Guides
Butter paper alternatives
The right substitute depends on the job. For a hot oven, only a heat-rated sheet or a greased tray will do. For wrapping and storage, you have more choices.
01 / The job first
Start with the job
Butter paper does three jobs: release off a hot tray, a light food wrap, and a separating sheet between layers. A substitute fits one job, rarely all three.
Our silicone-coated butter paper is rated to 230 °C. Hold any substitute to the same test before you put the substitute in an oven.
02 / At a glance
Alternatives at a glance
| Aluminium foil | Takes oven heat. No release coating, so grease the foil for bakes. Sparks in a microwave. |
|---|---|
| Cling film | A plastic film for covering and storing food. Not a baking sheet. Follow the heat guidance on the box. |
| Wax paper | Moisture-proof wrap for cold food. Smokes in an oven. Keep wax paper out of the oven. |
| Greased tray | Oil or ghee with a dusting of flour. Works for many bakes, with more cleaning after. |
| OGR paper | A grease barrier for oily food wraps. We publish no oven rating for OGR. |
| Newspaper | Never against food. FSSAI has directed food businesses to stop using newspaper for food. |
03 / Foil
Butter paper vs aluminium foil
Foil is metal, so foil takes oven heat. Plain foil has no release coating, though. Grease the foil before a bake, or the bake sticks.
Foil sparks in a microwave, since the microwaves induce currents in the metal. Keep foil out of the microwave unless the pack says otherwise.
For lining a cake tin or a cookie tray, silicone-coated butter paper gives clean release with no greasing.
04 / Cling film
Butter paper vs cling film
Cling film is a thin plastic film made to cover and seal food for storage. Cling film is not a baking sheet.
Use cling film to cover a bowl in the fridge. Use butter paper to line a tray, wrap a roti or separate layers.
05 / Wax paper
Butter paper vs wax paper
Wax paper carries a coat of paraffin or beeswax, which makes the sheet moisture-proof. The wax smokes in an oven.
Keep wax paper for wrapping sandwiches and cold food. For heat, use silicone-coated butter paper.
06 / No paper
Greasing the tray
Rub the tray with oil or ghee and dust with flour. Most bakes release from a greased tray, and you use no paper at all.
The cost is time. A greased tray needs scrubbing after every batch, and a bakery running many trays loses the time every day.
07 / Oily food
When OGR is the better substitute
For fried and oily food, OGR beats butter paper. OGR holds a barrier where a plain sheet darkens through.
We publish no oven rating for OGR, so keep OGR for wrapping and serving, not baking.
08 / Never
Newspaper is never a substitute
Printed newspaper is not a food paper. In June 2026, the Western Region of FSSAI directed food business operators to stop using newspapers for packing or serving food, and to use approved food-grade packaging.
Keep a roll of food-grade paper in the kitchen so nobody reaches for newspaper.
Questions
Before you specify
What do I use instead of butter paper for baking?
A greased and floured tray, or foil greased before the bake. For clean release with no greasing, use silicone-coated butter paper.
Is foil better than butter paper?
For oven heat, both work. Foil needs greasing for release and sparks in a microwave. Butter paper releases cleanly with no greasing.
Does wax paper replace butter paper?
For cold wrapping, yes. In an oven, no. Wax paper smokes under oven heat.