Margarine for shortening

[ellakav]

is it safe to use margarine in a cookie recipe instead of shortening?
I know this is probably just me, but eating cookies made from
shortening leaves a slimy feeling on the roof of my mouth
(I know, huh??) and the cookies just taste greasy to me.
what, if anything, should I expect if I try substituting?

 

[ChefJune]

I would substitute butter, not margarine. Shortening often results in a softer texture for the finished cookie. but I agree with you on the mouthfeel.

 

[Andy M.]

Shortening is 100% fat. Margerine is not. Depending on the brand of margerine you choose there is a lot of water in it and less fat. That can negatively impact your cookies. As June said, go with butter.

 

[Callisto in NC]

I have a cookie recipe that is half shortening, have margarine and I love it. You can most definitely substitute one for another but maybe you should try halfing it just once. I would never substitute butter for shortening. That just tastes so wrong to me. As a matter of fact, only butter in butter cookies tastes right. I do not like the taste of butter in cookies probably the same way you don't like shortening in cookies.

 

[ellakav]

I guess it is all a matter of taste. for me, I just can't deal with the
shortening thing, but it is only in cookies. I have alternated butter
and margarine with no problems before, just never with shortening.
well, I gotta bake 2 batches of the same type cookie, anyway so I
will give both suggestions a try and see what sticks! this particular
recipe is actually called 'orange-cinnamon crisps', so if I use margarine
or butter I don't think it will pose that much of a problem. however...
ya never know. I will let you know what happens.

 

[dave the baker]

Ellakav : go to crisco.com for an exchange table for margarine versus shortning. Also, you might try buttery flavored Crisco. Never experienced the "roof of the mouth" feeling; sounds weird...............

 

[Michael in FtW]

Different fats are used in baking for different reasons. Flavor is certainly one reason - another is the melting point which will affect texture. Butter and margarine melt at a lower temperature than shortening - this allows the batter to spread more before it sets. Shortening contains millions of air bubbles that expand when heated - recipes using butter or margarine usually require a step where you "cream" the fat with sugar to incorporate the air that is in the shortening.

If you want to sub butter or margarine for shortening then you need to make an adjustment in the total liquid in the recipe. This chart is for substituting Crisco for butter or margarine - where you need to add water to compensate for the water in butter/margarine that is not present in shortening. If you are going to sub the other direction - just subtract that amount of liquid from your recipe.

 

[megaresp]

is it safe to use margarine in a cookie recipe instead of shortening?

I replace butter in shortbread with a product called Pure. It's made from sunflower oil, and unlike most margarines contains no dairy (which is why I use it). It's fat content is 67%.

Maybe it's different with other types of cookie, but with shortbread I find the type of flour I use has the biggest impact on texture and taste.

 

[chrisandcindy55]

I have some older recipes that do not respond well when using margarine that is currently made. Usually shortening works best. Good luck.

 

[msmofet]

I guess it is all a matter of taste. for me, I just can't deal with the
shortening thing, but it is only in cookies. I have alternated butter
and margarine with no problems before, just never with shortening.
well, I gotta bake 2 batches of the same type cookie, anyway so I
will give both suggestions a try and see what sticks! this particular
recipe is actually called 'orange-cinnamon crisps', so if I use margarine
or butter I don't think it will pose that much of a problem. however...
ya never know. I will let you know what happens.

care to share recipe? i use 1/2 butter crisco and 1/2 butter.

 

[Kathy W.]

I use butter or margarine with alot of my cookie recipes. I have to make snickerdoodles when the grand kids visit. Yes it is fine to sub. butter or margarine.