These clever baking paper life-hacks will change your life for the better

Baking parchment comes in handy when you're whipping up a cake or a pie, but otherwise it stays in the cupboard.

However, there are some very surprising uses for your tubes of parchment that prove that the kitchen staple isn't just for lining cake tins, according to the Daily Mail.

From becoming a makeshift pan lid to being a fail-safe way of decorating a homemade cake, these are the alternative - and very clever - ways you can use leftover pieces of parchment.

And the hacks by Good Housekeeping Institute could mean that this simple kitchen item becomes one of your cupboard essentials, even if you're not a keen baker.

1. MAKESHIFT PAN LID

If you can't find the right lid to fit your saucepan, grab your baking parchment, say the experts at Good Housekeeping Institute.

Just cut out a circle that will fit inside the lid, and snip a hole in the centre so the steam can escape.

2. CAKE DECORATING HACK

Piping a message onto a cake can be nerve-wracking. One wrong move and the whole bake is ruined.

But there's an easier way to wish your loved one well in icing form.

Simply fill a piping bag with melted chocolate and pipe your chosen message onto a sheet of baking parchment.

Put it in the freezer for 30 minutes, and you'll have solid chocolate letters or numbers to decorate your cake with.

3. KEEP PIZZA CRISPY

Leftover pizza is delicious but it can often go soggy if you reheat it in the microwave.

Try microwaving it on a sheet of baking parchment next time, as it will help keep the bottom of the slice nice and crispy.

 
Photo / Getty

4. SEPARATE FOOD IN FREEZER

If you've ever just bunged a whole packet of meat, fish or anything else in the freezer, then you'll know it can turn into a large frozen clump.

But you can use baking parchment to stop food from sticking to each other by cutting pieces into dividers.

The sheets will stop the food from sticking together.

5. MAKESHIFT CUPCAKE CASES

Everyone has been there: you start baking but realise halfway through that you're missing a crucial item.

If that missing thing is cupcake cases though, you can use baking parchment instead.

Just lightly grease the cupcake tin, cut pieces of parchment into five-inch squares and line the tins, pressing hard against the sides. Then, fill with mixture.

 
Photo / Getty

6. PROTECT YOUR GRILL

Making toasties on the grill is an easy - and delicious - way to whip up a quick lunch. But they can make your appliance quite messy.

Make your clean-up job easier by lining the grill with your heat-proof baking parchment as it can withstand high temperatures.

7. JAR SPICES EASILY

If you're transferring the contents of a spice jar to another bottle, or any other finely ground ingredient for that matter, then baking parchment can come in useful.

Create a funnel out of the parchment to pour the contents of a jar into another pot without any spillages.

8. MAKE DINNER

Baking parchment can be your ticket to a speedy but delicious dinner that you can get on the plate in just 20 minutes.

Simply place your favourite vegetables, carbohydrates such as par-boiled potatoes or cous cous, and a seasoned protein like chicken or fish into the centre of a sheet of baking parchment. Then seal, and bake.

After 20 minutes, you'll have a perfectly cooked meal with minimum effort.

9. LINE DRAWERS

The inside of your drawers can get really dirty very quickly.

An easy way to keep them clean without having to scrub them down every time is to line your drawers and cupboards with sheets of parchment.

Keep them in place with sticky tape, and all you have to do when they need cleaning is replace the sheets.

This article was first published on Daily Mail and is republished here with permission.