Most people enjoy baking cookies and other goodies. If you enjoy baking cookies, but hate greasing the cookie sheet, you may benefit from a silicone baking sheet or mat. Most people consider them mats, because they go on top of the baking or cookie sheet though you can call them whichever you prefer.
Benefits
Greasing a cookie sheet can take extra time and extra supplies. You will usually use cooking spray or vegetable shortening to grease your sheets, and this can make a mess of your hands and countertops. Instead, you could consider a silicone baking mat that goes on top of the baking sheet. This provides a non-stick surface, and your cookies and other treats will not get too brown or stick to the sheet.
While you may get the same benefit from using wax or parchment paper, you can only use the parchment paper once while you can use a silicone baking mat over 100 times before it needs to be replaced.
Options
While there are many options for your baking mat, you should look for one that is temperature resistant. Almost every baking mat is temperature resistant to some point, so check to be sure. While most can be used up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, some are only resistant up to 300 degrees.
Mat sizes can vary and include toaster-oven size mats, along with a nine inch round ,along with half-sheet, full-sheet and extra large. Most people have a half-sheet baking sheet and will not require a larger size. However, if you bake professionally, you may have larger sheets.
Colors may also vary and can include hot pink, brown and black options, though there are new colored mats that are white or opaque on the inside and have bright colors on the outside. This is perfect if you are making multiple cookies or treats and want to distinguish between each batch.
You can also use your silicone baking mats as fondant rollers, so you can roll out your fondant without it sticking to the board. While most people prefer to have a granite counter top or cutting board, if you cannot afford granite, a silicone baking mat will work wonderfully.
Other options can include round baking mats for cakes, pies and anything else you don’t want to stick to the pan. There are also macaroon mats that offer circles the typical size of macaroons to make it easy to pipe out the dough.
