6 Simple Ways to Make Cookies Without Using Parchment Paper

You can bake cookies without using parchment paper, just as you can make biscuits without using baking powder. The major reason people use parchment paper is to make cleaning simpler.

If this is your primary concern, use thick foil instead of parchment to save cleaning time. If you want to bake like a professional, you may choose to butter the pan instead.

The following information provides you with options depending on your baking preferences and requirements.

1 – Using a Silicone Pan

Instead of using an aluminum pan, you may use a silicone pan. Many people believe that silicone is a nonstick substance, however they are mistaken.

In most cases, you must still grease the pan. Although silicone is nonstick, many recipes call for the use of oil or grease.

Yet, these pans should be utilized in the kitchen alongside aluminum pans since they are essential culinary utensils. They are not only heat-resistant, but also easy to clean and may be used in the microwave, freezer, refrigerator, and dishwasher.

Your cookies may stick if you do not oil a silicone pan. As a result, it is important to gently oil the pan. It’s also a good idea to keep track of what sticks and what doesn’t stick to bakeware. Cookies that are lighter in weight and lower in fat will cling to silicone more readily.

They will not stick as readily if they have more butter and volume. Also, cookies stick less than baked items like muffins or cakes.

Your baked products are more likely to cling if your silicone pans have grooves or ridges. Bits and bits are more prone to get entangled in the grooves.

Consider it this way: If your baked food crumbles readily, it will adhere to the pan more easily after baking.

Grease a silicone pan with vegetable oil, such as canola oil, or spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Avoid using butter since it is difficult to apply. Moreover, over-greasing a pan makes it harder to remove the stuck-on residue while cleaning it.

While greasing the pan with oil, use a pastry brush to spread the oil into the corners. If you don’t have a brush, a paper towel will suffice.

Use a soft touch while using a brush. You don’t want one or two bristles in your recipe.

2 – Using Heavy-Duty Foil

If you want a comparable replacement, you may use foil instead of parchment, as indicated. To ensure that you can simply remove your cookies, grease the foil or use an oil or spray. Smooth the foil precisely into the inner corners of the pan while applying it.

While baking sheets are often constructed of aluminum, baking using aluminum foil produces about the same outcomes as baking on the pan. Cleaning up, on the other hand, becomes considerably simpler. After baking, all you have to do is remove the foil.

As a result, you do not need to clean the baking sheet. Make sure the foil is strong enough not to tear as you’re removing the cookies. Nonstick foil, which performs virtually as well as parchment, may also be used.

Furthermore, learn how baking sheets vary from cookie sheets.

3 – Greasing an Aluminum Baking Pan

If you aren’t concerned with rapid cleaning and want to use more professional baking procedures, you should butter an aluminum baking pan. When you have a batter that sticks readily, this old-school method is typically utilized.

If you want to make cookies that don’t adhere to baking pans, use a solid fat like butter or shortening.

Although butter adds flavor to a dish, shortening keeps the pan from burning. As a result, if your recipe asks for a higher temperature, you may wish to substitute shortening.

Some bakers dislike the use of hydrogenated fats. If you are vegan or prefer not to use shortening or butter, coconut oil may be used as a great replacement.

If you wish to offer further protection against sticking, add more flour, as some expert bakers do.

Sprinkle the flour on top of the fat using a big spoon. Remove any excess and add the cookie mix. Using flour also allows you to determine whether you missed any places on your pan while greasing it.

4 – Mix up Your Own Anti-Stick Spread

If you run out of parchment paper, you may speed up the baking process by making your own anti-stick spread. Combine equal amounts oil, shortening, and flour in a mixing bowl or with a stand mixer.

You may store the mixture in the fridge so you have it on hand if your parchment runs out. Again, spread this mixture using a paper towel or a pastry brush.

5 – Using Silicone Mats

Instead of pans, you may use silicone mats (I’ve had excellent results with this basic set) and lay them on your metal baking pans. As with silicone pans, if the recipe asks for it, you should oil or grease the mat.

By using mats or pans instead of parchment, your cookies will not produce crusts. Nevertheless, if you utilize the mats, you won’t have to worry about cleaning as much.

6 – Not Using Anything

Certain recipes do not need the use of parchment paper, therefore a substitute is not required. Some cookie recipes, for example, instruct you not to butter the baking pan.

Apart from cookies, this also applies to baked products like sponge cake and angel food cake. These cakes must cling to the edges of the pan during baking. Greasing the pan prevents them from rising on all sides.

As a result, before baking, carefully study your recipes to note the needs for greasing a pan. In most cases, it is critical to avoid sticking. As you can see, there are several exceptions to the norm.

Final Thoughts

Although parchment paper is needed in many cookie recipes, you may make due with several replacements. Doing a frequent inventory is the greatest approach to guarantee that you have all you need.

Before you bake, check to see what you have on hand. If the baking paper runs out, you may want to try another recipe or see what else you have on hand.