Does the use of parchment change the baking time or temperature?
Asked by
Jeruba (
56106
)
December 21st, 2008
Parchment was suggested to me here in reference to baking cookies. I tried it for the first time today, on a batch of cinnamon sugar cookies, which called for greasing the cookie sheets. I used parchment instead, without greasing or spraying.
The cookies came out doughy inside—first time that’s ever happened to me. I calibrated the new oven on the basis of my experience with oatmeal cookies a couple of weeks ago and increased the baking time accordingly, but still they were not done in the middle. (Cookies that start out brown are harder to judge for doneness on the basis of color.) Twenty seconds in the microwave took care of that, but the question remains. There are confounding variables here—use of parchment, new stove—and I would like to know if I can eliminate one. Does parchment create extra insulation or cause any other change that affects the results?
Thank you.
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
7 Answers
Hmmm, Jeruba that shouldn’t have made a difference. Although, logically, yes, the cookies are not actually in contact with the full heat of the metal pan and the white parchment may be reflecting heat away from the whole business. You probably do need to increase the baking time, just a wee bit. I don’t think I would increase the temperature however. I use parchment a lot (but, with recipes and techniques adapted to food service) and have never really thought about this before. I don’t know if this was helpful or not!
No, but it makes cleanup easy! I use it all the time.
You know, I made cookies tonight and I think it’s always been 10 mins on the bake time. With or without parchment. Generally, I use parchment or a Silpat and I don’t remember their ever being a difference.
I must agree with SoapChef, if anything it’s just a slight difference!
I haven’t particularly found a time difference, although there might be a slight one. Pulling the whole sheet off the tray at once slows down residiual (post-oven) baking so that might make a slight difference too. As you say, you have two variables so you might have to play around a bit.
I have never had a problem with parchment. Matter of fact when I worked at Albertson’s, and they used to bake the cookies in house they used parchment on all the cookie sheets. That’s where I made out like a bandit when they went to outside sources and gave that stuff away to the employees.
Turns out this was the fault of the oven, not the parchment. It registered 350 but was really only at 325 tops. No wonder.
Well too low has got to be better than too high. I remember once I made cookies for the County Fair. Turns out that the oven was 150 degrees higher than what I set it for. So much for that blue ribbon I only got third place a white ribbon.
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
