What to do if you don't have parchment paper. How to replace parchment paper when baking: useful tips

Options for replacing parchment paper for baking.

There are many ways to replace parchment paper for baking with something else. In this article we will tell you what can serve as an alternative to this product.

What can replace baking paper?

The most simple option is to purchase a silicone mat. Because it is reusable, it can be used several times, and the task is greatly simplified. Because you can not only bake on it, but also roll out food. That is, to carry out such manipulations, it is necessary to roll out the product into the required shape and transfer it directly onto a baking sheet on a silicone mat.

If you don’t have it, then office thin paper, which should be oiled, is suitable as regular parchment paper vegetable oil. Don't worry, it won't burn because the oil will prevent charring. Tracing paper will also work. It is very thin and waxy and does the job perfectly.

What can replace parchment paper?

But office paper is not the only option that can replace parchment. Almost every housewife has baking foil in her arsenal. It can easily be used instead of parchment paper. Please note that it is placed on the matte side on a baking sheet, and the product itself is placed on the shiny, that is, glossy side. If you place the product on the shiny side, then during the cooking process this side may oxidize, which will significantly change the taste of the product.

Please note that if you are baking dough products, you need to grease the foil with vegetable oil. If you bake fish and meat products, then the foil is not lubricated with anything, that is, it is used absolutely dry.

How to replace parchment paper when baking?

Using foil you can make a baking sheet into the desired shape. To do this, fold the foil into about 3 layers. You will get a thick layer. Place baked goods or whatever you are going to bake inside. This way the foil will keep its shape and make the process of cooking and baking food quite simple and fast.

If you don’t have any tracing paper or writing paper in the house, you can use a non-standard method: simply sprinkle the baking sheet with semolina. Indeed, in this case the food sticks quite poorly. In addition, we recommend that in order to prevent food and baked goods from sticking to the baking sheet, heat it and place the food on a hot baking sheet.

This method is suitable if there is no need to first proof the buns or pies to rise. In addition, you can also use a baking sleeve. If you bake chicken often, but this time you need to bake sweet pastries or buns, in this case you can simply cut the baking sleeve into regular layers, place them on a baking sheet and bake in the same way as you do when using parchment paper. Food does not stick well to the baking sleeve and comes off well after baking.

Options for replacing parchment for baking, great amount. The most accessible is to use tracing paper or writing paper.

VIDEO: Baking paper

Many housewives cannot imagine their family’s diet without baking. In her various recipes Kitchen devices often appear that prevent the dough from burning, for example, parchment or foil. How can you replace parchment paper for baking if you don’t have it on hand at the right time?

Before deciding what you can replace parchment paper for baking at home, you need to understand what mission it serves. Thanks to it, the products do not burn, remain nutritious and tasty, since the parchment prevents loss of juice and contact with the baking sheet. But what if the hostess, inspired interesting recipe and having prepared the dough, before sending the future masterpiece into the oven, discovered that there was no parchment paper? There is no need to worry: everything has already been invented before us!

Available means

Another parchment

This is thick paper in which food and household goods are packaged. Using this instead of special food parchment is not the best best idea, since it may contain impurities that are not safe for people. However, if it does go into use, you will have to coat it with additional fat.

Cooking waxed paper

Perhaps this is what will be found in the mistress’s bins instead of parchment. Its advantage is that it does not require impregnation with fat.

Tracing paper

Yes, this is the same sewing tracing paper that is used to make patterns. It is similar to parchment not only in appearance, but also in many physical properties. Therefore, tracing paper can protect the dough from burning, but for this the housewife will have to worry about oiling it.

Plain paper

We are talking about clean, white sheets, without inscriptions or printing ink, intended for office equipment. If such paper is thoroughly soaked on both sides with fat until it becomes transparent, then it is quite capable of playing the role of parchment, especially when you plan to bake something not too sophisticated and capricious. The best option for oiling is butter or margarine, ground to a creamy consistency. There is no need to melt them completely, because in this form they will only ruin the paper.

The denser it is, the better. But some housewives even go even further, adapting ordinary double notebook leaves for baking (of course, without metal brackets).

