Chocoholic
Senior Cook
Is it possible to substitute butter for shortening (and vice versa)? They are both full of fat 
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Is it possible to substitute butter for shortening?
- Thread starter Chocoholic
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Absolutely. Keep in mind that shortening is 100% fat while butter is around 80-82% fat. Some experts suggest you should adjust for the difference and others say just sub one for one.
Chocoholic
Senior Cook
Okay. Thank you! Now, when I'm out of butter (or shortening) I can still make the planned recipe.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Yes, but expect a little taste difference.
some recipes specify only this or that and they probably mean it. Butter does have slightly different cooking poroperties. But in most recipes it should work.
Chocoholic
Senior Cook
OK. Thanks!
Ekim
Senior Cook
Well I'm doing my best to get rid of all hydrogenated oils in my cooking. Are there any shortenings without them?
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
Ekim said:
Shortening, by definition, is hydrogenated.
Hydrogenated oil is vegatable oil that has been altered so that it is solid at room temperature. That's what shortening is.
Also, I wouldn't sub shortening where the taste of butter is important.
Shortening is hydrogenated, which, as jennyema has pointed out, is simply the ability to maintain it's solid form at room temperature. this requires hydrolyzation of an oil (read: fat) to achieve this result. if you are trying to get past all hydrogenated oils, and still need shortening for recipes, I suggest lard. It is rendered from pig fat, and is therefore naturally solid at room temperatures, and hasn't had any hydrogen processed into it to make it solid. Personally, I also think it tastes better, as most natural fats tend to, and it won't overpower things like butter can. Finally, butter can be substituted sometimes, but you are adding a liquid as well as a solid, since you have things like whey, and milk solids. as posted earlier, butter is only about 80 percent fat, so if you are using recipes where ratios aren't very tolerant, it's not a good substitute, or if you are making quantities,(where exact ratios are important in baking) you can't get away with subbing butter.
Constance
Master Chef
Depends on the recipe. Sometimes shortening is needed to help the cookie keep it's shape.
You all already said this in a more scientific manner, but we're saying the same thing.
You all already said this in a more scientific manner, but we're saying the same thing.
notagoodcook
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2012
- Messages
- 1
don't think I should have sub'd butter for shortening
I substituted butter for shortening in a cookie recipe, think it was a mistake! Recipe called for white choc & shortening to be melted and cooled cookie dipped in it. Well, choc was supposed to set, but it didn't so I put cookies in fridge. It set! BUT then I took cookies out of fridge and choc melted
I substituted butter for shortening in a cookie recipe, think it was a mistake! Recipe called for white choc & shortening to be melted and cooled cookie dipped in it. Well, choc was supposed to set, but it didn't so I put cookies in fridge. It set! BUT then I took cookies out of fridge and choc melted
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
Butter has a lower melting point than does lard or shortening. Butter, as has already been mentioned, contains milk solids, and water. For things like pie crust, lard is a natural choice that produces a superior product. Also, it has less cholesterol than butter.
What happens with butter in a pie crust is that after it is added to the flour, if the flour is worked too much, the gluten can develop as the water reacts with the wheat protein. Also, when the crust begins to cook, the butter will melt before the dough starts to set into a solid, resulting in the top of the crust sides collapsing toward the pie center. I found that out the hard way.
Some cookies are meant to spread out into a gooey, flat cookie, such as Nestle's Toll House cookie. Other, more cake-like cookies can benefit from butter's rich favor, such as shortbread or shortbread cookies.
The only problem I have with lard is that it's hard to find in pure form.
Butter and lard are the go to fats in my house, and olive oil. I hope this helps.
Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
What happens with butter in a pie crust is that after it is added to the flour, if the flour is worked too much, the gluten can develop as the water reacts with the wheat protein. Also, when the crust begins to cook, the butter will melt before the dough starts to set into a solid, resulting in the top of the crust sides collapsing toward the pie center. I found that out the hard way.
Some cookies are meant to spread out into a gooey, flat cookie, such as Nestle's Toll House cookie. Other, more cake-like cookies can benefit from butter's rich favor, such as shortbread or shortbread cookies.
The only problem I have with lard is that it's hard to find in pure form.
Butter and lard are the go to fats in my house, and olive oil. I hope this helps.
Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
