Wax Paper Uses

21 Ways to Use Wax Paper in the Kitchen 

My favorite lemon bar recipe would be impossibly messy without squares of wax paper to slip between each bar so the thick, tart lemon curd of the bars don't stick to the bottom of the butter crust.

But there are eleventy million 21 other uses for wax paper, a kitchen supply I try to keep stocked at all times.

Bonus: a roll of wax paper is super cheap--about $1.59 the last time I checked. 

In comparison, my other favorite kitchen paper, parchment, costs between $3.49 to $4.99 a roll. 

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Ways to Use Wax Paper

You don't want to use wax paper for baking but you can use it for nearly everything else you would use parchment paper for and save a lot of money doing so.

A roll of wax paper is about $1.49 compared with $4.99 for parchment.

So, for any task you would normally grab parchment for, reach for a roll of wax paper instead. Unless that is, you're lining a sheet pan or cookie sheet to go in the oven for cookies.

Wax Paper Uses

1. rolling out pie crust to keep crust from sticking to counter or rolling pin
2. protect counter tops while decorating cookies or candy
3. line a cutting board or counter top before grating cheese or chopping chocolate to save on mess
4. prevent waste while measuring ingredients. Lay a piece of wax paper on counter before you measure flour, sugar or other ingredients. Pour back into container using wax paper.
5. wrap cheese
6. line a pan for fudge
7. line cookie tins or boxes for gift giving
8. use to keep beef patties or sausage patties from sticking together in freezer packaging
9. wrap sandwiches or cut veggies or cookies for bag lunches
10. cover a plate of food before microwaving to avoid splattering the inside of your microwave
11. line cabinets instead of contact paper
12. peel ears of corn on the cob, wrap each cob in wax paper and microwave for two minutes
13. press flowers between two pieces of wax paper and insert into a heavy book
14. are you a photographer? tape a piece of wax paper over a window to diffuse light or over your camera lens
15. wrap a small piece of wax paper around a wine cork before recorking the bottle to help ease removal 
16. polish your faucet with a scrunched up piece of wax paper
17. wipe your wooden utensils with a piece of wax paper to provide a bit of a seal
18. trace illustrations for cake decorating
19. line litter boxers (tip from a Reddit user, I've not tried this myself!)
20. plug drafty windows (another one I haven't tried)

More uses for wax paper around other parts of the house.

Frequently Asked Questions about Wax Paper

What will happen if I put wax paper in the oven?

Wax paper may melt if you put it in an oven. Wax paper may also catch fire if used in an oven.

Tell me how you use wax paper.