Flour bag

There is one more little secret: Flour is often sold in bags made from baking parchment. Therefore, you can pour the product and use the packaging to bake the dough on a baking sheet. If this method seems dubious to the housewife, then to clear her conscience she can lightly grease the former bag.

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These tips have been tested in practice by many people. However, before you trust them with your future culinary masterpiece, it is advisable to make sure that the parchment paper alternative you choose will not let you down. You need to preheat the oven to the required temperature and place the paper there for a few minutes. If absolutely nothing happens to it, you can use it for your plans further.

Achievements of civilization

There are options that won’t make you frantically think about how you can replace parchment paper for baking so as not to worry about the fate of the contents of the oven.

Silicone mat

This device does not require even a minimal amount of fat, since nothing sticks to it. Despite its origins, a silicone mat can be more similar in texture and color to wrapping paper than rubber. It washes perfectly, rolls up, and takes up minimal space. There are even mats with special markings to make it convenient for housewives to cut off the necessary pieces of dough. In general, it’s a complete convenience, except for the only nuance: while the base is hot, you can’t cut the baked goods.

Silicone coated paper

The circle of fans of this new product is rapidly expanding due to both simple housewives, and culinary specialists. Silicone paper is sold in sheets and rolls, and a sheet can be used several times - from 4 to 8. Sometimes molds are made from this material.

Can you replace parchment paper with foil?

This is a controversial issue. In a situation where there is nothing else at hand, foil can be useful as an emergency exit. It is especially appropriate in the case of dishes, during the preparation of which a lot of juice is released (although this rarely applies to baking).

On the other hand, the foil heats up to some extent and shares its heat with its contents. Therefore, the product may burn if you leave the oven to its own devices. In addition, you can not count on golden crust below. Therefore, the answer to the question whether it is possible to use foil instead of baking paper is: you can, but you shouldn’t.

Baking bags

They are separated from parchment paper by a huge distance, so using bags in this role can only be done in a desperate situation.

Or maybe not invent anything?

Is it necessary to put something between the dough and the surface? There are two “culinary schools” on this issue.

1. Representatives of the first claim that lubricating a mold or baking sheet with anything - vegetable, butter or margarine - it makes no sense and is even harmful. They will not protect baked goods from burning, but they can accumulate smoke and thereby significantly spoil its smell and taste.
2. Representatives of the second point of view are confident that nothing will happen to the product if you do without “intermediaries.” True, they make a reservation: while for casseroles, pies, etc., a simply greased baking sheet or mold will do just fine, then some confectionery(like meringue) will probably burn on them. Therefore, in a number of cases, it is still impossible to do without a layer.

Sprinkle the oiled surface well breadcrumbs, semolina (ideally if it is cereal from durum varieties wheat) or, worse, regular flour.

What can replace parchment paper for baking?

Often housewives are faced with a situation where the base for baking is already ready, and then it turns out that the house has run out of parchment paper, which is usually used to line a baking pan or baking sheet. There is no reason to panic; practice shows that in any kitchen you can find a worthy replacement accessory. At the same time, the final result, be it a tender meringue or a portion of the plain cookies, using an analog will have no effect. The main thing is to take into account the features of the available materials and use them only for their intended purpose.

Improvised means as a way to solve a problem

High-quality baking paper can easily be replaced by the most unexpected things that are always at hand. You just need to take into account the fact that they will be used in the oven, so you will have to work a little at the preparatory stage.

• To bake a biscuit or something simpler, you can take the most ordinary writing paper. The only thing is that it needs to be thoroughly soaked in fat until transparent. For this purpose, it is best to use margarine or butter. The impregnation process will go faster if you first grind the oil to a cream state. Just don’t try to soak the sheet with the pre-melted product, it will simply fall apart. The paper can be quite thick, which is even more reliable.

• You can bake something simple and not demanding on the surface if you simply grease a baking sheet or mold with butter (margarine). Of course, this cannot replace a parchment base; things like meringues or macarons will definitely burn. But for a variety of pies, cakes or casseroles, this option will come in handy. The quality of the product will noticeably increase if the treated surface is also sprinkled with semolina (preferably from durum wheat), breadcrumbs or, in extreme cases, flour.
• Not many people know that most bags in which flour is sold are made of ordinary baking parchment. Therefore, many housewives use the used bag (you can simply pour flour) as a substrate when baking their culinary masterpieces. If the first time is a little scary, additional processing of the accessory with a small amount of butter is allowed.

