One of the most time-consuming and least enjoyable parts of baking is the clean up. Well, here are some tips to make that unavoidable task faster and easier.

Cleaner cookie baking:

Whether your cookie, biscuit, bread, or other recipe calls for a greased or ungreased baking pan one thing you can do to ensure that your baked goods do not stick to the pan and to reduce or eliminate cleaning is to use parchment paper.

Parchment paper is nonstick oven-proof paper that is usually oven-proof up to 450° F. (Check the box for the manufacturer’s instructions on the maximum temperature.)

Note: Parchment paper and waxed paper are two different things. Do not attempt to bake cookies on a sheet lined with waxed paper; the waxed paper will smoke!

Line your cookie sheet or baking pan with parchment paper and your baked goods will cook more evenly and will slide right off.

Faster cookie baking:

Want to speed up your cookie baking? Maybe you only have one cookie sheet? Rather than waiting for your first batch of cookies to finish baking, you can fill a second sheet of parchment paper with your second batch of drop cookies or rolled cookies. When your first batch is done, slide the parchment paper and baked cookies off the pan, and then slide the sheet of unbaked cookies on.

Neater rolled cookies:

Have you ever rolled and cut out cookie dough only to find that it had become stuck to the counter top or board? If you try to scrape up the cookies with a spatula they deform and moosh together.

Parchment paper to the rescue! Try rolling out the cookie dough on lightly floured parchment paper, and then cut out cookies as usual. The cookies will be much easier to remove from the parchment paper.

By the way, the Tauren Chef recommends lining your baking sheet with parchment paper when making Delicious Cave Mold Cookies, Gingerbread Cookies, Winter Veil Cookies, and the canine and feline Hunter Pet Treats.

Neater brownies and bar cookies:

Brownies and bar cookies can be difficult or messy to remove from baking pans. It will be a lot easier and result in less mess if you line the pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

The best way to do this is to turn the baking pan upside down and shape the aluminum foil or parchment paper over the bottom of the pan, leaving an extra inch or two around the edges; now turn the pan right side up and lower the shaped aluminum foil or parchment paper into the pan and press it into the corners.

If the recipe requires a greased pan, grease the foil or paper. Fill with batter and bake as usual. When the brownies or bar cookies are baked use the extra foil or paper around the edges as a handle to lift them out.

Parchment paper is sold in rolls and in pre-cut sheets. You will usually find it in the same section as aluminum foil and waxed paper.

Easy muffin pan clean-up

If your muffin pan is a pain to clean up try using paper liners and be sure to wipe up any spilled batter before you place the muffin pan in the oven.

If you don’t have a muffin pan your grocery store can supply freestanding foil baking cups that you set on a baking sheet and then fill â…” full of batter. The aluminum foil type of baking cup should not collapse when filled and baked per the recipe.

Try one of these ideas when you make the Tauren Chef’s recipe for Moser’s Magnificent Muffin.

Bake a meal in a foil packet

The Original and Strictly Unofficial World of Warcraft Cookbook includes several dishes that are baked in foil packets, such as Dry Pork Ribs, Clefthoof Ribs, and Rockscale Cod.

These meals have two benefits besides great taste and moist food: the foil packet of baking makes for easy clean up- just throw the aluminum foil away- and you can make up several packets ahead of time, keep them refrigerated and cook them whenever you want a great meal.

Do you have any favorite clean-up or mess-proofing ideas? Post them in Comments.

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