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Here are the 5 best parchment paper substitutes for baking and different situations. Find out the pros and cons of each alternative for parchment paper.
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Curious about what to use in place of parchment paper? Choose from these parchment paper substitutes!
But wait, you can’t just pick a replacement for parchment paper because there’s a suitable parchment substitute for every cooking situation.
What to substitute for parchment paper when baking? What can I replace parchment paper with for storage?
This comprehensive read will teach you everything you need to know about parchment paper alternatives!
What Is Parchment Paper?
Parchment paper is considered a kitchen staple because it has a multitude of uses for cooking and beyond.
This tasteless and odorless food-safe paper is coated with silicone, which makes it grease-proof, moisture-resistant, non-stick, and, most important of all, heat-resistant.
These properties of parchment paper make it safe to use for baking, cooking, and even food preparations and storage.
With these features of parchment paper out of the way, choosing the best alternative for parchment paper will depend on how or where you’ll use it.
To save you the inconvenience of using the wrong replacement for parchment paper, we’ll suggest what you can use for the specific kitchen task you have at hand.
5 Best Parchment Paper Substitutes For Every Situation
Wax Paper: Best Parchment Paper Substitute For Food Prep And Storage
One of the most popular parchment paper alternatives is a similar-looking kitchen paper: wax paper.
However, there’s a crucial caveat to remember when using wax paper to substitute parchment paper.
You should NEVER use wax paper as a parchment paper substitute for cooking, baking, and other high-temperature uses.
Wax paper is coated with wax, which makes it moisture-proof and grease-proof, like parchment paper. But unlike parchment paper, it can’t withstand high heat, so it’s unsafe to use wax paper for baking or cooking. 🔥
Instead, if you’re wondering what to use in place of parchment paper for food preparation and storage, the best parchment substitute is wax paper.
In the absence of parchment paper, use wax paper for lining your makeshift work surface to keep the dough from sticking!
It’s also an excellent substitute for parchment as a food wrapper for cold storage or as a liner between food items to keep them from sticking together.
We have compared the two commonly used kitchen papers in more detail in our showdown of parchment paper vs wax paper, so give that a quick read to appreciate better how they differ and when they can be used interchangeably.
Aluminum Foil: Best Parchment Paper Substitute For Cooking
What can I replace parchment paper with for cooking? You probably already have this in your kitchen: the handy-dandy aluminum foil!
If you need something to roast or bake food items (think roasted vegetables or savory protein dishes), and you don’t have parchment paper at hand, you can never go wrong with aluminum foil.
It conducts heat well, so you can also line your cooking tray with it to save you the hassle of clean-up afterward.
However, there’s a disadvantage to using foil as a parchment paper substitute.
Unlike parchment, foil is not non-stick. You have probably seen bits and pieces of this material on food if you’ve cooked with aluminum foil before.
Silpat Baking Mat: Best Parchment Paper Substitute For Lining Baking Pans And Sheets
Next on our list of the best parchment paper alternatives is the Silpat baking mat. And if you want to know what to substitute for parchment paper when baking, this is our top pick.
The Silpat baking mat is a reusable baking mat that originated in France. It’s made of non-stick material, so it’s perfect for baking.
You won’t need to grease or line your baking pan with parchment paper to make delicious treats like our Japanese cotton cheesecake.
Silpat baking mat is also the best substitute for parchment paper when baking cookies that can break easily.
I think having silicone mats in your kitchen is a good backup in case you ever run out of parchment paper for lining cookie sheets and pans. The downside to Silpat?
Silpat mats do come in different sizes, but it’s cheaper to buy parchment paper and cut them according to what you plan on baking than purchasing every kind of Silpat mat.
Silicone Baking Pan: Best Parchment Paper Substitute For Baking
If you mostly use your parchment paper for baking, instead of greasing or lining your pan with a non-stick material, why not invest in a silicone baking pan instead?
Non-stick silicone baking pans come in different sizes and shapes to suit your baking needs.
You can get a round silicone pan like what we linked here to conveniently make cakes even without parchment paper. Try it with our peach cobbler pound cake!
Thanks to its non-stick properties, clean-up is a breeze!
However, they may not be as long-lasting when used often, and you’ll eventually need to replace them every few years.
Grease And Oil: Best Parchment Paper Substitute For Non-Stick Cooking And Baking
The final parchment paper alternatives in our list are grease and oil.
Are you looking for what to use in place of parchment paper to keep things from sticking to surfaces?
Grease and oil are suitable substitutes!
Besides any neutral-tasting oil, you can also use cooking spray to coat the baking surface evenly with ease.