Tip: Before adapting the means at hand to implement your cooking plans, it is worth checking how they will react to being in the oven. To do this, you can send the raw materials, intended to replace the baking material, into a preheated oven for a few minutes. If it doesn’t light up, smoke or curl up, feel free to start cooking.

• Sewing tracing paper is similar to parchment paper not only in appearance, it also has most of its physical properties. The only difference is that no one oiled the tracing paper, so you will have to do it yourself.

Of course, before using any of the above, you need to make sure the material is clean. If there are foreign odors, stains or damage, it is better to replace the raw materials.

Specialized baking equipment

There is an option in which you not only don’t have to think about how to replace your usual baking paper, you don’t even have to buy it. To do this you need to purchase one of the following devices:

• Silicone mats. These are very convenient and high-quality devices that can be used repeatedly. If you provide the products with the necessary care, which is simple, there will be no problems with baking meringues, cakes or pies at all.

• Silicone coated paper. An innovative development that is rapidly gaining popularity among professional bakers and ordinary housewives. This paper is produced in rolls or sheets. Each sheet can be used 4 to 8 times. Considering that there are usually a lot of them in packs, the supply will last for a very long time.

In addition, for preparing baked goods (especially if this was not in the plans), you can use the following materials, which any housewife usually has in the kitchen:

• Foil. Although foil is a difficult substitute for traditional baking tools, it can work just fine in an emergency. The main difficulty when using the material is that the product, although slightly, heats up, transferring heat to the product. The workpiece can simply burn if it is not constantly monitored.

• Baking bags. You can line a mold or baking sheet with them in a pinch. In terms of its properties, the product is not at all similar to baking paper, but at least it will prevent the product from burning.

In addition, each of the listed materials has its own characteristics that must be taken into account when preparing dishes in the oven.

Raw materials that should not be used in cooking

There is a list of materials similar to those already listed. Some of them are so similar to acceptable raw materials that housewives are trying to replace baking paper with them. This usually doesn't lead to anything good:

• Newspapers. Not only does this material burn well, it is also impregnated with ink consisting of toxic components. If the first point can be dealt with by oiling the sheet, then nothing can be done about the second.
• Polyethylene. It's not at all like oven bags. Most of these raw materials simply melt under high temperatures. Its use can not only ruin the dish, but also lead to an accident.
• Plain paper. It cannot be used dry, only oiled!
• Vegetable oil. They are not recommended to grease baking sheets or molds. A product, even the highest quality, will not protect the product from burning, but it is quite capable of ruining its taste and aroma due to soot.

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• depression
• headaches, as well as various pains and spasms in the internal organs

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Guests on the doorstep, recipe delicious pie or there are cookies in stock, but suddenly the housewife discovers that the stock of special baking paper has run out. There is no time to buy a new one anymore. How to replace parchment paper for baking? If the hostess is young, then it won’t take long to get confused and upset. But there’s nothing to worry about, there is always the opportunity to find an alternative to culinary parchment. Especially when you consider that it is used for baking relatively recently. Let's figure it out in order.

We use tracing paper

Tracing paper, used for drawings and patterns in sewing, is somewhat similar in quality to baking parchment, but it is thinner. It is quite suitable as a replacement. This is convenient for those housewives who love not only to cook, but also to sew. Before use, both the baking sheet and the tracing paper are usually well greased with oil. The disadvantages of tracing paper are:

• sticks to the bottom of the product;
• becomes brittle, crumbles, and can char at high temperatures in the oven.

However, tracing paper is suitable for baking shortbread cookies, cheesecake, products with a high oil content in the dough.

Foil will work too

Many novice cooks ask on forums whether foil is suitable for baking in the oven instead of parchment paper? In cooking, foil is often used for baking fish, vegetables, and meat, preserving the juiciness of the food well. It can also replace baking paper. The foil is greased with oil before use.

Disadvantage: the metallized base increases the surface temperature. If you miss a certain point, the baked goods may burn. Therefore, it is used only occasionally for making cookies, pies and biscuits.

