*said in my best Buggs Bunny voice*

I can't believe what an idiot I am sometimes. I was baking graduation cap cookies for my son's preschool graduation. The first tray went pretty well. But after that, I had sooo much trouble getting the cookies off the sheet without breaking them. They were mostly breaking at the tassles. My cookie sheets are those insulated things - that bake the cookies nice and evenly. I also thought they were supposed to release the cookies easily.

Well after about 3 sheets of mostly broken cookies, I decided to try some with parchment paper underneath to see if that helped. Lo and behold - the cookies almost slid right off the paper after they cooled!! I am glad that I finally wised up... but sheesh... all those broken cookies

Oh well... I learn something every time I bake.

So Sorry about your losses!! I NEVER, EVER bake cakes or cookies without parchment paper on the pans!! It has saved me a ton of grieve and time. When I do sugar cookies (decorated), after I make the dough, I just roll it out between two sheets of PP, place the sheets of dough on a cookie sheet, chill and then use my cutters, bake and repeat the process with the scraps! Makes doing cookies so fast and easy!!

oh so sorry you had so many problems.

I am one who uses parchement paper under everything!! in cake pans, cookie sheets, I have even used it in my 9x13 pans under casseroles and desserts.

I am buying a large roll of parchment paper everyother week it seems

Christeena... I do that same method to roll out the dough. I love it because it saves the mess of having to roll it out with the flour. I don't think I would ever make cookies if I had to deal with the flour everytime! Maybe I should try my pie crusts that way... hmmmm.

Leily... I am really seeing the value of it. I wonder if they sell really big rolls at Sam's. I'll have to look.

Thanks!

I do the same for my pie crusts! After rolling out, I lift the top sheet off and use the bottom sheet to place the crust in the pan! Works great!!

Ohhhhh... I HATE doing pie crusts - mainly because of the mess of rolling it out... and never fails that they stick and tear when trying to lift them! Now you have given me hope! I will have to try one soon!

Parchment paper is the greatest stuff. I refuse to bake with out it now. I just wish the rolls were larger.

Steph you really need to invest in a Silpat Silicone mat. They are pricey, around $20.00 but I have had mine for years and it's still going strong. I bought one for baking and one for rolling out fondant. Baking cookies on a Silpat is amazng, the bottoms brown evenly and the cookies never stick.

If you decide to go the parchment paper route, you can reuse them after baking cookies! That's what I do. I have parchment squares in different sizes depending on the cookies and just reuse them when I bake. I cut the dough on them so no distortion on the shape.

I know that Smart & Final sells a giant roll of freezer paper. I wonder if they have parchment in a giant roll as well.

I have both silpat and use parchement.... and am lost without them all. I also bake on my pampered chef stone which has become non-stick and bakes VERY evenly!!!

I get a case (1000 sheets) of full sheet parchment 18"x26" @ Cash 'N' Carry, a local restaurant supply place. I cut them down to half sizes, and it takes me a gazillion years to go through it all (except during gingerbreading season)!!! It's a GREAT resource for kitchen stuffs, equipment, and food! I alway raid there candy stocks a few months before the holidays to have enough on hand to do gingerbread!

Another MUCH cheaper resource for silpats of several sizes is JBPrince.com, a restaurant supply house out of NYC. Their half-sheet size mats are VERY reasonable $13.20/ea. If you buy 5 or more, they're $11.90/ea!!!!

HTH,

~ Scott

Thanks for the tips!

i use parchment for my cookies. I like to reuse my parchment paper 2 'cause w/ my big family, u can nver have 2 many peanut buter chocolate chip cookies.

Thanks for all the info everyone. Unfortunately I don't think I have some of those stores near me that were mentioned, but I will check out Sam's and there is a supply store about 20 minutes away that carries all types of party supplies and I think catering/cooking things too. I will take a look there.

Looks like parchment paper is gonna be my new best friend - until I invest in the silpats!

Rolling out between parchment sheets is a great idea and much less messy (for me at least)