Parchment Paper Vs Baking Vs Greaseproof Paper

If you are new to cooking, and baking it particular, you may be confused about the difference between the different types of baking paper you can use. Parchment paper vs baking vs greaseproof paper? Surely, they’re all the same thing – aren’t they?

Turn out they’re not. You can use each different type for similar applications, but they are different beasts and should be used for different things.

Lets have a breakdown of the different types and decide which one should be used for which different cooking method!

Parchment Paper Vs Baking Vs Greaseproof Paper

The different types of paper that you can use in the kitchen can be a little confusing, it has to be said!

Which type do you use for baking, and which type is best for cooking food wrapped into a parcel? Which is the one that is good for wrapping up sandwiches?

If you’re new to kitchen paper, or just need a handy guide to figure out which one to use for which application, here is our interpretation:

Parchment paper is a paper that has a non stick layer, and is used for baking cakes and pies, as well as cooking food wrapped into a parcel.

This type of paper is great for lining cake tins, flan dishes and baking trays so that food doesn’t stick.

Baking paper is the same thing as parchment paper, it’s just that it is called different things in different areas.

As before, use baking paper in the oven, to stop food sticking to the trays that it is cooked in.

Greaseproof paper is a grease resistant paper, but it doesn’t have the non stick layer.

Perfect for wrapping up food to be transported, or covering food in the fridge when you don’t want to use cling film, greaseproof paper will stop food leaking.

• Parchment paper and baking paper have a silicone layer that stops food from sticking, making them ideal for lining baking trays.
• Greaseproof paper has no silicone layer, so you will need to grease the paper with oil or butter if you intend to cook with it.

Parchment and baking paper are perfect for cooking and baking, while greaseproof paper is ideal for covering and storing those cooked items once they come out of the oven.

You don’t have to have all of these items in your kitchen when you are baking, but they are some of the things that can help make your cooking life easier.

Is Parchment Paper The Same As Baking Paper?

The short answer is: yes, they are pretty much the same thing. Baking paper is a greaseproof paper that is very useful for cooking, as it has a non stick surface (similarly to non stick pans).

The difference between parchment paper and baking paper is pretty much only a cultural one – in some parts of the world it is called one thing, in others it is known as something else.

Parchment and baking paper are sheets of paper, usually sold in a long roll, which is coated in a heat resistant material. These days, the coating is generally silicone.

Parchment paper replaces the old method of lining a cake tin with butter to prevent food sticking.

Using parchment or baking paper is a great solution because not only does the food not stick, but you have far less mess to clean up!

It is easy to remove the food from the baking tray if you leave a little corner of baking paper sticking up; it should easily lift out of the dish or baking tray.

Baking paper and parchment paper are used to line pans and tins, but are also very useful for cooking food “en papillote”, where food is wrapped up in a parcel to be cooked.

If one recipe asks you for baking paper and another asks you for parchment paper, you don’t have to panic and rush to the shops if you don’t have one or the other!

Is Greaseproof Paper The Same As Baking Paper?

Baking paper is a siliconised paper – this silicone coating stops the food from sticking, making this paper ideal for lining baking trays and tins.

Greaseproof paper is not siliconised, meaning that any food you put on it while cooking is likely to stick to the paper.

Greaseproof paper is ideal for covering, storing and transporting food, while baking paper is more suited to cooking it.

Trying to cook food using greaseproof paper will work just fine, if you don’t have any baking paper – but you must remember to grease it!

Greaseproof paper, as the name suggests, is resistant to grease. This means that it must be greased before being used in baking, otherwise the food will stick to it.

Here is a little video explaining some of the differences between parchment paper and wax paper, and why one can be cooked with but the other shouldn’t:

Now that you know a little more about the different types of baking papers there are out there, you should be able to decide which one is best for you.

Different baking papers can be used for different things, so you can pick and choose which one you should use depending on what you are cooking. And you can actually make it at home!