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A question I’m asked often is which is better: Silpat vs. parchment paper?
Let’s take a peek side-by-side at the same batch of cookie dough baked at 350°F for 13 minutes, the only difference is the parchment vs. Silpat surface. I used the same brand of baking sheets too, one is just a year older than the other.
I used the Sur la Table brand Silpat and precut unbleached nonstick parchment paper from Amazon.
Silpat: spread more, browned more
Because the Silpat surface is so slick, it can actually lead to more spread in cookies while baking. This thinning can lead to more browning as well as a crispier texture.
Parchment paper is disposable, which means you don’t have to clean anything extra. In my kitchen that’s a huge plus. It’s possible parchment is not as environmentally friendly – but I don’t actually know the manufacturing process of silicone baking mats.
Not to mention they require a lot of hot water to get all of the residual grease off. And you can usually get a few uses out of one sheet of parchment as long as the flavors are similar and you’re wiping off with a cloth between uses.
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You can also cut parchment to the exact size you need. Or purchase it precut to fit virtually every pan (including cake pans). I buy pre cut sheets of unbleached parchment, never the roll of parchment from the grocery store (it’s too difficult to cut evenly and keep flat).
Virtually nothing will stick to a Silpat. However, it’s something else to be cleaned. You should never use a knife near a Silpat because they have fiberglass inside that could end up in your food if pierced. They can’t be used at high temperatures or with the broiler.
They’re also pretty expensive. They can also retain strong flavors. So clean your Silpat *very* well if switching between roasting garlic or fish and baking cookies. Or keep sweet and savory Silpats separate.
Another issue with silicone baking mats is that if a baked good like a cookie is allowed to cool on the mats, the residual heat can create more moisture. With silicone, there’s nowhere for that moisture to go. Basically it can make what were once crispy cookie edges more soft and mushy.
The only time I use a Silpat is when I’m making something super delicate like tuiles or sticky like candy, praline, or toffee. With the latter, it’s nice to be able to peel off the candy from the Silpat without worrying about sticking or ripping. However, it’s critical your Silpat is perfectly clean and free of any residual grease.
So what’s the final verdict?
I use parchment paper 99% of the time.
Baking legends Alton Brown and Stella Parks agree.
However, I believe this to be more of a personal preference. Some people might prefer the textures silicone provides. Which do you prefer?
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Honestly, I have to go with whichever option is better for the environment. You made a good point that there are no reputable sources that have done this comparison–but I learned the U.S. EPA has a library/research team that people can email for these types of environmental and health questions (basically anything to do with public health and the environment). I emailed them the following questions:
1. Is silicone/splat more environmentally friendly than parchment paper? Aluminum foil?
2. How many years would someone need to use silicone products (cupcake molds, straws, baking pans, Tupperware) to offset the environmental impact of producing them?
3. What is the environmental impact of silicone food-ware products? I’ll update when I get a response 🙂
Hi! I love the research. These cookies look perfect. Which cookie recipe is this?
Hi Lisa! These are our Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can find the link to the recipe here. Let me know if you give that recipe a try – I think you’ll love it! 🙂
I agree with your tests. I have also discovered that Silpat seems to activate my smoke alarm a few seconds after I open the oven to check on my baked goods. This has happened in two different houses with three different ovens, and I have yet to find a reason, so I just gave up on Silpat.
I buy my parchment in full sheet pan size at the restaurant supply store. It’s a box of 1000 sheets, but I use it for everything and often gift some to friends. After I buy it, I go to the FedEx store, formerly Kinko’s, and have them cut the entire stack with their industrial paper cutter, for which they charge only a few dollars. I like to store about 20 to 30 sheets at a time hanging from the inside of a kitchen cabinet held by a binder clip hung from a Command hook.
My kinda gal. Inexpensive innovation!! I use the insides of cabinet doors for storing measuring spoons, measuring cups and some pot lids. Easy to find and no clutter in the drawers!
I made your ginger snap recipe today. I’m curious about the reason for the 375°vs routine 350° oven temp??
They are sooo good! Unfortunately, I used one dark pan in addition to my Nordicware pan. Predictably, I now know, the dark pan was the issue. Reading your info on Dark vs Light pans, I’m dumping the dark (overcooked bottoms) and getting more Nordicware. Thank you!!
Hi Kathryn! Our Gingersnap recipes (both Crispy and Chewy, which is found in The Ultimate Cookie Handbook) call for baking at 350°F. Can you please share a link to which recipe you made so I can assist further?
I’d like to correct my comment above. I had compared several ginger snap recipes before baking. The recipe I’d read stating to preheat oven to 375°was from another website, not Handle the Heat. After as many cookies as I’ve baked, I should’ve known better!
I apologize for my comment and any confusion I may have caused.
No problem, Kathryn! 🙂
Your comment abut not being able to use Silpat under the broiler made me smile. I had cooked some sausages in an Aga on baking parchment – I was unfamiliar with the Aga and I just couldn’t get the sausages to brown, and the children were all hungry. I decided to finish them off under the broiler (or grill as we call it here in the UK). The next thing, the children were all hooting with excitement because, of course, the combination of baking parchment, sausage fat and very hot grill created the most fantastic fire. All the fire alarms went off and we ended up eating our food in the (very cold – this was Christmas Eve) garden while we got rid of the smoke. Ooops.
Oh no!! I hope there wasn’t any damage to anything but the sausages and parchment!!
I line my pans with a Silpat and then put the parchment on top of that. I feel it helps distribute the heat more evenly than parchment on the pan
Thank you for sharing this! I got these pre-cut parchment paper from Kitchenatics and they work awesome with cookies! They are recyclable and environment-friendly, too.
Thank you for the information! I am curious to know if you feel like it’s better to use something (the siplats or parchment) when baking cookies.
I have never used anything…just cookies right on the sheet. wondering if there are advantages to using something?
Hi Charlene! I’m not quite sure I understand your question as what you’re asking is detailed in this article. We prefer parchment paper 99% of the time as it helps cookies bake more evenly, plus the non-stick of the parchment helps prevent cookies from breaking when taking them off the sheet pan. Could you please elaborate if that doesn’t answer your question? Thanks so much!
Thank you for this!!!
I have been baking for a few decades now; but recently, in looking at recipes for entremets (sponges with the embedded chocolate stripes), I keep seeing Silpat-Silpat-Silpat.
Entrements are a couple of centuries old; so unless there was a warp in the space-time continuum, a Silpat has to be a convenience, not the original technique. Yours is the first (and so far only) site I’ve found that’s even tried to look into that.
I think I’ll try it out with parchment, and see how it goes. Even if it bombs, I’ll still understand the underlying process a little more.
P.S. – I don’t use nonstick, either. But I don’t yell at the kids to get off my lawn. 🙂
I’m definitely interested in hearing your results!
Couldn’t agree more. I tried the silpat 2 different times and then it hasn’t been used since. My husband and sons didn’t care for the cookie results. I now have a giant roll of parchment paper which I use on everything from cookies to pizza to making fish packets for the oven. The results are great and clean up is just a toss of the used parchment paper and a quick wash and rinse for the cooking sheets.