When you bake cookies, you need a nonstick paper on your baking sheets. A wax paper and a parchment paper are the same. Both papers are seemingly nonstick, just like exactly what you need for baking those cookies. Can you bake cookies on wax paper? Read on, and let’s find out.
Wax Paper vs. Parchment Paper for Baking
The wax papers found in your homes serve lots of purposes in your kitchen. You use them for wrapping and storing food items, and also to cover open plates or bowls of food to prevent splattering in a microwave. They are also great for rolling out cookie dough and many other kitchen tasks. They are also good at wrapping sandwiches. But, can you bake cookies on wax paper?
A wax paper is a tissue paper that’s been coated with paraffin on both sides. This coating makes it nonstick, resistant to grease, waterproof and resistant to moisture, and an all-around very useful type of paper in your kitchen. But unlike a parchment paper, it is not heat-resistant and, therefore, wax paper in oven is not possible, as the wax could melt.
On the other hand, a parchment paper safer to use while baking and cooking because its silicone coating is heat resistant. That is why a parchment paper is excellent for lining baking sheets and cake pans.
While wax paper and parchment paper look so similar, there are a few key distinctions that you should know before using them. Can you bake cookies on a wax paper? If you line your sheet pans with the wrong paper could make baked cookies into a mess, and worst, it may even start a fire.
Can You Bake Cookies on a Wax Paper?
Can you bake cookies on wax paper? Though wax paper has a lot of uses, it is not a good choice for baking cookies. Wax paper for cookies is not suitable when baking. Baking cookies on wax paper in high temperatures, the wax on the paper can melt and may transfer to your cookies. The food-grade wax paper is not toxic, but it’s a good idea to keep it out of your baked goods. The wax may also transfer to your baking sheet and may require you to clean it additionally.
The wax also has a fairly low burn point. An exposed wax paper will smoke while it is in the oven, especially if you are baking something that requires a very long baking time or very high temperature. This type of paper could catch fire. In case you use wax paper to line the bottom of a cake pan, it will not burn, but you will still have wax transfer, which then again is not a good idea.
Now, can you bake cookies on a wax paper? The short answer is no. Stick to a parchment paper, which is reusable as well. It is completely nonstick and is generally heat resistant even when exposed to 450F.
To avoid ruining your cookies, you must always consider using the right paper materials. You may also opt for other choices. You can go back to the traditional and older technique of preventing sticking, which makes the use of greasing a pan with oil. If you would like to, you may also line the pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease that to minimize the amount of clean up after baking. A wax paper is not a suitable nonstick barrier when using heat from any source.
Conclusion
To novice bakers, parchment and wax paper may somewhat look the same; both are also nonstick and moisture-resistant, which is ideal for your baking needs. Can you bake cookies on wax paper? Wax papers may be cheaper than the parchment paper, but it is worth to choose the safe one to make your baking less inconvenient.
On the other hand, parchment papers are very useful for most baking recipes, especially in lining cake molds and for other baking needs. I am glad that I was able to answer your question: “Can you bake cookies on wax paper?” Before you start baking your cookies, you should be fully aware that using the right materials is a must. Know more about baking cookies.