🫒 Oils & Fats

Vegetable Shortening Substitutes: Complete Guide

Complete guide to vegetable shortening substitutes including butter, lard, coconut oil, and more. Learn what to substitute for vegetable shortening in baking, pie crusts, cookies, frosting, and all cooking applications.

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Quick Answer

The best substitutes for vegetable shortening are butter (1:1 ratio) for flavor, lard (1:1 ratio) for flakiness, coconut oil (1:1 ratio) for vegan options, or margarine (1:1 ratio) for similar texture. Each works perfectly in baking, pie crusts, cookies, and frosting.

Best Substitutes

Butter

1:1

Butter is the most popular substitute for vegetable shortening. It adds rich, buttery flavor and creates tender, moist baked goods. Use room temperature butter for creaming methods and cold butter for flaky pastries.

Best for:

bakingcookiescakesmuffinsbiscuitspie crustsbrowniesfrostingbread

Adds rich, buttery flavor and creates tender, moist baked goods. Best for most baking applications.

Lard

1:1

Lard creates the flakiest, most tender baked goods and is often considered superior to vegetable shortening. It has a higher melting point and better fat distribution for perfect flakiness.

Best for:

pie crustspastriesbiscuitstamalesdonutsflaky doughstortillasfrying

Creates the flakiest, most tender baked goods with neutral flavor. Superior to shortening for pastries.

Coconut Oil

1:1

Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, making it perfect for vegan baking. It has a subtle coconut flavor that works well in many recipes and creates tender results similar to shortening.

Best for:

vegan bakingtropical-flavored dessertscookiescakesfrostingwhen avoiding animal products

Solid at room temperature, perfect for vegan baking. Adds subtle coconut flavor.

Margarine

1:1

Margarine has a similar texture to vegetable shortening and works well in most baking recipes. Choose stick margarine over tub varieties for best results and consistent texture.

Best for:

cookiescakesmuffinsgeneral bakingfrostingwhen avoiding animal products

Similar texture to shortening, good for most baking. Choose stick margarine for best results.

Vegetable Oil

3/4 cup oil per 1 cup shortening

Vegetable oil can substitute for shortening in many recipes, though it may affect texture. Use 3/4 cup oil for every 1 cup shortening. Best for cakes and quick breads.

Best for:

cakesmuffinsquick breadswhen you need liquid fatemergency substitutions

Liquid alternative that works in many recipes. May affect texture slightly.

Palm Shortening

1:1

Palm shortening has similar texture and properties to vegetable shortening. It's solid at room temperature and provides neutral flavor, making it an excellent direct replacement for all applications.

Best for:

all bakingwhen you want neutral flavorvegan bakingtraditional recipesfrosting

Similar texture and properties to vegetable shortening. Excellent direct replacement.

Applesauce

1/2 cup applesauce per 1 cup shortening

Applesauce can replace shortening in moist baked goods, providing moisture and some structure. Use 1/2 cup applesauce for every 1 cup shortening. Best for cakes and muffins.

Best for:

cakesmuffinsquick breadshealthy bakinglow-fat recipes

Healthy, low-fat alternative. Best for moist baked goods.

Cooking Tips

  • 💡Choose your substitute based on the recipe's needs and your dietary preferences
  • 💡For flaky pastries and pie crusts, use cold lard or cold butter - both are superior to shortening
  • 💡For tender cakes and cookies, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy
  • 💡For vegan baking, coconut oil or palm shortening work best
  • 💡For neutral flavor, use lard or palm shortening
  • 💡For rich flavor, use butter
  • 💡For healthy alternatives, use applesauce in moist baked goods
  • 💡Always use room temperature fats for creaming methods
  • 💡Cold fats work better for flaky pastries and pie crusts
  • 💡For frosting, butter or margarine work better than shortening for flavor
  • 💡For frying, lard has the highest smoke point and best flavor
  • 💡For cookies, butter creates chewier texture, shortening creates crispier texture

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

Complete guide to vegetable shortening substitutes including butter, lard, coconut oil, and more. Learn what to substitute for vegetable shortening in baking, pie crusts, cookies, frosting, and all cooking applications with proper ratios and techniques.