Shortening
Shortening is any fat that makes baked goods tender by coating flour and "shortening" gluten strands, and it's also the everyday name for solid white vegetable shortening, which is 100% fat. Lard, butter, and vegetable shortening all act as shortenings in pastry, biscuits, and cookies.
Why fat "shortens" dough
When flour meets water, its proteins link into long, stretchy gluten strands (see gluten). That's great for bread, but it makes pastry tough.
Solid fat coats the proteins and blocks water from reaching them. Gluten can only form short, broken strands, so the result breaks apart easily in your mouth: tender, crumbly, or flaky instead of chewy.
What vegetable shortening is
Vegetable shortening is made from vegetable oils, typically soybean and palm, processed to be solid at room temperature. Today's versions are made by fully hydrogenating part of the oil and blending or interesterifying it with liquid oil. Partially hydrogenated oils, the old source of artificial trans fat, were banned in Canada and the US in 2018.
Shortening vs butter vs lard
| Vegetable shortening | Butter | Lard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fat content | ~100% | ~80% (16–18% water) | ~100% |
| Melting point | ~47 °C (117 °F) | ~32–35 °C (90–95 °F) | ~36–42 °C (97–108 °F) |
| Flavour | Neutral | Rich, milky | Mildly porky |
| Pie crust | Tender, easy to handle | Flavourful, flaky, browns well | Very flaky |
| Cookies | Taller, less spread, soft | More spread, crisp edges | Tender, short |
Because shortening melts at a higher temperature, it stays solid longer in the oven. Cookies set before they spread, and pie dough is easier to roll in a warm kitchen. Because it has no water, it produces less steam, which means slightly less puffy flakes than butter.
Substituting
- Butter for shortening: Use the same volume. One cup of shortening weighs about 185–190 g; one cup of butter weighs 227 g but is only 80% fat, so the fat amount comes out close. Chill cookie dough to limit spread.
- Shortening for butter: Same volume, plus about 2 tbsp (30 ml) milk or water per cup if the recipe depends on butter's moisture. Add a pinch more salt for flavour.
- Oil for shortening: Not recommended in pastry or creamed cakes, since liquid fat can't hold air or form flakes.
More options are in butter substitute for baking.
Downsides
Shortening has no flavour of its own and can leave a slightly waxy coating on the palate because it doesn't melt at body temperature. It's also highly processed, and many bakers prefer butter or lard for taste.
Questions
Why is it called shortening?
Fat coats flour proteins and keeps gluten strands short, making baked goods tender and crumbly instead of long and chewy. Any fat that does this is technically a shortening.
Can I use butter instead of shortening?
Yes, swap about 1:1 by volume. Expect more flavour and browning, but cookies will spread more and pie crust is a little less flaky and harder to handle because butter melts at a lower temperature and contains water.
Does vegetable shortening still contain trans fat?
Not in Canada or the US in meaningful amounts. Partially hydrogenated oils, the main source of artificial trans fat, were banned in both countries in 2018, and shortenings were reformulated with fully hydrogenated or interesterified oils.
Is lard a shortening?
Yes. Lard was the original shortening, and it makes very flaky pastry. Vegetable shortening was invented as a cheaper, shelf-stable alternative.