Best Shortening Substitutes (With Ratios)
The best shortening substitute is butter: use 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (about 255 g) butter for every 1 cup (about 190 g) shortening. The extra makes up for the water in butter, so the fat content matches. For pie crust or anything where butter's flavour or spread is unwanted, use lard 1:1.
Shortening substitutes
| Substitute | Amount per 1 cup shortening | Best for | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butter | 1 cup + 2 tbsp | Cookies, cakes, biscuits, pastry | Solid fat; adds flavour and browning |
| Lard | 1 cup | Pie crust, biscuits, tortillas, frying | Pure fat, plastic at room temperature |
| Refined coconut oil | 1 cup, solid | Vegan pastry, cookies, frosting in cool kitchens | Pure fat, firm below 24 °C / 76 °F; neutral when refined |
| Stick margarine or vegan butter | 1 cup + 2 tbsp | Cookies, cakes, frosting | Solid blend of oils and water, like butter |
| Vegetable oil | 3/4 cup | Muffins, quick breads, oil-style cakes | Liquid fat for melted-fat methods |
| Ghee | 1 cup | Cookies, flatbreads, frying | Pure butterfat with nutty flavour |
What shortening does
Vegetable shortening is 100% fat, made from oils that are hydrogenated or interesterified so they stay solid. It has three tricks that butter lacks:
- A high melting point. Shortening stays solid up to about 47 °C / 117 °F, while butter melts at about 32–35 °C / 90–95 °F. In the oven, cookies made with shortening set before they spread.
- No water. Butter is about 16% water. In pie crust, that water helps gluten form and turns to steam, which can make pastry tougher but flakier. Shortening gives a more tender, crumbly crust.
- Built-in air and emulsifiers. Shortening is whipped with nitrogen gas and often contains mono- and diglycerides, so it creams into a light, stable foam with sugar. That's why it makes tall, soft cakes and stable frosting.
Since 2018, partially hydrogenated oils, the main source of artificial trans fat, have been banned in Canadian food. Today's shortening uses fully hydrogenated oils or interesterification instead.
Swapping tips by recipe
- Cookies: with butter, chill the dough for 30–60 minutes so it spreads less. Using half butter and half lard or coconut oil gives butter's flavour with less spread.
- Pie crust: keep butter or lard very cold, around 4 °C / 40 °F, and work quickly so the fat stays in flakes. See how to make pie crust.
- Frosting: butter frosting tastes better but softens in warm rooms. For outdoor or hot-weather cakes, use half butter and half refined coconut oil.
- Frying: use lard or a high-smoke-point oil. Butter's milk solids burn around 150 °C / 300 °F.
When NOT to swap
- Oil in pie crust or biscuits: liquid fat coats flour completely and makes mealy, greasy pastry.
- Oil in creamed cakes and cookies: it can't trap air, so they turn dense and flat.
- Unrefined coconut oil when you don't want coconut flavour.
- Tub or spread margarine: it is high in water and makes soggy pastry and thin cookies.
Questions
Can I use butter instead of shortening?
Yes. Use 1 cup plus 2 tbsp butter for each cup of shortening, because butter is about 80% fat and 16% water. Expect more flavour and browning, and cookies that spread a little more.
What is the best shortening substitute for pie crust?
Lard, 1:1, is the closest match: it is pure fat and makes very flaky, tender crusts. An all-butter crust also works and tastes richer; keep it very cold.
Can I use oil instead of shortening?
Only in recipes that melt the fat, like muffins, quick breads and some cakes. Use about 3/4 cup oil per cup of shortening. Oil can't be creamed with sugar or cut into pastry.
Why do cookies made with shortening spread less?
Shortening stays solid up to about 47 °C (117 °F), while butter melts near body temperature. Cookie dough made with shortening holds its shape longer in the oven, so it sets before it spreads.