Can You Put Wax Paper In The Oven?

Key Takeaways

• Wax paper is a wonderful option for lining cake pans or baking dishes, wrapping foods, or keeping kitchen surfaces neat.
• However, wax paper can melt or ignite at temperatures as low as 200°F.
• For baking or roasting, stick with parchment paper, aluminum foil, silicone mats, or cooking spray.

Wax paper is a versatile kitchen staple, often used to wrap food or line countertops for uncomplicated cleanup. But when it comes to using wax paper in the oven, you might wonder if it’s secure. If you’re out of parchment paper, it might seem like a quick fix to line a cake pan or baking dish with wax paper, but should you? In this article, we’ll explore the do’s and don’ts of using wax paper for baking and cooking.

What Is Wax Paper?

Wax paper (or waxed paper) is a paper coated with a gaunt layer of wax, typically made from paraffin or soybean-based materials. This practice of coating paper with wax dates back through the 19th century, as a way to keep moisture and odors out of different food items.

It’s moisture-resistant and nonstick, and can be used to wrap food items for storage, or to cover surfaces during food prep to reduce mess. However, wax paper is not designed for high-heat applications like baking.

Common Uses For Wax Paper In The Kitchen

Wax paper has a variety of uses that makes it a helpful tool for a variety of kitchen tasks:

• Food prep: Provides a nonstick surface for preparing, dipping, or coating foods.
• Food storage: Wrap sandwiches, baked goods, or snacks to keep them fresh.
• Rolling dough: Prevents dough from sticking to surfaces.
• Lining pans and trays: Useful for lining pans during food prep, but not secure for baking.
• Microwaving: Can be used to cover food in the microwave to prevent splatters and retain moisture, provided it doesn’t touch the food or microwave sides.

Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Wax Paper vs. Parchment Paper

While wax paper and parchment paper may look similar, they have some key differences:

• Coating: Wax paper is coated with a gaunt layer of wax, while parchment paper is coated with a gaunt layer of silicone. Both are nonstick and moisture-resistant, but only parchment paper is secure for high-heat applications.
• Uses: Wax paper is suitable for wrapping food, lining surfaces, rolling doughs, or separating layers of food items during storage. It can also be used to cover foods in the microwave. Parchment paper is ideal for baking, lining pans, and cooking en papillote (in a pouch).
• Heat resistance: Wax paper cannot handle heat and may ignite at high temperatures, while parchment paper can withstand oven temperatures up to 450°F.

Risks Of Using Wax Paper In The Oven

Using wax paper in the oven is unsafe because of its low heat tolerance. The wax coating can melt or ignite at temperatures as low as 200°F. Wax paper can ignite in high temperatures, damaging the oven’s interior, or melt and leave a sticky residue on baking pans or food items.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Safe Alternatives For Oven Use

In the place of wax paper, parchment paper is an ideal option for oven exploit. The silicone coating on parchment paper makes it nonstick, moisture-resistant, and heat-resistant up to 450°F.

Silicone baking mats are another good option, being similarly nonstick, moisture-resistant, and heat-resistant up to 480°F.

Aluminum foil is heat resistant and can be used to line pans or cover dishes, but isn’t nonstick, and may not be secure for acidic food applications.

If you don’t have any other options on hand, you can also grease your pans to prevent sticking, though you’ll miss out on the uncomplicated cleanup that comes with parchment paper or these other items.

Can Wax Paper Be Used In The Microwave?

Wax paper is secure for exploit in the microwave thanks to the lower heat of microwaving. It works well as a cover to prevent splatters and retain moisture, but shouldn’t come into direct contact with food items or the sides of the microwave, as it can still melt and scorch.