The First Thing to Do When You Open a New Roll of Parchment Paper (It’s Totally Brilliant!)

There’s nothing more dissatisfying than ripping off a piece of parchment paper from your roll, only for that sheet to end up with uneven jagged edges. Even if that box has a blade to make it easy to cut, that blade isn’t always the most reliable for even edges. Sure, cutting the paper with a pair of kitchen shears could help solve that problem. But shouldn’t there be a better solution to this problem that doesn’t make cutting a piece of parchment paper such a frustrating process? Thankfully, a genius trick shared on Instagram by @homebeginsiwthlove has solved this problem.

So how does this work? Most of the time the parchment paper roll is placed in the box with the paper distributed from the top, which apparently is the problem to begin with. Instead, after opening that box of parchment paper, you’ll want to flip over the roll in that box so the paper is coming from underneath the roll, not on top. When it’s time to cut off a sheet, pull some of the paper out of the box, then close the lid — this helps to seal the paper and sets you up for an even cut. Measure out as much paper as you need, then hold the box with one hand and the paper with the other as you cut the piece with that blade. And voilà! A perfect piece of parchment paper.

What if you have to cut your piece in a circle, though? While this trick is helpful for cutting the perfect square or rectangle shape for your pan, this doesn’t make it easier to cut the perfect circle for your cakes, muffins, and other baked goods. Don’t worry; the culinary experts of the world have figured this out for us. Julia Child’s parchment paper trick will help you cut that perfect round circle for your cake pans.

Don’t feel like dealing with the rolls at all? Here’s the best way to buy parchment paper without having to deal with cutting those uneven pieces.