Have you ever been in the middle of prepping, cooking, or baking, only to find yourself stuck between wax paper vs. parchment paper? You may be tempted to use wax paper instead of parchment paper and vice versa, but these two papers are different. Both parchment and wax paper have many uses and are great to have on hand in the kitchen, but knowing their differences and how they are typically used is important.
Parchment paper is made of paper with a food-safe silicone coating that makes it heat-resistant and non-stick. According to Reynolds, parchment is "paper with a food-safe silicone coating that makes it heat-resistant and non-stick." It's common to find it in rolls allowing you to measure it yourself, though precut sheets can be a game changer. There's no discernible difference between the natural brown or white colors in terms of performance or usage. Parchment paper is a food-safe paper, coated with an ultra-thin layer of silicone. The silicone coating makes it not only nonstick, but also heat resistant.
Wax paper has a food-safe non-stick paraffin wax coating which makes it better suited for cold food storage or as a barrier between food and surfaces. Wax paper is a food-safe tissue paper that is coated with paraffin wax. It is nonstick and moisture resistant, but it is not typically oven-safe. Wax paper most often comes in a roll, but can also be found in flat sheets. Wax paper is also a non-stick coated paper, but rather than silicone, it is coated in wax. It's paraffin wax, to be more specific, which makes it moisture-proof and grease-proof, too.
The main difference between parchment and wax paper is the material used to make them. Wax paper has a wax coating, which means it can only be used at room temperature or for storage in your fridge or freezer. Parchment paper doesn’t have this coating and is heat resistant, so it can be used in your oven.
The most important difference is that wax paper is not heat resistant unlike parchment paper. That means you can put parchment in the oven (or other kitchen appliances like air fryers) up to 425 degrees. Wax paper will melt at high temperatures.
Read also: Choosing the Right Paper
A general rule is that wax paper is good for cold food items while parchment paper is best for hot items.
Parchment paper is the clear winner for baking and cooking! It’s oven-safe up to 425°F, and the non-stick properties can keep your cookies, brownies, casseroles, and more from adhering to the pan. Substituting parchment paper for aluminum foil when baking cookies will help to avoid burnt bottoms.
There are so many uses for parchment paper in baking besides just cookies. Since it is non-stick, lining pans while making cakes help them release in one piece. It can also provide a barrier between pie weights and pie crust when blind baking. It's also freezer friendly, so you can stack layers of dough if you're freezing cookies or other baked goods in advance.
Of course, there are plenty of other reasons to use parchment paper in the kitchen. Cooking fish like salmon in packets (or as the French say "en papillote") not only makes cleanup a breeze since everything is in one discardable spot, but it also helps flavor development. As the heat circulates, the parchment helps seal in all the flavor that is released while cooking.
Food storage is the main purpose of wax paper. It is excellent for storing cheese, because it prevents it from drying out but still allows it to breathe. It is great for storing in both refrigerator and freezer as an added layer of protection against odors, spills, and freezer burn.
Read also: Food Industry Wax Paper
Wax paper is great for foods that may stick together and its moisture resistance makes it a useful choice for meal prep.
If you want to keep your sandwich fresh and soft for a long time, go for wax paper instead of parchment paper. The wax protects against air, preventing your sandwich from drying out and maintaining its freshness.
Do not ever use parchment or wax paper in the broiler. Despite its heat resistance, parchment paper can’t handle the heat of any broiler, which can reach temperatures upward of 500°F. And wax paper? It should never come near the high heat of the oven or broiler. So, remember, stay safe and skip the paper when it comes to broiling.
When grilling and smoking, it’s important to use the appropriate materials to minimize the risk of accidents. With open flames and long periods of heat, you should avoid using parchment paper and wax paper in grills and smokers. Instead, opt for Reynolds Wrap® Grill Foil for all your grilling needs. It’s sturdy and non-stick, and it can withstand high grill temperatures. Additionally, its extra-wide surface ensures food doesn’t fall through the grates and simplifies cleanup.
Yes! Heating up your favorite meals in the microwave just got even easier. You can use wax paper and parchment paper covers to prevent splatters and hold moisture in while microwave heating. They are both microwave-safe and a great way to keep your meals and microwaves mess-free.
Read also: Recycling Wax Paper: What You Need to Know
You can choose among parchment paper, wax paper, and Reynolds Kitchens® Freezer Paper when storing food items in the freezer. You may use all three to wrap and separate foods to keep them from sticking together, for example, storing burger patties, meats, or individual servings of leftovers.
That said, we recommend freezer paper for the best barrier against air and moisture, which helps prevent freezer burn. It’s got a slick, shiny coating on one side that helps keep food moisture from soaking through the paper. All three papers will work well if you thaw the food before separating it. However, if you need to separate frozen food, it’s better to use freezer or parchment paper. They are more durable and tear-resistant compared to wax paper when either wet or dry.
Parchment paper is often more expensive than wax paper and is a bit more versatile with its ability to be used in the oven. Parchment paper and wax paper are reusable. They can be reused as long as they have no odors and are still intact and clean. Once your parchment paper starts to darken, it should be discarded.
Early parchment paper-often referred to as vegetable parchment to differentiate it from historic parchment made from animal skin-performed many similar packaging and shipping duties as wax paper. However, wax paper offered some advantages over uncoated parchment. Unlike regular paper, paper that’s been ‘parchmentized’ has been treated with acid that breaks down the paper fibers so that they fill in the microscopic pores and gaps. While this means that parchment won’t disintegrate in oil or water, it will still saturate in them. Wax paper, on the other hand, wicks moisture away entirely due to its paraffin coating, making it exceptionally more nonstick than early versions of parchment paper.
As early as the 1940s, manufacturers began applying coatings to parchment (many of them Teflon-based initially) to mimic the qualities that once made wax paper indispensable. By 1959, manufacturers had created heat sealable parchment paper. According to Véronique van Zyl, a representative from Ahlstrom (one of the few parchment manufacturers left), product trials for silicone-coated parchment paper began in the 1990s. Reynolds began selling silicone-coated parchment in 1996. Not long after, according to van Zyl, sales of parchment really began to pick up in the US.
While today’s silicone-coated parchment paper can pretty much do everything wax paper can and more, the old standby is not without its defenders. Former BA staffer Claire Saffitz pointed out that it’s “more malleable than parchment paper and holds its shape better, which makes it ideal for wrapping and storing foods like cheeses and sandwiches.” Chef and recipe developer Monica Glass also appreciates wax paper to “wrap cheese, and sticky things; pack pastries/chocolates in boxes, and layer things in a container for dry or refrigerated storage,” she says.
At home, not only is wax paper up against plastic products like plastic wrap and resealable sandwich bags, there are also a bevy of reusable, sustainable alternatives, like flexible silicone to-go bags and conventional storage containers. If there’s a go-to waxed product these days, it’s more likely fabric beeswax wrap, which is reusable, washable, and far more sturdy and resilient compared to wax paper.
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