General Question

jlm11f's avatar

Do you grease the pan while baking cookies?

Asked by jlm11f (12416points) October 25th, 2008

I have seen it done both ways. Some people grease the cookie sheet, others don’t. What’s the difference? I mean, what difference does greasing make? Which option is better and why? Does it depend on how old the dough is?

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40 Answers

Les's avatar

Grease doesn’t allow cookies to ‘grip’ onto the sheet. If you grease a sheet pan for, lets say, chocolate chip cookies, they will flat and crispy. An ungreased sheet will produce taller, moist, squishy cookies.

AlfredaPrufrock's avatar

I’ve invested in baking mats that go on the cookie sheets, They are more than worth the money. I have never had a cookie burn or stick since I started using them. A really great invention!

SuperMouse's avatar

I have always covered the cookie sheets with aluminum foil. Would the “Mrs. Fields’ among us recommend this method?

asmonet's avatar

I don’t grease pans if I can get away with it, sometimes I know my wonderful delicious treats will fall apart if I don’t when I try to remove them from the pan.

But like Les said, soft squishy cookies, FTW.

Harp's avatar

I’m a big fan of siliconized baking parchment. It has the “grip” that Les is talking about, provides some heat protection to the cookie bottoms, and is cheap. Also great for lots of other uses, like lining pastry shells for blind baking.

Snoopy's avatar

I ditto Alfreda & Harp. Silpat is worth it….love ‘em!

Judi's avatar

There’s usually MORE than enough butter or oil in cookies to keep them from sticking!

richardhenry's avatar

richardhenry instantly wants cookies now

asmonet's avatar

asmonet is constantly baking cookies. have some of her delicious virtual treats there, richard.

Judi's avatar

There’s no calories in virtual are there?

shrubbery's avatar

omg. they look like the best cookies ever. me hungryyy

fabulous's avatar

I always use greace proof paper it seem’s to work best for me.

throw one my direction when there cooked I won’t tell anyone

asmonet's avatar

@judi: I wouldn’t do that to you.

@richardhenry: you have no idea. im awesome at using an oven.

susanc's avatar

@les: really? I hate puffy cookies. I like flat crispy cookies. Thank you. I’ll never grease again.
@alfreda/harp: your experience with silpat? Puffy or thin?

AlfredaPrufrock's avatar

@susanc, I never get puffy cookies cookies by accident. Nor do I get cookies that spread too thin. I tend to get what I put down. I think that’s because the heat is even.

augustlan's avatar

I just do whatever the recipe says…I think it may vary from type to type.

@susanc: Re-read Les’ answer…I think you do need to grease the pan for flat/crispy.

greylady's avatar

I’m with augustinian. For a new recipe, I do what the recipe says to do with the cookie sheet. If I don’t like what happens, I change methods. Lightly greased for flat and crispy, no grease for thick and chewy.

deaddolly's avatar

i’m a pam spray person. always.

i like em barely baked…and want some now too!!!!

cdwccrn's avatar

not unless instructions call for it.

richardhenry's avatar

I enjoy both the big crumbly cookies with chocolate chips and the flat crispy cookies equally. The ‘gluey’ cookies are also pretty enjoyable with pecan or walnut. Oh god, cookies are amazing.

breedmitch's avatar

AlfredaPrulock, Harp and Snoopy: They now make tiny, little silpats that fit in your toaster oven. So cute!

poofandmook's avatar

I swear the next person who posts a thread about cookies while I’m not in a position to eat one… and I might cry.

jlm11f's avatar

Thank you to everyone for your answers!!! I will have to keep an eye out for the siliconized baking sheets. As for those who are now hungry for cookies, I will happily eat another one just for you :)

cak's avatar

feeling the need to bake cookies!

Silpat and parchment paper! Never grease!!!

Snoopy's avatar

@breedmitch Baby silpats? awwwwww! cute!

stratman37's avatar

maybe I just have a dirty mind today, but this question sounded like a euphemism for foreplay!

ezraglenn's avatar

I grease the pan beforehand, actually.

Flat and crispy all the way.
I’m actually starting a cookie selling business at my college, so this thread is surprisingly relevant.

susanc's avatar

OH GOD I reversed the instructions, made 1,000,000 chocochip cookies (with fancy pecans) on ungreased cookie sheets, and they are all PUFFY. O god.

Judi's avatar

I like puffy!

cooksalot's avatar

Depends on how much butter or shortening a recipe contains.

kruger_d's avatar

I also like parchment—with a little practice you can slide the whole sheet full of cookies onto the cooling rack.

greylady's avatar

susanc, they sound just perfect package up and sell. Then use the profits to start over.

ezraglenn's avatar

@susanc- actually? A million?

richardhenry's avatar

One million cookies could get you quite a bit of cash. I will buy them all

jlm11f's avatar

i agree. sellll them. i want in

much2smile4's avatar

Use waxed baking paper.

breedmitch's avatar

@much: mmm. wax.

JeffVader's avatar

I grease the baking tray…. I’ve never baked cookies on paper before.

noname50's avatar

I used to always use wax paper. I also used the butter wrappers to butter the bottom of pan. Cookies generally don’t stick either way.

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