Out of Crisco, one case
What is a substitute for Crisco?
6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Butter
1 cup + 2 tbsp for every cup of Crisco
A substitute for Crisco is any fat that can replace it in recipes. The best substitutes are butter (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons per cup) for flavor, lard (1:1 ratio) for flakiness, coconut oil (1:1 ratio) for vegan options, or vegetable shortening (1:1 ratio) for identical results.
- The tweak —
- Use room temperature butter for creaming methods. For pie crusts, use cold butter and work quickly.
- Best for —
- cookies
One casethe full Crisco card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 cup Crisco |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buttercookies | 1 cup + 2 tbsp |
| 2 | Lardpie crusts | Same amount |
| 3 | Coconut oilvegan baking | Same amount |
| 4 | Vegetable oilcakes | Same amount |
| 5 | Margarinecookies | 1 cup + 2 tbsp |
| 6 | Vegetable shorteningcookies | Same amount |
Butter
rich, buttery
Butter is the most popular substitute for Crisco. It's a dairy product that adds rich, buttery flavor and creates tender, moist baked goods. It's the go-to choice for most home bakers.
- Best for
- cookies, cakes, muffins, biscuits, pie crusts, brownies, frosting
- Texture
- tender, moist
- Prep
- Use room temperature butter for creaming methods. For pie crusts, use cold butter and work quickly.
Most popular substitute with rich, buttery flavor. Butter is about 80% fat and Crisco is 100%, so use 2 extra tablespoons per cup. Cookies spread and brown more.
Lard
neutral taste · very flaky, tender
Lard is rendered pork fat that creates the flakiest pastries. It has a neutral flavor and is traditional for pie crusts and biscuits. It's solid at room temperature like Crisco.
- Best for
- pie crusts, biscuits, pastries, cookies, cakes, frying
- Prep
- Use cold lard for pie crusts and pastries. For creaming methods, use room temperature lard.
Animal fat that creates the flakiest pastries.
Coconut oil
slight coconut flavor
Coconut oil is a plant-based oil that's solid at room temperature, making it good for vegan baking. It has a slight coconut flavor and creates tender baked goods.
- Best for
- vegan baking, cookies, cakes, muffins, pie crusts, brownies
- Texture
- tender, moist
- Prep
- Use room temperature coconut oil. If it's too hard, warm slightly to soften.
Plant-based oil that's solid at room temperature.
Vegetable oil
neutral taste · lighter, more tender
Vegetable oil is a liquid oil that creates lighter, more tender baked goods than Crisco. It has neutral flavor and is versatile for many recipes.
- Best for
- cakes, muffins, quick breads, brownies, waffles
- Prep
- Use vegetable oil directly in recipes. No melting or preparation needed.
Liquid oil that creates lighter, more tender baked goods. Only for recipes where the fat is melted or stirred in: not for pie crust, biscuits, cookies or frosting, which need a solid fat.
Margarine
slight buttery flavor
Margarine is a vegetable-oil spread that is about 80% fat, where Crisco is 100% fat. It has a slight buttery flavor and creates tender baked goods. Choose stick margarine for baking.
- Best for
- cookies, cakes, muffins, biscuits, frosting
- Texture
- tender, moist
- Prep
- Use room temperature stick margarine. Avoid tub varieties which have too much water.
Stick margarine is about 80% fat where Crisco is 100%, so use 2 extra tablespoons per cup.
Vegetable shortening
neutral taste · identical to Crisco
Vegetable shortening is a generic version of Crisco with identical properties. It has neutral flavor and works almost exactly the same in most recipes.
- Best for
- cookies, cakes, pie crusts, frosting, biscuits
- Prep
- Use exactly like Crisco - no adjustments needed.
Generic shortening with identical properties to Crisco.
How it behaves in this recipe
A substitute for Crisco is any fat that can replace it in recipes while providing similar functionality. The key is understanding what each substitute brings to your recipe and choosing the one that best fits your needs, dietary preferences, and desired results.
Tips for substituting Crisco
10 tips- A substitute is any ingredient that can replace another in a recipe
- Butter is the most popular substitute for Crisco
- Lard creates the flakiest pastries
- Coconut oil is good for vegan baking
- Vegetable oil creates lighter texture
- Margarine works well for similar results
- Vegetable shortening is the most direct substitute
- For creaming methods, use room temperature fat
- For pie crusts and pastries, use cold fat and work quickly
- Test your substitute in a small batch before making large quantities
Notes on Crisco
- For rich flavor, use butter
- For flakiness, use lard
- For vegan options, use coconut oil
- For lighter texture, use vegetable oil
- For similar results, use vegetable shortening
- For slight flavor, use margarine
Questions
4 questionsWhat is a substitute for Crisco?
A substitute for Crisco is any fat that can replace it in recipes. The best substitutes are butter for flavor, lard for flakiness, coconut oil for vegan options, or vegetable shortening for identical results. Each has different characteristics and works best in different recipes.
What is the best substitute for Crisco?
The best substitute for Crisco depends on your recipe. Butter is the most popular overall choice for its rich flavor, lard is best for flaky pastries, coconut oil is good for vegan options, and vegetable shortening provides the most similar results.
What is a good substitute for Crisco in pie crust?
A good substitute for Crisco in pie crust is lard for maximum flakiness, cold butter for flavor and flakiness, or coconut oil for vegan options. Each creates different textures and flavors, so choose based on your preferences.
What is a vegan substitute for Crisco?
A vegan substitute for Crisco is coconut oil for its solid texture and slight coconut flavor, vegan shortening for identical properties, or plant-based margarine for similar results. Each works well in vegan baking.