Or if you have leftover butter from the recipe, you can also grease your tin with it; super practical, right?
What Happens If I Don’t Use Parchment Paper?
Parchment paper is commonly used to line baking sheets and pans. If you don’t use it, whatever you’ve baked can stick to the baking vessel and make clean-up more challenging.
However, it’s okay not to use parchment paper because many substitutes are likely already in your kitchen, as discussed above.
For example, you can just grease your baking pan with cooking spray or butter if you don’t have parchment paper.
Can I Use Baking Paper Instead of Parchment Paper?
Baking paper is just another term for parchment paper. So if you see an item marketed as “baking paper,” you can confidently use it as you would with parchment paper.
How Do You Make Homemade Parchment Paper?
Did you know you can make your own parchment paper at home using just a paper bag and cooking oil?
However, this DIY baking paper is not fire-proof like the store-bought silicone-coated parchment paper.
You can use it to keep baked goods moist, for lining the base of cake tins (this is not a fire hazard since they’ll be smothered with batter), or for making a non-stick surface to roll out your pastries on.
- Cut the paper bag open, so you have one flat sheet.
- Cut and resize the paper according to the shape and size of your baking sheet or tray.
- Pour a tablespoon of cooking oil into the paper and spread it evenly with a pastry brush.
And voila! You just made a greaseproof paper!
But why make your own parchment paper? I think this easy “hack” is great for those who want a more sustainable approach to cooking since it reuses paper bags.
You can find the answer to “Is parchment paper biodegradable and compostable?” if you’re curious about its eco-friendliness.
Is It Ok to Use Foil Instead of Parchment Paper?
Yup! It’s okay to use foil instead of parchment paper.
However, since it’s not coated in silicone like parchment paper, aluminum foil is not non-stick.
To avoid annoying foil bits sticking to your food, you can use oil with foil.
Another way foil can substitute parchment paper is for covering food items since it can easily keep them warm. You can even use it for short-term storage in the freezer!
And finally, foil can act as your liner for containers to make clean-up easier.
What Is Parchment Paper Made Out Of?
According to the USDA, parchment paper is made from cotton fiber and pure chemical wood pulps. It is also greaseproof, thanks to its silicone coating.
Wondering about the food safety of parchment paper because of its components? Check our discussion answering, Is parchment paper safe?
FAQ About Parchment Paper Substitutes
What’s the difference between Silpat vs parchment paper?
Both Silpat and parchment paper can be used to line baking sheets to keep food items from sticking. However, the Silpat baking sheet’s advantage over parchment paper is it’s reusable.
What’s a good substitute for parchment paper when baking?
A good substitute for parchment paper in oven baking is the Silpat baking mat because you can use it to line your baking sheet safely. You can also just use a non-stick baking pan, so you don’t need to worry about lining or greasing it to keep the batter from sticking.
Can you bake bread without parchment paper?
Absolutely! You can still bake bread without parchment paper. Instead, use a bread sling, which is essentially a non-stick baking mat with handles to make transfers easy.
Can I use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper for cakes?
You can use aluminum foil for baking cakes. In fact, it’s a trending hack that promises evenly browned and moist cakes. The trick is to use the foil to cover the pans filled with cake batter. But to keep the batter from sticking, just spray the cake pan with cooking oil.
What’s a good parchment paper substitute for steaming?
If you need an alternative to parchment paper for steaming, consider foil! It’s actually a great way to make clean-up easier when steaming delicate fish and other proteins that might easily fall apart after cooking.
How is parchment paper different from wax paper?
Wax paper is coated in wax, while parchment paper is coated in silicone. Another important distinction between the two is you can’t bake with wax paper since it can catch fire. And if you’re worried about wax in food, find out the answer to the question: Is wax paper toxic?
So What Are the Best Substitutes For Parchment Paper?
And there you have it!
The best parchment paper substitutes are wax paper, aluminum foil, Silpat baking mat, silicone baking pan, and grease/oil.
Make sure to select the fitting parchment paper alternative for the specific task at hand.
Need a parchment paper substitute for a baking project or cooking in the oven? You can use a silicone baking pan or aluminum foil!
You can also line your baking sheet with Silpat mat or grease with oil to make it non-stick if you don’t have parchment paper.
And for storage or wrapping food items, you can substitute parchment paper with wax paper.
Just remember: never use wax paper in the oven as it’s not heat resistant!
I hope you found the best parchment paper substitute for your needs. For more frequently asked questions, visit our index of food-related questions and answers. Here are a few suggestions for you: