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Which one should you buy?

If you bake on sheet pans every week, flat precut sheets are worth the extra money. If you bake now and then, a cheap roll does the same job.

Parchment paper stops food from sticking, helps cookies bake evenly on the bottom, and saves you scrubbing pans. Lift the sheet, slide the whole lot onto a cooling rack, and the tray is nearly clean.

The trouble with a roll is that it curls up the moment you lay it down, usually just as you're trying to scoop cookie dough onto it. Precut sheets lie flat, so you can get straight on with baking.

What parchment does, and what it doesn't

Parchment is paper treated with a thin silicone coating. That coating is what makes it non-stick and lets it cope with oven heat. Bleached (white) and unbleached (brown) parchment bake the same, so buy whichever you like the look of.

Parchment paper vs wax paper

They're not the same. Parchment is made to go in the oven. Wax paper is coated with wax, which melts and can smoke in the heat. Wax paper is fine for lining a tin of fudge or rolling out dough on the counter. If it's going in the oven, use parchment.

How hot can it go?

Check the box. Most makers rate their parchment to somewhere around 425°F to 450°F. Above that it darkens and goes brittle at the edges, and under a broiler or close to a heating element any paper can scorch.

King Arthur parchment at a glance

A half sheet pan is sold as 18 by 13 inches, but the flat floor inside is about 16½ by 11½. So these sheets cover the base and turn up a little at the sides, which is exactly what you want.

What to look for in parchment

• Sheets sized to your pans. Half-sheet size suits most home baking trays.

• Heavy duty. It shouldn't tear when you lift a tray of cookies off it, or let butter soak through.

• Flat storage. Sheets that come flat stay flat.

• A clear heat rating on the box. So you know where the limit is.

The King Arthur sheets tick all four, which is why they're my pick. The only argument against them is price, and if that matters, a roll does the same job.

Who it suits, and who should skip it

Good for you if

• You bake cookies or roast vegetables on sheet pans every week

• You hate wrestling with a curling roll

Skip it if

• You bake once in a while: a $4 roll costs far less per sheet

• You need odd sizes for round cake tins: a roll cuts to any shape

How to get the best from it

Line a cake tin

Stand the tin on a sheet, draw round the base with a pencil, cut just inside the line, and put it pencil side down.

Make it stay put

A dab of butter or a little of the batter on each corner of the pan glues the paper down so it doesn't slide.

Use it again

If the sheet isn't greasy, brittle or charred, it's fine for a second batch of cookies.

Cook in a parcel

Fold fish, lemon and herbs inside a sheet, crimp the edges, and bake. Dinner steams in its own juices with nothing to wash.

Safety

• Trim the overhang. Paper hanging over the edge of the pan can catch on a heating element.

• Not under the broiler. Direct heat will scorch it.

• Stay within the box rating. If a recipe calls for a very hot oven, check the number on the pack.

Questions people ask

Is parchment paper the same as wax paper?

No. Only parchment goes in the oven. Wax paper's coating melts and smokes.

What temperature can parchment paper take?

It depends on the brand, so check the box. Most are rated somewhere around 425°F to 450°F.

Bleached or unbleached parchment?

They bake the same. It's a matter of looks and personal choice.

Can I reuse parchment paper?

Yes, for a batch or two, as long as it's clean and not dark or brittle.

Bake with it

My Mum's Saturday Night Sausage Rolls, which come off the tray without a crumb left behind.

Updated October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.