Vegetable Shortening Substitute | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

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Vegetable Shortening Substitute | Ask Nigella.com? ›

Our answer

Coconut Oil

This substitute is best for baked goods that can handle a subtle coconut flavor. Still, coconut oil is an excellent swap for shortening. Not only does it have a similar look and texture, it's vegan just like vegetable shortening. Use it as an easy one-for-one swap.

Cookeen Cooking Fat 250g | Sainsbury's.

In the UK it is sold under the brand names Trex, Flora White or Cookeen. In the US Crisco is the best known and there is also an organic solid vegetable shortening made by Earth Balance.

How to Substitute. No matter what you're using, use the same amount called for in your recipe. In other words, it should be a one-to-one swap. If your recipe calls for one cup of butter, you can use one cup of shortening and vice versa.

Coconut oil makes a great one-to-one swap for shortening, but keep in mind that it might impart a subtle coconut flavor to your baked goods. Look for refined coconut oil, which has a neutral flavor.

Our answer. Vegetable shortening (such as Trex, Cookeen, Crisco and Copha) is vegetable oil that has been hydrogenated, a process which means that the oil becomes solid at room temperature.

Frytex would be the closest to real lard, Cookeen is a vegetable shortening if you want an alternative. It's no worse than any fat, the vegetable ones are just solidified oil like a lot of the imitation butter spreads.

Crisco, owned by The J.M. Smucker Company since 2002, remains the best-known brand of shortening in the US, nowadays consisting of a blend of partially and fully hydrogenated soybean and palm oils. In Ireland and the UK, Trex is a popular brand, while in Australia, Copha is popular, made primarily from coconut oil.

What is vegetable shortening in Australia? ›

If you're wondering where to get shortening in Australia, the closest that you can get is the Australian vegetable shortening 'Copha'. It's a pure coconut fat that's pretty similar to the American brand Crisco, which is often cited as the shortening of choice for baking.

The UK equivalent is Trex; essentially the same stuff but without any hydrogenated components. It works as a pastry ingredient (shortening) or as a frying oil. You can buy it at pretty much any decent-sized supermarket.

You'll notice these differences if baking with butter instead of shortening. Cookies made with butter or margarine may be softer and spread a little more. Cookies made with butter are usually crispier than chewy cookies made with shortening, but the flavor is richer with butter.

Can I substitute butter for shortening (or vice versa) in a recipe? The short answer is yes, butter and shortening can be used interchangeably in baked goods as one-to-one swap. However, results may differ depending on fat used because butter and shortening are two very different ingredients.

The Food Marketing Institute's FoodKeeper recommends storing unopened solid shortening, such as Crisco shortening, at room temperature for 8 months. After opening, store at room temperature for 3 months for best quality.

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.

Avocado oil, olive oil, and coconut oil are some of the best plant oils for cooking and baking. You can replace shortening with alternatives like butter, coconut oil, palm oil, or other healthy plant oils.

According to the olive oil pros at Oliviers & Co., always plan to use less olive oil than what the recipe lists for shortening. The general rule is three parts olive oil versus four parts shortening. For instance, if the recipe calls for a cup of shortening, plan to use ¾ cups of olive oil.

Applesauce: You can replace shortening with applesauce in sweet baking recipes to add more density to your creations. One cup of shortening equals about half a cup of applesauce.