Parchment Paper Liners Allow Muffins To Rise To The Occasion

You're craving a tender, streusel-topped blueberry muffin but you've run out of liners. Luckily, you can make your own with parchment paper and a little know-how. Better yet, homemade liners that have a taller circumference than shop-bought varieties are a blessing in disguise because they maximize the rising capability of muffin batter, resulting in loftier baked goods.

Standard sized muffin tin liners have their benefits; they're extremely convenient because they're ready to use, protect the non-stick finish on your pan, and can be discarded easily. However, they can also hamper muffin batter from rising to its maximum potential if it contains a high ratio of leavening agents or you've accidentally overfilled your cases. Parchment paper liners with taller sides are a great insurance policy because they fully enclose the batter, preventing it from spilling out as it rises and sticking to the tin. The paper provides more support for the muffin mixture to continue soaring upwards instead of spreading out messily onto the sides.

If you intentionally bake your muffins at a higher temperature to encourage a lofty rise, before reducing the heat to medium to elicit a fluffy, softer-crumbed interior, then using parchment liners is a game changer. The paper provides plenty of protective scaffolding for that explosive high-rise to reach its full potential, creating baked goods that have a dreamy interior but still feature that attractive domed top.

All you need to make your own muffin liners at home is a few squares of parchment paper and a glass or small vessel that fits inside the base of your muffin tray. Turn the glass upside down and place the parchment square on the base before guiding and pressing the paper down its exterior. Then make a few vertical folds in the parchment to create small pleats around its circumference so the paper takes on the shape of the container. Finally, place the paper liners in your muffin tray and fill them with batter. You should find it easier to fill the liners neatly because the high sides will harbor any batter splotches and toppings, like Demerara sugar or buttery streusel that provide caramelization and crunch. 

Tall, tulip-shaped parchment paper liners can be discarded after use just like regular muffin pan liners, making them equally as convenient once the baking process is complete. Though it may take more time to make them, it's worth the extra effort to encourage a higher rise and produce elegant baked goods that look bakery-worthy once cooled. They also make beautiful, boujee gifts — firstly because of the attractive peaked design of the paper, and secondly because they can be transported without making a mess if they've been topped with a luscious dollop of buttercream frosting.