Cook's Illustrated

Wax vs. Parchment Paper

Published March 1, 2000.

Can I substitute wax paper for parchment paper?

In most cases, wax paper should not be substituted for parchment. This is because parchment can withstand oven temperatures up to about 425 degrees without burning, while wax paper will smoke when subjected directly to oven heat. So wax paper will do just fine for lining a cake pan bottom, but not as a lining on a cookie sheet. Wax paper will smoke even in a moderately hot oven.

America's Test Kitchen

America’s Test Kitchen is a 2,500-square-foot kitchen located just outside of Boston. It is the home of Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated magazines and is the workday destination for more than three dozen test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes until we understand how and why they work and arrive at the best version. We also test kitchen equipment and supermarket ingredients in search of brands that offer the best value and performance. You can watch us work by tuning in to America’s Test Kitchen (www.americastestkitchen.com) on public television.