Silicone technology

Products made from silicone, a modern, practical, universal material, are becoming increasingly popular and are finding more and more applications. Many housewives already have them in their kitchens and have become favorites:

• silicone coated parchment;

Silicone molds for cakes, cookies, and bread do not need to be greased, baked goods do not burn in them, and the products are easily removed. They are easy to clean, but may darken on the inside. Before filling with dough, the silicone mold must be placed on a baking sheet or other stable surface and removed from the oven along with the baking sheet so that the products do not fall out or become deformed.

Silicone-coated parchment can withstand oven temperatures up to 300˚ C. It can be reused 7-10 times. Baked goods do not burn, products on it do not dry out, and are easily separated from the surface. This base is well suited for meringues, sponge cakes, and cake layers.

Silicone mats have universal application. Some have special markings for rolling out and cutting the dough. They can replace parchment paper when baking by lining a pan or baking sheet. This substrate can withstand high temperatures well. The only limitation is that you cannot cut on a hot mat.

A common drawback of all silicone assistants is their rather high cost.

Office and writing paper - a compromise option

In extreme cases, if the above-mentioned substitutes for parchment paper are not found, use ordinary office paper, well soaked in oil. In addition to it, you can also use writing paper, although it is less common today than office paper. Printer paper is thicker than writing paper and is less likely to catch fire in the oven.

This solution is suitable for students and office workers; they always have such paper at hand. However, many professionals believe that such a replacement is unsuccessful. The product sticks to such paper and may become deformed, lose its shape, or burn.

For several years now, many housewives have been using commercially available paper forms for baking. They make finished products more elegant and can replace traditional baking paper.

Or maybe just grease the sheet?

When preparing casseroles, shortbread cookies, apple pie It's perfectly acceptable to simply grease a sheet or baking tray, sprinkle with flour, and shake off the excess. You can use crackers instead of flour. Teflon-coated pans greased with oil will also prevent baked goods from burning and sticking to the sides and bottom of the pan.

Advice! Do not use this method when baking meringues and macarons: they will stick to the baking sheet.

Available means

The ingenuity of our women and their practicality have long been noticed and appreciated. Here are a few available tools that are used experienced housewives instead of baking paper:

• cut parchment flour bag (white side facing baking);
• butter pack wrappers without foil;
• subparchment, which is used in the packaging of confectionery products;
• clean notebook sheets soaked in oil.

When using lined or patterned paper, you need to remember that they can be imprinted on the baked goods. If the packaging of butter or flour can be turned with the white side up, then the notebook sheets are completely lined, so they will leave marks on the baked goods with almost one hundred percent probability.

Such improvised means, unfortunately, do not always cope with their task. Often the dish still burns or becomes deformed. However, they can be used as an emergency option.

Kitchen safety

Preparing meals for the whole family, for guests, and using kitchen appliances is always associated with some threats and dangers. In addition to high temperatures, open fire, electricity, sharp objects, there is also a danger of harmful substances getting into food, which is fraught with digestive problems, poisoning, and allergic reactions. It's not just about coli or microorganisms that enter food due to poor hygiene.

Toxic substances may be released from materials when heated in an oven, microwave oven. To prevent this from happening, so as not to spoil the holiday for guests, family members and yourself, it is strictly not recommended to use the following instead of parchment for baking:

• newspapers (printing ink is extremely toxic when heated);
• paper with text printed on a printer or written on with paste;
• a regular plastic bag (it will melt and the baked goods will be ruined);
• thin paper without oiling (it may crumble or catch fire).

Conclusion

Replacing baking parchment paper when you run out is fairly easy. There are many proven means for this. For example, those chefs who have experienced Silicone forms and rugs, we are absolutely sure that this is very convenient, practical, a new word in culinary devices and there is no need to use anything else. For those who prefer proven methods for baking culinary and confectionery masterpieces, for a short time the missing parchment can be replaced by foil, tracing paper, even ordinary writing paper. And don’t worry that the recipe will remain only on paper. Everything will be delicious, because it is prepared with soul and love.

Any housewife knows that to prevent baked goods from burning, you need to use special baking paper. But what if you don’t have it on hand, but the dough is already ready? Try to find a worthy replacement!

Other options

So, what can you replace baking paper with?

