I have a baking ?

riley1 · ‎03-10-2010

If a recipe calls for shortening can I use butter? Or is shortening the Crisco in the can?

Thank You! Riley1

Sammijo10 · ‎05-14-2011

Usually, shortnening refers to Crisco. Switching to butter will depend on what you are making. If it's a cookie recipe, use can use butter, but not TOO softened as then the cookies will be flat as pancakes. It makes the flavor much better.

If it's a pie crust type of recpie and there's a mix of both butter and crisco, then there's a reason for the mix of fats and best to use the mix that the recipe calls for. Using all butter in a piecrust is tasty, but then the flour amount has to be adjusted.

What are you making?

2blonde · ‎03-10-2010

Butter will obviously change the flavor (more tasty), but it will also make the baked goods softer than shortening will. For cookies, I would only use butter; for pie crust, probably shortening.

Laura loves cats!

OKPrincess · ‎03-10-2013

Many many years ago, my mom and great aunts cooked with shortening and lard. Everything tasted great!!

Hoovermom · ‎03-19-2010

@OKPrincess wrote:
Many many years ago, my mom and great aunts cooked with shortening and lard. Everything tasted great!!

@OKPrincess: Ain't that the truth??? LOL.

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

In my experience, butter tends to burn faster than shortening.

Pook · ‎03-20-2010

@riley1 What I've found is that usually if a recipe for shortening then it is for a reason. The texture of what you are making might be different. If you want a more buttery taste then use butter flavored . Some recipes will say shortening/butter/margarine which implies that all are ok. I found shortening (especially in cookies) will give a softer cookie but not as tasty as butter but butter will make the cookie spread out and harder. It just depends on what you are making.

riley1 · ‎03-10-2010

Thank You for all the information. It was for a new cookie recipe. I will stick to the instructions and use shortening.

gizmogal · ‎05-09-2014

@riley1 wrote:
Thank You for all the information. It was for a new cookie recipe. I will stick to the instructions and use shortening.

Anytime I try a recipe for the first time, I try to follow it exactly as far as ingredients and instructions. That way I know if it is successful, it is going to be something I might do again (with or without changes). If I make changes trying it the first time and it's not so good, I'll never know if it's the recipe or the changes I made that cause the negatives.

I think you are wise to use shortening as called for. Around my way, it's also cheaper than butter!

Hope those cookies are yummy.