🔧 Fats

Crisco Substitute for Biscuits: Best Alternatives for Flaky, Tender Results

Discover the best Crisco substitutes for biscuits including butter, lard, and coconut oil. Learn proper techniques for creating flaky, tender biscuits.

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Quick Answer

The best Crisco substitutes for biscuits are cold butter (1:1 ratio) for flavor and flakiness, cold lard (1:1 ratio) for maximum flakiness, or cold coconut oil (1:1 ratio) for vegan options. Each creates different textures and flavors.

Best Substitutes

Cold Butter

1:1

Cold butter is an excellent substitute for Crisco in biscuits. It adds rich, buttery flavor and creates flaky, tender biscuits. Use very cold butter and work quickly to maintain flakiness.

Best for:

biscuitssconesshortcakesdumplings

Adds rich flavor while maintaining flakiness

Cold Lard

1:1

Cold lard creates the flakiest biscuits and has a neutral flavor. It's the traditional choice for biscuits and works excellently in most recipes.

Best for:

biscuitssconesshortcakesdumplings

Creates the flakiest biscuits with neutral flavor

Cold Coconut Oil

1:1

Cold coconut oil works well for vegan biscuits and creates tender, flaky results. It's solid at room temperature like Crisco and has a slight coconut flavor.

Best for:

vegan biscuitssconesshortcakesdumplings

Solid at room temperature, works well for vegan biscuits

Cold Vegetable Shortening

1:1

Cold vegetable shortening behaves almost identically to Crisco in biscuits. It creates flaky, tender biscuits with neutral flavor.

Best for:

biscuitssconesshortcakesdumplings

Most similar to Crisco in texture and behavior

Butter-Lard Combination

1:1 (half butter, half lard)

A combination of half cold butter and half cold lard gives you the best of both worlds - the flakiness of lard with the rich flavor of butter.

Best for:

biscuitssconesshortcakesdumplings

Combines the flakiness of lard with the flavor of butter

Cooking Tips

  • 💡Keep all ingredients cold - fat, flour, and liquid should be chilled
  • 💡Work quickly to prevent the fat from warming up and melting
  • 💡Cut fat into flour until pea-sized pieces form - don't overmix
  • 💡Add liquid gradually, just until dough comes together
  • 💡Don't overwork the dough - this develops gluten and makes biscuits tough
  • 💡For extra flakiness, fold the dough in thirds like a letter before cutting
  • 💡Use a light touch when handling the dough
  • 💡Cut biscuits with a sharp cutter - don't twist
  • 💡Place biscuits close together on the pan for softer sides
  • 💡Bake until golden brown on top

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best substitute for Crisco in biscuits?

Cold butter is the most popular substitute for Crisco in biscuits, followed by cold lard. Butter adds rich flavor and creates flaky, tender biscuits. Lard creates the flakiest biscuits with neutral flavor.

Can I use butter instead of Crisco in biscuits?

Yes, cold butter works excellently in biscuits. Use a 1:1 ratio and keep the butter very cold. Work quickly to maintain flakiness. The biscuits will have rich, buttery flavor.

How do I make flaky biscuits without Crisco?

Use cold lard or cold butter, work quickly, and don't overmix. Cut the fat into flour until pea-sized pieces form, add liquid gradually, and handle the dough gently. For extra flakiness, fold the dough in thirds before cutting.

Can I use coconut oil instead of Crisco in biscuits?

Yes, cold coconut oil works well in biscuits. Use a 1:1 ratio and keep the coconut oil cold. The biscuits will have a slight coconut flavor and be tender and flaky.

Why are my biscuits tough when I substitute butter for Crisco?

Tough biscuits usually result from overworking the dough or using warm butter. Keep the butter cold, work quickly, and don't overmix. The dough should just come together and be handled gently.

Summary

Discover the best Crisco substitutes for biscuits including butter, lard, and coconut oil. Learn proper techniques for creating flaky, tender biscuits every time.