exactly how I keep mine as well!
Yes, please to the good gadgets and tools.
And also- until you told us, long ago, that parchment could be re-used, I tossed mine after every use. No more.
I agree with everything you said here about the pre-cut sheets, because of course I do.
Yes please! I am that weirdo who buys half the things off those dumb buzzfeed /. amazon lists on Facebook and winds up with yoga toes! garlic skinners! the hair mushroom! and a windshield that WILL NEVER FOG AGAIN. So yes, please. Something Joy-advised would be delightful. :)
Yes! I’d love to know your thoughts on what you deem splurge-worthy.
I need to just bite the bullet and buy some parchments sheets; I love the stuff but the “curls” drive me bonkers.
Yes please Joy! I would love to know some of the other worthwhile splurges in your kitchen.
I’ve been on Team Parchment for pretty much my whole life. (Momma always had a roll in the drawer with the foil and waxed paper.) But you may have just convinced me to up my game to the precuts.
Totally off topic, but I’m just sitting here on the couch recovering from surgery, and once again you have brought me a little spark of joy, Joy. Way back in 2011 your podcast with Tracy Shutterbean helped me through the miserable loneliness of of a deployment–he was a reservist, so no base families for mutual support. Then when he came back and I graduated from college, we moved to a town where we didn’t know anybody. Your baking box with King Arthur Flour felt like I was receiving a Christmas gift from you. Your first cookbook is well worn, and it now flops open right to the cinnamon roll recipe which is butter stained and baptized in cinnamon. If I ever have the great luck of bumping into you in real life, I will probably squeal like a fan girl and ask if I can hug you. ?
Oh Lydia! We should absolutely have a hug! We’ve earned it after all these years together! I hope you’re recovering well to surgery. Sending you my love!
Love parchment! I also use for sheet pan dinners, roasted veggies-anything that goes on my half sheet pans. Also have silicone mats. I have a drawer under my oven where I store my sheet pans and I put my used and clean sheets inside the pans.
Also the precut round ones for my 9” cake pans—such a help to not be tracing and cutting round pieces. And somehow the 9” ones still work for the 8” pans.
Absolutely ~ please do . . . I, for one, would definitely appreciate & enjoy learning the various items you use. THANK YOU for offering ?.
I started using parchment paper for all of my baking and it is my favorite thing ever. It’s one of the few things I’ll buy a backup of so I don’t run out. Chicken, baked goods – you name it – parchment paper.
Love my parchment sheets. I recently bought a box of 100 and it’s a super flat package, it fits right in my drawer under my Saran Wrap and aluminum foil. Great article because I was actually thinking I might need to upgrade to Silpat to be even less wasteful, I might stick to the parchment for now! I would love to know all your must have lunch items. I know I love my zester, my new immersion blender/mini chop food processor thing and my cookie scoop. These are things I used to not have, but I don’t think I can live without anymore!
Lately I have been wetting my parchment, crinkling it up like a rag, squishing out excess water, and laying it into my pan before pouring in ingredients for my zucchini slice (eggs, oil, cheese, flours, leavening, veggies). Wet parchment fits the creases of my rectangular pan perfectly. Hooray.
Great article. How do you feel about silpat? I use those in my pans. Unfortunately you can’t wrap fish or Brie. Lol
I had parchment sheets for a while but unlike Alton Brown or the staff at Pottery Barn I don’t have a dedicated parchment drawer under my worktop. So I had to roll them up to put them away and there I was struggling against the curl. I would LOVE precut parchment otherwise.
You know… I don’t have a dedicated parchment drawer either. What a luxury. I keep my parchment paper sheets in the box, flat, under my rolls of foil, plastic bags, and waxed paper in the drawer. I’ve also kept the parchment paper box on it’s side in my pantry against a wall and flour bin. Just thoughts! I know we’re all doing our best with the kitchens we have.
I would love a series that covers splurges that are worth it in the kitchen to save time/energy/dishes!!!
Great great great! We’ll do it!
Thanks for the inspiration. I never knew there were precut sheets. I love my precut foil sheets so this is definitely something I will invest in. Also, never thought about reusing parchment. Would LOVE for a post about all your kitchen hacks worth buying. I hate wasting money and space especially in the kitchen. Thanks again!
Yes, please. I love hearing what other people have tried and believe are worth the money & space.
I put it together for us, Nora!
YS PLEASE!
I thought I was the only person who had this same love for Parchment Paper Sheets! I reuse them too! Reading this post, I feel like you were in my kitchen watching me stack pans with Parchment paper, ready for my next bake. I keep a 1/2 piece in the toaster oven ready to go! Once you buy Parchment paper sheets, you can never not have them in your kitchen. I always have a backup box or two so I never run out!
Yep yep yep! Once you buy them you can’t go back! I’m glad you’re with me on this.
Definitely would love to see a list of your kitchen splurges that are worth the price!
I didn’t know you could steam fish in parchment paper. That’s good to know. I try to use the unbleached sheets when possible. Using parchment paper also makes it easier to clean a pan because the resins from food cooked only are left on the parchment. I also found a brand that is compostable and can be composted. That’s another great benefit since it doesn’t get thrown away.
What brand do you recommend for composting? Thanks!
Love parchment paper sheets and yes you should.
Well of course you should!
I never go without parchment paper, although have yet to spring for the pre-cut sheets. For some reason I baked scones on aluminum foil last week, and it was the absolute worst- ultimately prying them off with a spatula. THIS IS WHAT OUR LIVES WERE LIKE BEFORE PARCHMENT!