When To Use Parchment Paper When Baking Cookies

When it comes to making cookies, there are so many benefits to using parchment. It's water-resistant and nonstick (thanks to the silicone surface), which means you won't wind up pleading with your pan to release your cookies in one piece. It's also a more eco-friendly and economical option since it can be used repeatedly. And, it makes clean up a snap — you won't have to worry about charred-on crumbs or stubborn, greasy sheens on your pans.

It may seem like a no-brainer to put this stuff to use in for any cookie creation, but there are a few scenarios where parchment may not be the best choice. One potential problem with parchment is specific to baking situations in which heat is distributed by a fan, like in a convection oven or air fryer. In these cases, the light paper can turn into a parasail under your cookies, blowing in the circulating air and tossing your cookies around. If you're making treats that weigh a little less (like airy meringues), they won't have enough weight to keep your paper securely in place.

Another issue is that this paper can burn in an oven set to high temperatures, and you may open the oven to find that the paper has become browner and crispier than your cookies. It can even catch on fire (which is why you shouldn't let excess parchment paper dangle in the oven). In these moments, you may want to opt for another strategy.

To avoid some of these parchment-specific issues, you can try to anchor your parchment by using a little batter as adhesive in the corners or employing metal binder clips.Also, try to keep your parchment usage for preparations under 425 degrees Fahrenheit (for most cookies, this shouldn't be a problem).

There are also types of heavy-duty or extra strong parchment available, which will be a little weightier and more likely to stay put. Note that there is a difference between parchment paper and wax paper, and you'll want to steer clear of the latter — it may melt in the oven, and you definitely don't want that for your cookies. You can use aluminum foil – just be sure it's the nonstick kind. Alternately, you can use nonstick spray, either on the foil or directly on a baking sheet, but the downside there is that your cookies may flatten and spread more than you'd like. Some bakers swear that the best bet when parchment isn't a possibility is a silicone mat, which shares that reusable, nonstick surface with parchment paper.