What is the purpose of parchment paper in baking? Is there an alternative?

It keeps things from sticking to the pan, and also from not burning (It’s a little bit more insulation).

It is good because it sticks to neither the pan nor the baked good. If you are baking at a lower temperature, wax paper would probably work (but make sure it won’t be lit on fire).

Fahrenheit 411 and all that.

It keeps baked goods from sticking, so that delicate cookies, for instance, can be easily lifted without breaking. It’s really useful, and not too expensive.

waxed paper or PAM spray. it’s the 20th century people and yes my mother came over on a boat too

Thanks to all of you. You’ve given me the courage to try it without. The recipe is for a quick-setting mint fudge, and there’s no actual baking involved, so I think I’ll go with the waxed paper.

“Parchment” paper for cooking is not the same as the sort of parchment that the Pilgrims wrote on, @trailsillustrated.

@aphilotus and @pdworkin are correct.

@laureth harrumph—ok——pilgrims yes 1962

An alternative is to use a silpat…they can be used over and over many times. I find paper to work the best because sometimes cookies on a silpat spread more.

For clarification, @aphilotus knows it’s fahrenheit 451, but it’s 2:30 a.m. our time and he’s afflicted with the onset of the flu. :P