Most helpful customer reviews

513 of 516 people found the following review helpful.
A must have for bakers
By Lisa M. Ide
I think I own one of almost every kitchen gadget known to man, and used to rely on parchment to bake cookies without worrying about sticking. I got a Silpat for my birthday and love it. I use it for cookies, just like the other reviewers mention, but find it is most useful for kneeding bread dough or rolling out sugar cookies or pie crusts. No more over or under-flouring my kneeding/rolling surface, because I can just peel off the dough if it gets stuck! Pie crusts transfer without cracking. My bread dough is amazing, because I never over-flour, which can ruin bread dough. Clean up is very fast. I store mine rolled up in an old paper towel tube in a drawer.

235 of 239 people found the following review helpful.
I can't cook without it now!
By Jr High Teacher
This thing is amazing. I can't believe it wasn't developed sooner. Cookies slide right off, frozen food doesn't stick, even cheese nachos can be made on this and slid right onto the serving plate. Yes, you read that correctly. I make nachos right on this and scoot them onto a plate when they come out of the oven.

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A few hints:

1) DON'T OIL IT. If you add oil then it will become sticky. Sounds odd, but I had a friend over and she oiled it and it now is sticky. The sticky stuff finally came off with some major scrubbing, but don't oil it.

2) I found that when using new silicone baking mats I like to "break them in" because they tend to outgas on first use. I bake them with nothing on them for about 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. I have never had problems with this, but you do it at your own risk.

3) Don't be scared to put the mat directly onto your oven racks. I find that I get the best results this way. You can use it on a pan if you feel more comfortable that way.

4) Be aware of the maximum temperature for your mat.

5) Buy at least two so you can make batches of cookies with it.

6) Don't forget that if you are cooking at 350 degrees, the mat will be 350 degrees, so DON'T grab it with your hands. I can sometimes pull aluminum foil liners directly out of the oven (my friends say I have "asbestos" hands) because of their low heat capacity, but I can't do it with these.

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My favorite use: Low fat chicken tenders (my own personal recipe).

Cut chicken breasts into strips about 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch by however long you want them.

Soak them (refrigerated) in low or nonfat milk for 1/2 hour with 1 clove of garlic, quartered for every two breasts. Make sure the milk covers the pieces.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Dredge the chicken pieces, leaving the garlic behind, in a mixture of bread crumbs, salt and pepper. If you want, use flavored bread crumbs. I also use a little chipotle powder or chile powder when I want them spicy.

Bake chicken on ungreased baking mat until done, usually about 20 minutes. About 5 minutes before they are done, flip them over, to dry the bottom side.

Do not move the chicken on the mat until just before they are done.

My wife loves these. They are not as crispy as fried ones, but they are much healthier.

119 of 120 people found the following review helpful.
You'll Love It!
By R. Ocampo
It really works, and works wonders.

USES:

* You can put anything on top of it for baking and nothing will stick. The first instinct is to bake cookies on them and you will be surprised how EVEN they will bake.

* I then tried frozen fish with dry rub condiments and it came out perfect. The skins don't stick and everything just slides off the mat. No oil added whatsoever.

* I frequently make croissants and notice that the bottom won't burn as fast as when done on a plain baking sheet.

* I also use the mat to handle sticky items like sugar for candy-making and dough. You won't need any flour to spread on the counter as this does the job just fine. You will wonder how you were able to bake without it for the longest time.

CLEANING:

* The best part is the clean up. You soak it in water and simply wipe off the food particles on the mat.

* For a thorough cleaning, just use mild soap and soft sponge.

* Stick it from the freezer to the oven and back to the freezer and it is perfectly OK. Nothing will crack or burst from the changing temperature - unlike glass pans.

* It is very flexible. Bend it, roll it, spread it out and use it for your rolling pin for the top and bottom.

CAUTION:

* Of course this isn't a magic device where food won't burn. It will just brown evenly the longer you keep it in the oven. Heat will simply be distributed on the mat.

* The product is made of silicone and fiberglass.

- Silicone is great, but it also does not mean it's indestructible. It can only be used within the temperatures from -40 degrees F to 482 degrees F.

- It has a lifespan of 2,000 to 3,000 times. As much as we want it to last, it will eventually wear out.

Fiberglass means that the product is finely weaved with glass. Therefore, it cannot be used as a cutting board. Yes, it's flexible but the glass weaves should be contained within the silicone.

DO NOT cut it into pieces. Buy the appropriate size for your needs. Once the glass particles are exposed, you will have to DISCARD it immediately as it will pose a health risk. I don't mean about breathing any harmful toxins, but those glass particles are sharp that if it goes into your food and on to your body...you get the picture.

That being said, enjoy the product and the wonder that it does. But use it with care. If used properly, it is worth every money spent.