Substitute Shortening For Oil

Let’s be honest: baking is basically edible chemistry, but with a lot more butter licking. You’re standing in your kitchen, recipe in hand, and it calls for oil. You open your cupboard. No oil. But you do have that sad, forgotten block of shortening from the Great Quarantine Baking of 2020. Can you just… swap them?

Yes, you absolutely can. And I’m here to tell you how to do it without your cake tasting like a cardboard brick. Think of shortening as oil’s quiet, chunky cousin who lives in the woods and has no flavor opinions.

Why shortening exists (and why it's not just lard’s weird friend)

Shortening is fat, but it’s solid vegetable fat that has been hydrogenated—which is a fancy science word for “made to act like a fancy butter stick.” Unlike oil, which is a liquid at room temperature, shortening is a solid wall of “I’m here to make things fluffy.”

Surprising fact: Shortening was originally invented by Procter & Gamble in 1911. It was called Crisco, and they marketed it as a “miracle food” that never went bad. Which is terrifying and amazing. You could probably find a tub of Crisco in a nuclear bunker and it would still be good.

The Golden Rule: How to swap without crying

The swap is almost comically easy. One cup of oil equals one cup of melted shortening. That’s it. But—and this is the crucial part—you must melt the shortening first. Don’t just scoop it in like a block of butter. That’s how you get dense, sad muffins.

Melt it gently. In the microwave. Or on the stove. Or in a warm hug from your cat, if your cat is unusually hot. Once it’s liquid, you can measure it and use it exactly like oil. Boom. You’re a chemist now.

What happens to your cake? (Spoiler: It gets better at holding together)

Oil makes baked goods tender and moist. Shortening does that too, but it also makes things fluffier and creates a finer crumb. If you’ve ever wanted a cupcake that tastes like a cloud that went to fat camp, use shortening.

But there’s a catch: Shortening has zero water in it. Oil has zero water. But butter has water. So if you swap oil for shortening, you’re not losing any moisture. But if you swap butter, you will notice a difference. Shortening is a moisture-trapping ninja.

Vegetable Shortening Substitute For Bread Best Shortening Substitute

Playful exaggeration warning: Using shortening in your chocolate cake is like hiring a tiny, invisible baker to sit inside the batter and hold every bubble in place. That’s real science. The tiny baker is real.

What NOT to do (The Grease That Broke the Camel’s Back)

Don’t use shortening as a one-to-one swap for oil in frying. Unless you want your French fries to taste like a deep-fried candle. Shortening melts at a higher temperature than oil, so it can give a greasy mouthfeel that makes you question your life choices.

Also, do not try to use shortening in a salad dressing. I tried this once. I ended up with a vinaigrette that looked like a snow globe filled with regret. Stick to olive oil for that.

The Unexpected Hero: Vegan baking and shortening

If you’re baking for a vegan friend, shortening is your best pal. It’s plant-based (most of it, anyway—always check) and it has a higher smoke point than coconut oil. So your vegan banana bread won’t taste like a tropical vacation. It will just taste like banana bread. Hallelujah.

Surprising fact: Shortening has a higher melting point than your mouth. That means it melts slowly on your tongue. Which is why bakery-style cookies often feel richer—they’re holding their shape until the very last second, like a stubborn snowflake.

Can You Substitute Shortening With Vegetable Oil at Laura McDonald blog

How to measure like a pro (No, really, don’t wing it)

Here’s where people screw up. You can’t just spoon solid shortening into a measuring cup, because air pockets will betray you. You must pack it in, like you’re making brown sugar, and level it off with a knife. Or melt it, measure the liquid, and look like a genius.

Pro tip: If you’re too lazy to melt it (I see you), use the water displacement method. Put one cup of water in a measuring cup, add shortening chunks until the water rises to two cups. Scoop out the shortening. You just outsmarted physics. You’re welcome.

The final verdict: Is the swap worth it?

Sometimes. For cakes, muffins, and brownies? Absolutely. For cookies, you might get a slightly lighter, cakier texture—which some people love and others call “an abomination.” It depends on whether you want a cookie that snaps or a cookie that fluffs.

For pie crusts? Don’t do it. Oil makes a flaky crust. Shortening makes a tender, almost shortbread-like crust that will have your grandmother rolling in her grave. Use butter or lard for pie crusts. That’s non-negotiable.

In conclusion: Shortening is the ugly, reliable friend who shows up when the party is dying and keeps it going until 3 AM. Next time you’re out of oil, don’t panic. Melt a cup of that waxy white block, and bake on, you beautiful disaster.

Now go eat your science project. It’s delicious.