🥧 Baking

Shortening Substitute for Pie Crust: for Flaky Pastry

Discover the best shortening substitutes for pie crust including lard, butter, and other alternatives. Learn techniques for creating flaky, tender pie crusts without shortening.

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Quick Answer

The best shortening substitutes for pie crust are lard (1:1 ratio) for the flakiest crust, cold butter (1:1 ratio) for flavor and flakiness, or a combination of both. Lard creates the most traditional flaky texture.

Best Substitutes

Lard

1:1

Lard is the gold standard for pie crusts, creating the flakiest, most tender results. It has a higher melting point than butter, creating better flaky layers and superior texture.

Best for:

all pie crustsquichespot piestraditional recipessavory pies

Creates the flakiest, most tender pie crusts with traditional texture

Cold Butter

1:1

Cold butter creates flaky pie crusts with rich, buttery flavor. It has a lower melting point than lard, so it's important to keep it very cold and work quickly.

Best for:

sweet piesdessert crustswhen you want buttery flavor

Adds rich flavor while creating flaky layers

Half Butter, Half Lard

1:1 (1/2 butter + 1/2 lard)

This combination gives you the flakiness of lard with the flavor of butter. It's often considered the best of both worlds for pie crusts.

Best for:

all pie typesbalanced flavor and textureprofessional results

Combines flakiness of lard with flavor of butter

Coconut Oil

1:1

Coconut oil works well for vegan pie crusts and creates tender results. It's solid at room temperature and has a subtle coconut flavor that works well in many pie recipes.

Best for:

vegan piestropical-flavored pieswhen avoiding animal products

Solid at room temperature, good for vegan pie crusts

Vegetable Shortening Alternative

1:1

Palm shortening or other solid vegetable fats can replace traditional shortening. They provide similar texture and neutral flavor for pie crusts.

Best for:

when you need neutral flavorvegan bakingtraditional texture

Use palm shortening or other solid vegetable fats

Cooking Tips

  • 💡Keep all ingredients cold - refrigerate flour, use ice water, and work quickly
  • 💡Don't overwork the dough - stop mixing when it just comes together
  • 💡Use a pastry cutter or food processor to cut fat into flour
  • 💡Add ice water gradually, just until the dough holds together
  • 💡Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling
  • 💡Roll from center outward, turning the dough frequently
  • 💡Don't stretch the dough when placing in pie pan
  • 💡Blind bake the crust for custard pies to prevent sogginess

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I substitute butter for shortening in pie crust?

Yes, butter can be substituted for shortening in pie crust using a 1:1 ratio. Use very cold butter and work quickly for best results. The crust will be flaky but may be slightly less tender than with shortening.

What's the best shortening substitute for flaky pie crust?

Lard creates the flakiest pie crusts as a shortening substitute. It has a higher melting point than butter, creating better flaky layers and more tender texture.

Why does my pie crust turn out tough?

Tough pie crusts are usually caused by overworking the dough or using warm ingredients. Keep everything cold, work quickly, and stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together.

Can I use coconut oil instead of shortening in pie crust?

Yes, coconut oil works well as a shortening substitute in pie crusts. It's solid at room temperature and creates tender, flaky results with a subtle coconut flavor.

What's the difference between shortening and lard in pie crust?

Lard creates flakier, more tender pie crusts than shortening. It has a higher melting point and better fat distribution, resulting in superior texture and flavor.

How do I make a vegan pie crust without shortening?

Use coconut oil or palm shortening for vegan pie crusts. Both are solid at room temperature and create tender, flaky results without animal products.

Summary

Find the best shortening substitutes for pie crust including lard, butter, and coconut oil. Learn techniques for creating flaky, tender pie crusts without shortening.