Shortening Substitute

Save a trip to the store with this shortening substitute. The most popular shortening in baking is vegetable shortening. Shortening is a semisolid fat that is so called because it promotes a “short” or crumbly texture, like in shortbread. If you’re low or out, you can easily use a shortening substitute. Which shortening substitute you use depends on what you have on hand, if you have any shortening at all and what you are baking.

Things you can use for a shortening substitute:

• Butter
• Margarine
• Lard
• Applesauce
• Pureed prunes
• Apple butter
• Ricotta cheese
• Bananas

1. Butter as a shortening substitute. Use 1 cup and 2 tablespoons butter for 1 cup shortening. While butter has a better taste, it will make cookies less crunchy and bread crusts crispier. Butter also has higher levels of cholesterol and saturated fat.
2. Margarine as a shortening substitute. Use 1 cup and 2 tablespoons margarine for 1 cup shortening. Margarine as a shortening substitute has a comparable taste and texture as butter. It has lower levels of cholesterol and saturated fat than butter.
3. Lard as a shortening substitute. Use 1 cup and 2 tablespoons lard for 1 cup shortening. Baked goods with lard are similar in taste and texture as those with shortening. Lard has higher levels of cholesterol and saturated fat.
4. Applesauce as a shortening substitute. This shortening substitute can only be used to replace ¾ of the total amount of shortening needed for a recipe. It is a good shortening substitute to use when you are running low on shortening, but aren’t completely out. Replace the shortening measure for measure with the applesauce. Add the applesauce with the liquid ingredients and reduce the sugar in the recipe, if the applesauce is sweetened.
5. Pureed prunes as a shortening substitute. This shortening substitute can only be used to replace ¾ of the total amount of shortening needed for a recipe. It is a good shortening substitute to use when you are running low on shortening, but aren’t completely out. Replace the shortening measure for measure with the pureed prunes and add with the liquid ingredients. This shortening substitute works best in recipes with chocolate.
6. Apple butter as a shortening substitute. This shortening substitute can only be used to replace ¾ of the total amount of shortening needed for a recipe. It is a good shortening substitute to use when you are running low on shortening, but aren’t completely out. Replace the shortening measure for measure with the apple butter. Add the apple butter with the liquid ingredients and reduce the sugar in the recipe, if the apple butter is sweetened.
7. Ricotta cheese as a shortening substitute. Use this shortening substitute in yeast bread recipes. Substitute measure for measure but for best results only use for ¾ of the shortening.
8. Bananas as a shortening substitute. Use measure for measure. This shortening substitute is best for deserts and sweet breads.