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You’ll find mounds of silicone baking mats in restaurant kitchens and bakeries. Whether neatly stacked, rolled on a shelf, or haphazardly stuffed into a cambro container, any professional pastry chef will agree that a baking mat is an essential baking tool. With years of personal bakery experience, I can attest to the many baking and cooking tasks I simply could not imagine doing without a quality silicone baking mat.
I love to use silicone baking mats instead of parchment paper for my baking projects. Not only are reusable silicone mats more environmentally friendly and cost-effective, but they also transform any pan into a nonstick baking surface, which makes cleanup easy. Silicone baking mats improve the textural consistency of baked goods by evenly distributing heat throughout the pan’s surface, whether you’re using a baking dish or a cookie sheet. Plus, they can be used to roll out pie dough, line a tray of frozen desserts, and create a nonstick surface for chocolate truffles.
To find the best silicone baking mats, I pulled from my personal baking experience and also got expert insights from my fellow pastry chef pals.
Silpats are easy to use and clean, will not retain any odor or residue, and can be used for any baking (or cooking) project.
After years of steady use, the edges of Silpats can begin to fray and mats will likely stain or yellow.
After asking several pastry chefs and friends for their insights, we all agreed on the reliable Silpat as the best all-around silicone baking mat. Because the Silpat brand is what you’ll commonly find in restaurant kitchens and bakeries, those of us with professional experience have spent ample time baking a variety of goods on them. They’re made with a durable blend of fiberglass-reinforced, food-grade silicone to distribute heat across a baking surface for even results. Silpats are very easy to clean by hand, but they can also be tossed into the dishwasher.
Jenna Fuchser, pastry chef and owner of Baked on Rose, mentioned that she particularly loves using silpats when she makes granola, vouching for their ability to withstand high heat as well as their low-maintenance cleanup. When making granola, or other sticky, gooey, or stubborn baked goods, it’s easy to lift the Silpat off the baking sheet and peel it from beneath your sweet creation.
Price at time of publish: $25
These no-fray baking mats can be cut into any size and can be rolled for easy storage.
These mats are not reinforced with fiberglass, so heat distribution can be uneven.
These super flexible baking mats are thin, stretchy, and made from pharmaceutical-grade silicone. They come in a bunch of fun colors and can be rolled up for compact kitchen drawer storage. Unlike other options in this list, these mats are not reinforced with fiberglass or woven, making their heat distribution just slightly uneven.
I’ve used my GIR mats for everything from baking cookies to cake lining to dough rolling. These mats are ideal for more challenging baking projects like jelly roll cakes, where their flexibility, durability, and easy-release shine. The best thing about these mats is that they can be cut to fit any size pan. I have trimmed a few into 8-inch rounds for layer cakes, 9- by 11-inch sections for casseroles, and 8- by 8-inch squares for brownies. I’ve found the DIY shapes hold up just as well as the uncut originals.
Price at time of publish: $9
This multi-tasking tool is marked with a circular template that serves as a guide, plus incremental measurements along its sides for accurate slicing and portioning.
Although this mat is bound to last a lifetime, it is a pricier option. It also is not dishwasher-friendly.
Though the brand may be better known for its quality cookware, don’t sleep on de Buyer’s bakeware. This silicone and fiberglass mat has a unique honeycomb structure that prevents tears and increases flexibility, plus it has an anti-skid bottom for added stability.
This mat is ideal for more precise baking tasks like pastry rolling thanks to its circular template that serves as a guide for pies and quiches, plus incremental measurements along its sides for accurate dough slicing and portioning. It will not slip or slide as you knead, plus, due to its larger size, it provides a generous prep space.
Price at time of publish: $65
This all-inclusive set has a mat for every baking pan in your kitchen.
May not last as other options in this list when it comes to staining.
After leaving the fast-paced, big-batch world of bakeries, I thought I would need just a singular baking mat; but truthfully, having multiple ready at my disposal can be a true savior in the home kitchen — especially when I’m working on multi-step processes or multi-dish meals. If you also find yourself sighing when your single baking mat is in use, it’s worth investing in a set.