1. Regular A4 office paper used for printing. It has sufficient strength and a dense structure, so it can withstand elevated temperatures and forms a protective layer between the bottom of the mold and the dough inside it. But before use, the paper must be well coated with oil so that it is saturated. And it is advisable to use butter, but softened, since melted butter will cause the sheet to get wet and make it brittle, which will subsequently lead to damage and destruction of the cellulose fibers. And to reliably protect the baked goods, you can cover the pan with several sheets stacked on top of each other. In any case, the bottom must be completely closed.
2. At home, use the paper from which bags used in pastry shops or bakeries are made (this material has a gray-brown tint). It is dense and durable, withstands thermal influences and does not deform, so it can protect the pie, cake or cookies from burning. If desired, such paper can be additionally lubricated with oil.
3. Try lining the bottom of a pan or baking sheet with foil. Although it is intended for slightly different purposes, it is still quite suitable for baking, especially if the quality of the container leaves much to be desired. But, firstly, such material must be durable and have sufficient thickness, since thin material can stick and tear. Secondly, place the foil with the glossy side up and the matte side towards the bottom of the pan. In this case, the risk of burning will be reduced. In addition, contact of the matte layer with food can lead to oxidation and change in taste. If the foil is thin, roll it up. And if such material is folded in several layers, then it can be used to give certain contours to the baked goods, for example, to form sides or make the bottom smaller than the top.
4. Housewives who are aware of advanced culinary technologies are probably familiar with such a modern device as a silicone mat. It looks like a thin elastic sheet, similar in structure to rubber. If you cover the bottom of the mold with this mat, the dough is unlikely to burn. And the smooth texture will reduce the likelihood of sticking finished baked goods and will make it easier to remove from the container. But cut ready-made pies or cakes on such devices is not allowed, as they may be damaged.
5. Sewing or stationery tracing paper will do just fine. It is also quite durable, although transparent. But such material must be absolutely clean, not marked or lined. Before use, you can grease the tracing paper a little with butter, but only a little, otherwise the strength will decrease.
6. Another achievement of culinary science is the so-called silicone paper, which can be found in the cookware departments or kitchen utensils. It is made of paper material, but is coated with silicone, which forms a protective layer. This paper is sold in the form of rolls or sheets, and can be used up to five to eight times.
7. Bags or sleeves for baking in the oven are also suitable, but it is better to use them in extreme cases. The bag can first be cut lengthwise along the edge to turn it into a single sheet. But if the shape is small, then it is advisable to use the sleeve in its original form: two layers are better than one. And if you are afraid that the dough will stick to the bag, first coat it with soft butter.
8. If you don’t have any of the above on hand, then even in this case you shouldn’t give up the idea of ​​preparing something for tea. Just do as our grandmothers and great-grandmothers did. First, generously grease the bottom of the baking sheet with well-softened butter or high-quality margarine, then sprinkle it with flour, semolina or breadcrumbs. This layer will protect against burning and will allow you to easily remove the finished baked goods.

Tip: Before you use improvised means or device, place it in a preheated oven and observe the changes. If the material begins to melt, smoke, and even more so burn, then it definitely cannot be used for such purposes.

It's worth starting with what cannot be used as a replacement for baking paper. Newspaper is absolutely not suitable: firstly, it is very thin, and secondly, letters and illustrations can be imprinted on the dough, and dyes can penetrate its structure. Also, do not use plastic bags or cling film. The polyethylene from which they are made will instantly melt when heat treatment and, firstly, it will mix with the bottom of the dough, and secondly, it will stick or literally melt to the bottom of the baking dish.

Now a few words about the baking process itself. To prevent the dough from burning, you should cook it at low or medium temperature - about 160-170 degrees. If you raise it, the walls of the mold will quickly and strongly heat up, and the baked goods will immediately begin to burn to them. In addition, the shelf on which the container will stand should not be placed too low. If you raise it higher, it will move away from the fire, and the risk of burning will be significantly reduced.

Tip: to reduce heating of the bottom and walls of the pan and minimize the risk of burning, you can place a container of water under the baked goods being prepared. This technique will allow you to heat the container gradually and not very much, but at the same time the heat will spread throughout the oven, which means the dough will be completely baked.

Now the lack of baking paper will definitely not unsettle you, because you know what to replace it with.

May 31, 2017 Olga