A silicone baking mat is taking the place of parchment paper everywhere. The Silpat (www.silpat.com) is a French designed, non-stick baking mat perfect for making cookies or even taffy and caramels. Baking cookies is typically followed by a great deal of dishwashing, but with the Silpat, you need only wash the mat, as it fits right inside your cookie sheets, so all you need to do, when the baking is done, is peel it away. But the greatest feature is its non-stick nature, making cookie removal a breeze and forget about greasing your cookie sheet beforehand, there’s no need with it. The Silpat is sold at a very reasonable price, most kitchen stores sell it for $19.99, which is a great deal, considering how much money you will be saving on parchment paper.

I decided I couldn’t talk about how great the Silpat is without sharing some cookie recipes, so here are a couple great cookie recipes that are family favorites and always a hit with friends.

Mom’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together. Add shortening and dark brown sugar and combine. Add eggs, baking soda, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract. Mix until all ingredient are incorporated. Add the flour one cup at a time, mixing in between additions. When dough is combined, add the chocolate chips and mix well. Set dough aside in the fridge until the oven has preheated to 375°. Line 2 cookies sheets with Silpat baking mats and using a scoop (I use the Pampered Chef scoop that holds about 1 1/2 tablespoons) evenly distribute scoops of dough onto the Silpat (pictured below). Place the first cookie sheet on the bottom rack and bake until the bottom edges of the cookies are beginning to brown (pictured below), about 5-6 minutes. Move to top rack and put second sheet on the bottom rack. Leave cookies on the top rack just until the tops begin to brown. Remove and very quickly with both thumbs and index fingers pinch the cookies in slightly (pictured below). The cookies will be very hot, so you have to do this very quickly so that you don’t burn yourself and, trust me, this will take practice, but it is well worth it. This will keep the inside of the cookies tender and moist. Allow cookies to cool slightly on the cookie sheet and transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy with a nice cold glass of milk.

Nani’s Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup raisins, pre-soaked in warm water

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugars. Add the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and flour. Mix well. Add the quick cooking oats one cup at a time and then add the raisins. Using a scoop for uniform cookie size, evenly distribute dough scoops onto Silpat-lined cookie sheet. Gently pat each dough ball, before placing cookie sheet in the oven. Bake on the bottom rack until bottoms begin to lightly brown, about 6 minutes, and transfer to the top rack until tops begin to brown, about 6-7 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack, cool and enjoy. If substituting with craisins, there is no need to pre-soak them.

Nani’s Gingersnap Cookies

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar, plus more for rolling
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream the butter and sugar and then incorporate the shortening. Add the eggs and molasses. Blend in the spices and baking powder. Add the flour, one cup at a time. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheet lined with Silpat and bake for 15-18 minutes, starting on bottom rack until bottoms set and transferring to top. Transfer to wire rack to cool and enjoy.