Top 5 Substitutes for Shortening in Baking

If you love to bake, then you should be very familiar with the term shortening in baking and just how to use it on your pastries and baked goods. It’s the solid fat that’s necessary in both cooking and baking. Your favorite pies, for instance, won’t have its softness without the shortening. Instead, it will be too crispy to eat.

You see, once you start to bake, there is a gluten matrix formed in the dough which is what makes the baked goods chewy and sticky. Thus, you need to add the shortening in order to complete the pastry because it prevents the formation of gluten and makes your baked goods soft and crumbly.

Shortening is basically any fat from vegetable oils or even animal oils used to cook and bake. To turn it into solid fat from its original liquid form, hydrogen is added to the shortening. But what can you substitute for shortening in baking?

Lard

Lard is also the fat from pigs. It can come from any part of the pig. It is a common substitute for shortening because it’s known to be flavorful. People simply love it because it helps in making their baked products tastier.

However, it’s important to add in just the right amount of lard for it is also high in cholesterol as well as saturated fats. It can also change the taste of the baked goods, which is why it’s important to know just how much you need to use in order to get the best of it.

Butter

One of the most famous substitutes for shortening is butter, the ultimate dairy product for cooking and baking. You can even use it as a cooking oil or a sandwich spread. There are a ton of things you can easily do with butter.

And when used as a shortening in baking, you will only notice a small change in the texture of the baked good. This is because butter melts when taken out of the fridge, unlike solid fat shortenings. But for a lot of people, this fact makes butter the better option.

Margarine

Margarine is a lot like butter. It’s even referred to as an imitation butter by definition because it can also be used as a base for cooking your food, a spread for sandwiches, and of course, a shortening.

The main thing that differentiates margarine from butter is in its composition. Unlike butter, margarine is not a dairy product. It is made from salt, water, and vegetable oil. But it can be just as good and sometimes even better when used as a substitute for shortening.

Cooking Oil

Yep, cooking oil can also be an alternative for shortening. This is the fat from plants and animals we all use for cooking our meals. Cooking oil can even be a salad dressing too! There are also a variety of cooking oils to choose from.

Coconut Oil

Last but not least, coconut oil! This is the amazing product from the coconut palm that has an amazing array of uses. One of which is being a substitute for shortening. Just remember to choose the unrefined, organic kind. And the coconut oil can be just the ingredient you need for your best pastries.

These 5 alternatives to shortening in baking are everything you need. Try them anytime of the day! And if you have questions, don’t hesitate to turn to us at Coconut Recipes.

Originally published at coconutrecipes.org on January 19, 2018.