Shortening in Baking

You may have heard of shortening but might not know much about it. Read on to find out what it is and how to use it in baking.

What is shortening

Shortening can be any animal or vegetable fat that becomes solid at room temperature. The most well-known shortening types are margarine, lard, and vegetable shortening.

Back in the day, people considered shortening synonymous with animal lard. However, after the invention of products like margarine and Crisco, this was no longer the case.

Vegetable shortening is now typically made from hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated fats from vegetable oils.

The main benefit of this flavorless ingredient is its ability to remain solid at room temperature. It creates ease in the preparation of baked goods (no sticky disasters here) and dictates the consistency of dough.

Shortening is an integral part of forming doughs, from puff pastries, cookies, and cakes, to pie crusts and shortbread.

It is an essential baking ingredient that every vegan baker will become familiar with.

Why use shortening in baking

The purpose of shortening in baking all comes down to the dough.

Depending on what you are making, you will need either a “long” dough or a “short” dough. A “long” dough is just that; it is long, stretchy, and elastic.

This type of dough is ideal for pizzas or bread. A “short” dough is more crumbly, flaky, and non-elastic. This type of dough is very versatile for bakers. A “short” dough is ideal for certain cookies, cakes, and crusts.

Due to its flavorless nature, recipes with shortening will require salt and other flavorings to improve the taste of the final bake. Butter-flavored vegetable shortening is an excellent alternative to the plain variety.

How does shortening work

Working shortening into a dough prevents long strands of gluten from forming. It acts as a barrier between flour, water, and gluten molecules.

This barrier allows for more air pockets while cooking, which leads to a flaky texture in a baked good. Bakers opt for shortening instead of butter or margarine in these instances because they melt faster than shortening. 

The longer the shortening takes to melt, the more air pockets there will be, and the flakier the result. If a baker is looking for a crisp texture that retains its shape, then they would want to use shortening.

If a baker is looking for a chewier texture, then they would use a minimal amount of shortening, or sometimes none at all. 

Not only that, but shortening helps baked goods stay soft after baking. The fats remain intact even after cooling down to room temperature. Margarine melts down into water and oil that hardens after the baking process.

Is shortening vegan

There are all kinds of shortening, and some are not vegan.

If you want to make vegan-friendly treats, stay clear of any shortening made from suet, lard, or dairy.

Opt for vegetable shortening instead. These have become very popular and are usually clearly labeled on the packaging.

While seeing the term vegetable on the packaging might make a choice seem simple, this is not always the case. It is always best to do further research to choose a brand that you’re okay with.

There are some ingredients in vegetable shortening that could pose a problem for some vegans.

Palm oil is one of them. While some vegans eat it, many avoid it due to the unethical industry practices surrounding palm oil. 

For example, Crisco markets itself as an all-vegetable shortening ideal for baking and frying. One of the main ingredients in Crisco is palm oil. This is a prime example of being aware of ingredients so you can make the right decision for your vegan baking needs.

Can I use vegetable shortening instead of oil?

If a cake recipe requires oil, I would not recommend using shortening as a substitute.

Due to its lack of moisture and solid texture at room temperature, vegetable shortening can result in dry, hard, and crumbly cakes. Opt for melted vegan butter or margarine instead.

For recipes requiring shortening, using oil would significantly change the texture of the baked item. Pies would be less flaky, and cookies would spread more.

Shortening in cookies

This all depends on what type of cookie you want to make. Do you want your cookies to be crisp and crunchy or soft and chewy?

Shortening helps to make a tender, chewy cookie. Thanks to its no water, 100% fat consistency, which doesn’t allow for any steam to be released during the baking process.

Like these vegan lemon shortbread cookies, shortening is also a key ingredient in making crumbly cookies. Shortening will help your cookies hold their shape in the oven, allowing them to rise rather than spread. 

Shortening in a pie crust

Shortening is a great option to make a delectably delicious and tender vegan pie crust. Unlike with cookies, shortening in any pie crust is essential. It not only helps to make a pie crust flaky, but it makes it sturdy, which is important for its overall structure.

Shortening in pastries

Shortening helps to create air pockets in basic pastry dough when it melts in a hot oven. The result is a delicate, flaky pastry with tender individual layers.

For more layered, vegan puff pastry, I recommend using margarine instead. The water in margarine creates steam that helps the pastry rise and become puffier.