What is Parchment Paper For?

For those of you experienced cooks who can’t believe I’m actually answering this question, I gotta tell you that there was a time in my life when, if I saw a recipe that required parchment paper, I would gulp and turn the page, because I had no idea what parchment paper was. So, yeah, I’m going to write about it!

Parchment paper is basically a layer between the baking sheet and the food. It makes clean-up a helluva lot easier. It also helps to even out the heat, which is why when you put it beneath cookie dough, you’ll stop getting burnt bottoms and raw middles. It’s healthier than using tin foil, because it doesn’t leach metals. However, it can’t be used under the broiler, because it will burn.