If you’re baking multiple sheet trays of cookies at once or are seeking out a pre-cut circular mat for a cake pan, this six-piece set has a perfectly sized mat for every essential baking vessel. BPA-free, dishwasher-ready, and safe for use in the freezer, fridge, oven, and microwave, these baking mats can perform practically any kitchen task, from portioning biscuits to roasting veggies to proofing bread. The set of six can be rolled together for compact storage or laid flat beneath or between pans without taking up extra storage space.
Price at time of publish: $20
The Exopat provides exceptionally even heat distribution for consistent results. It can also withstand the highest oven temperature of any pick on our list.
Although these mats are dishwasher-safe, we find that hand washing is necessary for tougher grease stains.
Melissa McGaughey Yanc, pastry expert and co-owner of Quail & Condor and Troubador Bread, says baking with a silicone mat is a must. While she loves any silicone mat, she especially loves the Matfer Bourgeat Exopat. The Exopat is constructed with high-quality silicone and knitted fiberglass. When baking, proofing, or chilling rolled pastries, heat must be distributed evenly around and below each pastry. The Exopat excels in providing consistent temperature distribution throughout its surface for a uniform set of pastries without burnt bottoms, soggy bottoms, or wonky shapes.
Since this baking mat is entirely nonstick, removing delicate or flaky pastries without damaging them is a piece of cake. The Exopat can withstand the highest temperature of any pick on this list, ranging between -40 and 580° F so you can chill, freeze, and bake sweets all on the same sheet tray.
Price at the time of publish: $30
This mat has a handy template so your cookies never melt into each other or lose their shape.
If you do not place the correct amount of dough in each circle, the guide can be useless.
For cookie baking, nonstick surfaces are especially important. Lacy cookies need to be removed from a hot pan quickly, while drop or icebox cookies can stick to parchment if left to cool on the pan. Similarly to baking pastries, even heat distribution both throughout and beneath the dough makes a huge difference in the outcome of baked cookies. Lining your tray with this mat will ensure that your cookie reaches its intended consistency.
I love this fiberglass mesh and the highest-grade silicone option, particularly for piping cookies or spreading meringues. When working with smooth dough and piping out tops for thumbprint cookies or other circular creations, I’ve found that this guide is beyond helpful for a batch of unvaried treats. As someone who makes cookies of all kinds consistently, this Silpat is one of my favorite baking tools in my kitchen.
Price at time of publish: $30
High-heat resistance and easy cleaning make this silicone mat ideal for effortless loaves.
The larger diameter of this mat’s base can be too large for certain Dutch ovens.
Known as a bread sling, this silicone mat is designed to carry proofed dough into a Dutch oven, create a nonstick surface while baking, and aid in easy retrieval once your loaf is finished. Its long handles prevent singed fingertips, plus interior temperature regulation keeps the bottom of your boules from burning. This bread slip also has helpful side tabs for easy lifting (you’ll just want to be sure to grab these tabs with a good pair of oven-safe mitts).
This mat is oven safe up to 500° F, which means you can bake at high temperatures for ideal internal consistency and a crispy crust. This baking mat works especially well for baking bread in a Dutch oven, but it can also be used to line a pizza stone or a pie dish.
Price at time of publish: $20
This mat’s large size and helpful guides make it a precise, mess-free station for rolling out any kind of dough.
Due to its large size, this mat can be a bit cumbersome to wash.
At more than two feet across, this extra-large pastry mat creates an easy-to-clean template for rolling out pie dough, hand-lamination projects, sugar cookies, and the like. Its nonstick finish minimizes the need to continuously flour your surface, and its robust silicone construction keeps it from slipping and sliding along your countertop as you roll.
What makes this mat a true gem, however, is the bevy of information printed on it. In past bakeries, we used a metal ruler to ensure uniformity when rolling out pie rounds or hand pies, constantly checking the measurements of the diameter at multiple angles. With this oven-safe mat, a series of concentric circles (with both centimeter and inch markers!) provides a size and shape guide for your dough. There is also a list of conversions and tips on the right side, plus a classic pie dough recipe on the left, so you’ll never need to get flour all over your phone again.
