Odd idea, I know. A few years ago I bought some silicon baking mats, and they were everywhere. I bought mine at Walmart. Now I want a new one, and they’re harder to find. I found them on Amazon, but none at Walmart or Kohls. Is it just my area, or have they become less popular?
Silicone, actually, just in case someone decides to search for this five years from now. It also may have affected your ability to find them at Walmart.
Just a silly WAG, but since the things seem to last forever, the good folks at Silpat have given up as they’ve already sold one to every possible person who’d want one. I’ve got two that are at least ten years old and they’re as good as ever.
In reality, they’re sold at lots of places - Amazon, Bed Bath and Beyond, Macys and Target sell Silpat-branded mats, and there are plenty of knockoffs.
It’s funny you asked that. I just opened a cabinet I literally don’t think I’ve opened since my divorce. I was making some cookies and needed a baking sheet. Low and behold my ex left me her Silpats (and a few knock of brands and a muffin pan made out of silicone)…the ones she HAD to have and only used a handful of times.
I’m not totally sure why she stopped using them. I think she just found it easier to cook right on the cookie sheet and/or use parchment paper. I also think she got her recipe perfect to the point where the cookies didn’t really stick to the pan anyways.
I think it’s because parchment paper has become more popular. It works just as well, and you don’t have to clean it, just toss it away. I own a silicone baking mat, but I haven’t used it in forever because parchment paper is just more convenient and now that more people use it, I can find it for $2 a roll.
Funny, I feel just the opposite. I bought my silpats (and the knock offs) because I was so sick of using parchment paper- I always cut it to the wrong size, I was always running out and forgetting to buy more, had to cut each time I wanted some etc.
I bought my knock off silpats at Costco. They always have them this time of year- haven’t look ed yet, though.
I work for a Bakery/Cafe…
We currently use 18"x26" silicone baking sheets. They are the same thickness as parchment but a bit more flexible/pliant/crease resistant. They run about 1/2 cent a piece.
(How do you make a cents sign in FF?)
tsfr
I love my silpats, I have trimmed one to the precise size of each of my baking trays and they get washed and returned to the tray for storage. My only issue with them originally was storing them rolled up and fiddling with them to prepare trays when I was already in the middle of something.
I think the major falloff is just the fact that they do last forever. I haven’t replaced any yet and I have a variety of manufacturers due to the different sizes I was looking for. My silicone bread pan is also the baking container that sees the most use. I haven’t replaced all of mine but it’s more due to the rarity of use than anything else. I am still considering silicone cupcake liners.
Hold ALT, type 0162
2¢
I’ve never used them - are they worth it? I don’t ever have issues with my cookies burning or sticking to my cookie sheets.
Saves me a ton of time on cleanup. I don’t burn cookies, but I also use them when I’m baking chicken pieces, roasting vegetables, melting cheese on crackers, making nachos and I put a silicone lined pan either directly under or on the rack below anything that I’m concerned might boil over in the oven (apple pie I’m looking at you!)
Clean up consists of a 2 second wipe with a cloth or in the case of garlic roasted vegetables a few seconds in a sink of soapy water. I dry them off and put them back on the pans for storage. 90% of the time I don’t even need to wipe off the pan itself. Warning on this though - if the mat is too small it’s useless for keeping the pan clean and if it’s too large and hangs over it will scorch. Proper sizing is key.
I think Aldi just had these a couple weeks ago as one of their special items. They might still have some.