What Is Shortening?

When we think shortening it’s Crisco that comes to mind, but it’s just one of several options. Do you know the rest?

September 29, 2021
Man's hand holding a spoon full of vegetable shortening

542715183

Man's hand holding a spoon full of vegetable shortening

Photo by: PM Images/Getty Images

PM Images/Getty Images

By Fraya Berg for Food Network Kitchen

Fraya is a chef and a contributing writer at Food Network.

Shortening is a very important ingredient in a baker’s pantry. It’s what makes many shortbread recipes short, pie dough recipes flaky and biscuits tender. The how and why are explained below, along with info on all the types of shortening, not just the white kind.

Butter

179875636

Butter

Photo by: YelenaYemchuk/Getty Images

YelenaYemchuk/Getty Images

What Is Shortening?

The definition of shortening is any fat that is solid at room temperature. The list isn’t all that long, and you’re probably familiar with most of them. Lard, margarine and vegetable shortening such as Crisco are the most well known and most called for in recipes. Because butter is up to 20% water, it isn’t the best shortening out there, but in some recipes, it is used as shortening. Shortening’s job is to make doughs short. What exactly does that mean? Read on.

A wooden rolling pin rolls the dough sprinkled with flour. Homemade cake. Butter dough. Space for text. Mistress in the kitchen.

1289910224

A wooden rolling pin rolls the dough sprinkled with flour. Homemade cake. Butter dough. Space for text. Mistress in the kitchen.

Photo by: Netrebina Elena/Getty Images

Netrebina Elena/Getty Images

What Is Shortening In Baking?

Dough is referred to as short when the fat worked into the flour prevents long strands of gluten from forming as the dough is handled. Think about how crumbly and melty shortbread cookies are. They practically melt in your mouth, and if you break one with your fingers it will crumble. They're pretty much the opposite in texture from chewy bread, which does contain long strands of gluten, and is referred to as a long dough.

Pork fat in wooden plate, top view

1008880290

Pork fat in wooden plate, top view

Photo by: canyonos/Getty Images

canyonos/Getty Images

Shortening plays an important role in many pie crusts, making them extra flaky. Fat's purpose in pie dough is to separate flour and water into layers. The longer the solid fat is there, holding apart the matrix, the more air pockets - which we perceive as flakiness - form. Shortening stays solid longer than butter because it has a higher melting point.

Butter Versus Shortening

Baker icing a cake. Kyoto, Japan. May 2016

586197040

Baker icing a cake. Kyoto, Japan. May 2016

Photo by: JGalione/Getty Images

JGalione/Getty Images

For pie crusts: Butter and shortening each have their own benefits.

It’s butter for the win if you’re looking for flavor. Butter yields a tender, flaky crust too. But it's not the best for making cut-outs and decorations because when the butter melts into the flour as it bakes, it softens and the crust “slumps’.

Shortening will give you a sturdier, flakier pie crust than butter, but vegetable shortening has no flavor. None. Zero. Zip. If you’re after flakiness and sturdiness in your crust (what you need for a custard pie such as pumpkin or pean), vegetable shortening is the better option.

For cookies and cakes: vegetable shortening and sugar can be creamed together, but the water in butter definitely helps that process along. And we keep coming back to flavor. For frosting, there are recipes that use only vegetable shortening, clear vanilla and confectioners’ sugar because they are looking for the absolute whitest frosting they can get. The visual appeal is understandable, but the flavor is, shall we say, lacking.

What Is a Vegetable Shortening Substitute?

There are vegetable and non-vegetable substitutes for vegetable shortening. All of them should be chilled before using to maintain their firmness.

On the vegetarian side, you can choose from coconut oil and dairy-free margarine for instances where you need a shortening that is solid at room temperature for pie crust, biscuits, cakes and cookies.

On the animal fat side of the list, your best options are butter and lard. Both will work when chilled, as that keeps the right consistency to cut into flour when making a pie crust.

Recipes with Shortening

Classic 100, Pumpkin Pie

Classic 100, Pumpkin Pie

Photo by: Caitlin Ochs

Caitlin Ochs

Pre-baking the pie shell is one of the reasons this is The Best Pumpkin Pie (no soggy bottoms here), and heavy cream in the custard is another.

Best Pie Crust for Lattices

Best Pie Crust for Lattices

Photo by: Teri Lyn Fisher

Teri Lyn Fisher

This may be the best pie dough recipe for any pie, not just a lattice. The butter-shortening combo gives you the best of both worlds.

FNK Peanut Butter Magic Shell

FNK Peanut Butter Magic Shell

Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Matt Armendariz, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

This peanut butter topper for ice cream sets up and hardens just like the chocolate version. We think both at once would be excellent.

Food Network Kitchen's Vegan Apple Pie For Vegan and Vegetarian Thanksgiving as seen on Food Network

Food Network Kitchen's Vegan Apple Pie For Vegan and Vegetarian Thanksgiving as seen on Food Network

Photo by: Stephen Johnson ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Stephen Johnson, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

The crust for this pie is made with coconut oil, but vegetable shortening can stand in if you don’t have any.

Classic Shortbread cookie shaped like a pizza slice

FNM-Walnut_Lavender_Short

Classic Shortbread cookie shaped like a pizza slice

©Hearst Communications Inc., 2009 Karl Juengel/Studio D Food Styling: Stephana

Hearst Communications Inc., 2009 Karl Juengel/Studio D Food Styling: Stephana

This recipe uses the creaming method to blend the butter and sugars together before the flour is mixed in. Use a spatula or a spoon to mix the flour, not the mixer, so you don't develop gluten.

Related Links:

Next Up

Butter Basics

Learn how to navigate all the butters in your supermarket dairy aisle, then find out which applications require the different varieties.

How to Prevent Butter from Burning

And what to do if you’ve already burned it.

Margarine vs Butter: What’s the Difference?

And can you substitute one for the other?

How to Make Ghee

It's an easy, flavorful way to instantly upgrade your cooking.

What’s the Difference Between East Coast Butter and West Coast Butter?

Shocker: butter comes in different shapes based on where you live.

Best Oil for Frying

The 6 best oils for frying, ranked. Plus which oils to never use.

What Is Lard?

Everything to know about this often misunderstood ingredient.

Canola vs. Vegetable Oil: What’s the Difference?

And can you use them interchangeably?

How to Dispose of Cooking Oil

First things first: don’t pour it down the drain.

Does Olive Oil Go Bad?

An olive oil expert and producer weighs in.

More from:

Cooking School

What's New