Price at time of publish: $25
All of the mats included in this list are crafted with food-grade silicone. Inherently nonstick, durable for long-term usage, heat-resistant, and malleable, silicone makes for a fantastic surface beneath frozen, chilled, rolled, baked, or roasted goods. Some of the mats listed above incorporate striated, woven, or knitted fiberglass into their silicone base which helps to evenly disperse heat throughout the mat, essentially capturing hot spots and diffusing them across the entire surface area.
Silicone baking mats are a mainstay in professional kitchens. They cut down on waste and cost over time and are far more versatile than traditional parchment. Although primarily designed to sit on sheet trays and baking pans below cookies, cakes, and other treats, baking mats have a variety of uses. Depending on their size and shape, these mats can fit in a multitude of pans for baking, cooking, rolling, cooling, and more.
Pro tip: Use silicone baking mats for cooking savory food by sticking them under roasting veggies, in a pan under poultry to help catch the drippings, and more.
Silicone has a low thermal conductivity and good thermal stability, meaning it transfers heat more slowly than other materials and holds up to continued heat (or cold) over time without breaking, melting, or ripping. When buying a silicone mat, you’ll want to pay close attention to its temperature limits to make sure that it is well suited to your uses. While most of the mats listed above can handle temperatures up to 500° F, if you plan on bread baking or cooking at high heat, pay extra attention to the upper degree limit on the label.
Nonstick silicone mats are generally easy to clean. While most can be popped in the dishwasher, it’s usually best to hand-wash them in warm, soapy water to increase their longevity. They can then be hung dry or wiped down with a cloth. It’s essential to keep in mind that most silicone mats will stain over time. That’s expected with repeated use. If staining does bother you aesthetically, you’ll want to purchase a mat with a darker base color.
There are plenty of reasons to invest in silicone baking mats for your home kitchen. “Silicone baking mats are very eco-friendly, which makes them especially helpful to use at home. They also don’t crease or crinkle in the oven,” says Bruce.
Unlike parchment, which may curl up in the corners or pucker as it moistens beneath the batter, a silicone mat will retain its flat, nonstick surface. Beyond being a more sustainable option, Bruce also loves their time-saving capabilities: “Because you don’t have to measure and cut paper, you wind up having a lot more time for portioning out the dough and getting things into the oven.”
Silicone baking mats can be used for a wide variety of culinary purposes. While they work well to line a drip pan, roll a jelly roll cake, or serve as a non-stick surface below chilling chocolates, Bruce says she uses them most often for batches of cookies or granola. “I’d also use a silicone baking mat underneath a cake round. They won’t crinkle into the bottom cake or affect the overall texture, plus if you have your oven fan on, you don’t have to worry about the mats flying around or sticking to the sides or tops of the batter,” she says.
While most silicone baking mats are dishwasher-safe, both Bruce and I prefer to hand-wash ours. “I prefer hand-washing because it makes sure there’s no leftover grease or unwashed creases or corners,” she says. The easiest and most effective method of washing silicone baking mats, as mentioned above, is with a sponge in warm soapy water.
Yes. Like all of the options we’ve included in our list, you’ll want to make sure your baking mat is crafted from food-grade, BPA-free silicone that’s intended for culinary use.
Stella is a former Pastry Chef turned food writer with years of experience testing and researching all things food. Invested in discovering fun, new flavors, and the tools that help to make them, you can find her work in EdibleLA, Apartment Therapy, and the Kitchn. In addition to her own experience with silicone baking mats, she also consulted Jenna Fuchser Pastry Chef and owner of Baked on Rose; Melissa McGaughey Yanc, Pastry Chef and co-owner of Quail & Condor and Troubador Bread; and Jessie Bruce, Pastry Chef who has worked at some of the most renowned bakeries in California including Tartine and Gjusta, for their expert recommendations.
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