Baking paper alternative ideas!
I used to buy baking paper, but these days I don’t use any at all! The secret to finding a baking paper alternative, isn’t to buy a different type of baking paper, it is to get the right equipment to bake on! Then you won’t need it any more.
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You can buy all kinds of non-stick cookware that would do the job, but mostly that means coated in Teflon. Personally I am not a fan of it, because it is a type of plastic and I try to avoid cooking with it where possible.
Baking paper alternatives that avoid using teflon coated materials!
Stoneware – a great baking paper alternative!
I absolutely love stoneware. I bought several stoneware dishes from Pampered Chef a few years ago. Sadly they are no longer selling in the UK, but they are still in business in the US, Canada and Germany. Stoneware is the perfect material for baking things like bread, pizzas*, cakes, bakes and cookies. If you are a foodie, you will much prefer baked goods cooked on it!
Seasoning stoneware
Stoneware is naturally non-stick, although it won’t be non-stick when you first buy it. You need to season it. To do this you need to rub some fat or oil into it each time before cooking with it. The stoneware absorbs the fat/ oil over time. Eventually it is considered seasoned and is naturally non-stick! The stoneware will be stained after being seasoned, but that is normal and nothing to worry about! Note – not all stoneware can be seasoned as some is coated in enamel.
Other things to be aware of with non-coated stoneware
Don’t use washing up liquid on it!
As stoneware is so absorbent, you can’t wash it with washing up products. You just rinse/ scrape it clean. It doesn’t matter though, as the next time you use your stoneware you will be heating it to a high temperature in the oven, which should kill any germs!
You might need a little baking paper or resuable baking sheet still
If you are cooking a cake in a stoneware pan or dish, you will need to put a non-stick sheet at the bottom of the dish. Grease underneath it each time though, until the pan or dish is seasoned. You might find that even when it is seasoned though it is still easier to have a non-stick sheet at the bottom of the dish. You can buy reusable baking sheets (sadly usually Teflon coated) and then cut them to size.
Stoneware can crack
Stoneware doesn’t like quick temperature changes. If you transfer it from hot to cold, or cold to hot too quickly it is likely to crack. That means that you can’t:
- Put it in a pre-heated oven, you need to let it warm up with the oven. It can take a bit longer to cook things on stoneware because of this. You also can’t use a stoneware dish to cook dessert in the oven straight after you have cooked your dinner as it will be too hot.
- Take it from straight from the fridge and put it in the oven,
- Wash it up straight after it has been in the oven. The water would be at a cooler temperature than the stoneware and would cool it down too quickly.
Even though there is a bit of a knack to getting the hang of how to use stoneware, once you do, it is really simple and easy. I’ve been using my stoneware pans, trays and dishes for years now. It is a really handy baking paper alternative!
Take a look at some of my bakes in stoneware dishes: Beetroot and butternut fritatta, Best banana tea bread ever, Crocodile oat cakes and Oat and raisin squares recipe
Silicone trays, sheets and cake pans
Silicone is a man-made non-biodegradable material. It has a better reputation than Teflon however and is also non-stick. I don’t have much silicone baking equipment because in most cases I prefer stoneware, however I do have a silicone muffin tray* and silicone cupcake cases*.
The advantages of using silicone baking equipment as a baking paper alternative
- It is relatively inexpensive and is cheaper than stoneware
- From what I have read, it seems like a safer option to cook on than Teflon coated surfaces.
- It is flexible, so it is easier to remove things like cakes and cupcakes from it than it is from stoneware. Although you do still need to grease it every time you use it.
- It is easy to use and wash up. You don’t have to worry about temperature changes like you do with stoneware and it is dishwasher safe.
My banana tea bread recipe works well in a silicone muffin tray. I often prefer making muffins because:
- they take half the time to cook compared to cakes which saves energy.
- I find muffins freeze well if we don’t want to eat a whole batch of them at once.
If you would prefer a sugar free recipe you could try my sugar free beetroot, banana and ginger muffin recipe in a silicone muffin tray.
Although there will be an initial investment to buy alternative baking trays, pans and dishes, over the years it will save a lot of baking paper going in the bin!
This post was updated on 14/10/19
This and the clingfilm article are great. I've linked to them both in a further reading section in my cookery class article, hopefully get a nice resource of articles in there as time goes by: http://thefirestarter.co.uk/badass-cookery-class-a-beginners-guide/
Thanks – glad you liked them and thanks for linking to them!