There are various ways in which you can bake cookies. You can make them without milk, baking powder, and sometimes, even without flour. However, can you bake them without an important product like parchment paper?
The answer here is a resounding yes! People mainly choose parchment paper to guarantee an easy cleanup process where the cookies can slide right off without sticking to the pan.
Nonetheless, if you don’t have it available and are wondering how to bake cookies without parchment paper, I’ve got the answer right here!
There are around seven ways to bake cookies without parchment paper, including using heavy foil or greasing the pan like professionals. So, read on to discover the main alternatives to using parchment paper.
1. Use a Silicone Pan
Many of us out there have aluminum pans to use for our cooking adventures. However, in the case of cookies, you can switch to silicone pans.
Disclaimer: They’re not entirely non-stick! This means if you bake something in a silicone pan, there’s a chance it’ll stick to it, and you’ll need to scrape it out!
However, they’re stick-resistant, making them much easier to use and clean later when you add a bit of grease or oil on top.
Silicon pans are also microwave, freezer, refrigerator, and dishwasher friendly. Hence, having them in the kitchen is almost as essential as having aluminum ones.
Sadly, though, your cookies will stick to a silicone pan without parchment paper. It can get even worse if the cookies are lighter in weight and lower in fat. As a result, it’s best to grease the pan lightly before using it.
Remember: if your silicone pans feature grooves or ridges, your baked goods are more likely to stick. Bits and pieces can get caught inside the grooves.
You can grease your silicone pan with vegetable oil, such as canola oil, or use a nonstick cooking spray. Don’t use butter, as it’s hard to apply. Plus, if you over-grease a pan, it’ll be difficult to remove the residue when washing it.
Use a pastry brush gently when greasing to distribute oil inside the corners. You can also use a paper towel if no brush is available.
2. Use Heavy-Duty Foil
As I told you at the beginning of this little guide, you can use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper if you want a similar substitute.
You should grease the foil or use an oil or spray to ensure you can remove your cookies easily. Also, when laying the foil, neatly smooth it into the inner corners of your pan.
The reason why aluminum foil is a good option is because baking sheets are usually made out of aluminum as well! Hence, it achieves the same results as baking in the pan itself, but the clean-up process is much easier.
Essentially, all you need to do is lift off the foil after baking and throw it out. There’s no cleaning process at all, as you won’t be washing any pans!
Make sure the foil is heavy-duty so it won’t rip while removing the cookies. If you can’t find heavy-duty foil, you can also use non-stick foil, which works almost as well as parchment.
On a related note, see how baking sheets differ from cookie sheets.
3. Grease an Aluminum Baking Pan
If you aren’t as worried about a quick cleanup and want to follow more professional baking methods, you may want to use a greased aluminum baking pan.
This old-school approach is often used when you have a batter that tends to stick more easily to the pan, whatever its type. To avoid this, use a solid fat such as butter or shortening to grease the aluminum pan.
While butter lends more flavor to a recipe, shortening keeps the pan from burning your cookies. Hence, you may want to use shortening if your recipe calls for a higher temperature.
Some bakers don’t like using hydrogenated fats. If you’re vegan or don’t like using shortening or butter, you can always use coconut oil, which serves as an excellent substitute.
4. Create Your Own Anti-Stick Spread
In case you’re running low on parchment paper and want to speed up the cooking process, create your own anti-stick spread!
All you have to do is: Measure equal parts of oil, shortening, and flour and mix the concoction manually or with a stand mixer.
You can keep the mix in your fridge, so you have it available for any recipe in the future. Again, you can spread this mix with a paper towel or a pastry brush.
The important part is to avoid over-greasing and to use the brush gently, so you won’t let loose a few bristles in your pans.
5. Use Silicone Mats
If you happen to have silicone mats (not pans) at home, you can use them instead. This is something I’ve had a good experience with personally, especially with this set.
These mats can withstand up to 428 degrees Fahrenheit and you can store them in the freezer, too. Its smooth surfaces also allow for a nice spread, and less crust and puff, offering a great cookie patch.
However, just as with the silicone pans, you should oil or grease the mat to avoid the cookies sticking.
6. Dust With Cornmeal or Flour
While greasing pans is the first line of defense against sticky cookies, you can also use flour or cornmeal to avoid this issue. Adding an extra later on the pan can help you create a barrier that absorbs the excess moisture and prevents the dough from sticking.
However, whether you choose cornmeal or flour, you’ll need to remember that this layer can also create a crunchy bottom to the cookies. If you’d like to keep this crunchiness to a minimum, brush a really thin layer.
By the way, if you have semolina at home, it could work as a busting ingredient to help you achieve your non-stick goals!
7. Don’t Use Anything
You won’t need to use parchment paper or some cookie recipes, so a replacement isn’t necessary. For instance, some cookie recipes often direct you to avoid greasing the baking sheet.
Besides cookies, this also holds for baked goods such as sponge cake and angel food cake. These cakes need to adhere to a pan’s sides during baking. Greasing the pan will prevent them from rising on each side.
Therefore, carefully review your recipes before baking to note the requirements for greasing a pan or using parchment paper.
In most instances, it’s important to prevent sticking. However, as you can see, there are exceptions to the rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Now that you know what to do when you don’t have parchment paper around, it’s time to take a look at some common questions regarding this topic:
- Is it better to bake cookies on parchment paper?
In a way, yes. Baking cookies using parchment paper can truly help the cookies cook evenly without one part sticking to the pan and burning up. It’ll also help make the cleaning process easier for you.
- Do I need to adjust the baking time if I’m not using parchment paper?
Not at all! Using a parchment sheet won’t affect the baking time. The main elements that can affect your baking time are the oven’s temperature, tray material, and ingredients.
- Can I use wax paper instead of parchment paper for baking cookies?
Never ever use wax paper instead of parchment paper when baking! You can use wax paper to store ingredients, roll dough, or do any task that doesn’t require heat.
This is mainly because wax paper isn’t heat-resistant. Hence, you can’t even put it in the oven, or you’ll risk melting the wax and causing a fire.
Final Thoughts
While parchment paper is a vital tool in many cookie recipes, you can still make do without it. You can use flour, aluminum foil, silicon mats and pans, and even nothing at all!
The key solution to avoid wondering how to bake cookies without parchment paper in the first place is taking inventory. Always check to see what you have in your cupboards before starting a cookie—or any—recipe. Happy baking!
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.