Last Updated on March 14, 2025 by Toya
Need a quick substitute for vegetable shortening in a pinch? Check out this list of 15 amazing vegetable shortening substitutes that actually work!
Whether you have dietary restrictions or simply find yourself out of vegetable shortening in a pinch, finding the right substitutes for vegetable shortening can make all the difference in your cooking and baking.
Luckily, there are plenty of easy to find vegetable shortening alternatives available!
And the best part? Many of these substitutes are everyday kitchen staples you probably already have on hand!
From butter to coconut oil, I’ve got something on this list that can help you replace vegetable shortening effectively!
Why substitute vegetable shorting?
Vegetable shortening plays a crucial role in many baked goods due to its unique properties.
Not only does vegetable shortening have a neutral flavor, but, it helps to create tender, flaky, and moist baked goods and gives a crisp, light texture to fried foods. Vegetable shortening also helps in preserving the shelf life of your food which basically makes it an essential ingredients in baking and cooking.
However there are quite a few reasons why you may need to substitute vegetable shortening in a pinch.
For example, vegetable shortening may need to be substituted due to health reasons, dietary restrictions, flavor preferences or just because you may not have it on hand at the moment.
Here are the various ways you can easily replace vegetable shortening with kitchen staples.
Amazing vegetable shortening substitutes
1. Butter
Butter is a popular substitute for vegetable shortening especially for recipes like pie crusts, cookies, cakes and pastries.
Vegetable shortening and butter differ in baking primarily in texture, flavor, and fat content. Shortening is made entirely of fat with no water, making it ideal for creating flaky, tender textures in pastries, pie crusts, and certain cookies. It also has a neutral flavor, which allows other ingredients to shine.
In contrast, butter contains both fat and water, which adds moisture and richness, contributing to a more tender, flavorful result in cakes, cookies, and muffins.
Also, shortening helps create a lighter, airier texture, while butter imparts a rich, creamy flavor. Additionally, butter gives baked goods a golden color due to its milk solids, whereas shortening leads to lighter-colored results.
Nevertheless, you can use butter in place of shortening in baking at a ratio: of 1:1 (replace 1 cup shortening with 1 cup butter).
Butter is also a great substitute for vegetable shortening for greasing pans and making doughs.
2. Coconut Oil
If you’re out of vegetable shortening, coconut oil is another great one-to-one swap. Coconut oil at room temperate works well in vegan recipes, pie crusts, cookies, cakes and more.
Note, due to the subtle coconut flavor in coconut oil, this alternative will only work on recipes that can tolerate a subtle coconut flavor like tropical desserts.
- Ratio: 1:1 (replace 1 cup shortening with 1 cup coconut oil)
3. Lard
Lard, which is derived from pig fat is a great substitute for vegetable shortening (if you’re not vegan) as it creates super fluffy baked goods similar to shortening.
Due to lards neutral flavor and its really low moisture content, it can work well in all types of recipes and baked goods like pie crusts, biscuits, and more. if you don’t mind using animal fat in our baking.
For the best results, a Ratio: 1:1 is ideal.
4. Margarine
Margarine is another great way to replace vegetable shortening in a pinch. It can work well in most recipes that call for shortening including cookies, cakes, muffins and other baked goods.
It’s a good vegetable shortening if you’re looking to avoid dairy. Note, margarine does not offer the same richness or flakiness as shortening, but it can be a good substitute at a ratio of 1:1
5. Vegetable Oil
Another good substitute for vegetable shortening is vegetable oil. It works well as a vegetable shortening alternative if your recipe does not call for the solid texture of shortening.
It is best used in recipes that are more dense and need moisture like cakes, brownies, muffins, cupcakes etc. It is not the most ideal substitute for recipes that benefit from the flakiness and crispiness that vegetable shortening provides like pie crusts and certain pastries.
To substitute vegetable shortening with vegetable oil a ratio of ¾ cup vegetable oil for every 1 cup of shortening is ideal.
6. Ghee (Clarified Butter)
Another great sub for vegetable shortening is ghee. Ghee is clarified butter, meaning the milk solids and water have been removed, leaving only the pure butterfat. It’s rich and buttery in flavor and can be used in place of shortening to create tender, flavorful baked goods like cakes and cookies.
Because it’s pure fat, ghee can work similarly to shortening, at a 1:1 ratio. This means if a recipe calls for ½ cup of shortening, you can effectively replace this with ½ cup ghee.
7. Applesauce (For Baking)
For healthier baked goods like certain muffins or cakes, applesauce can be used a great sub for vegetable shortening.
Apple sauce is a great low fat substitute that adds moisture to your baked goods while reducing fat.
Note, applesauce won’t help with the flakiness or crispiness of your baked goods, so it’s better for soft, moist baked goods.
Applesauce also adds a natural sweetness, so it works well in cakes or muffins (note, these baked goods might benefit from lowering the quantity of added sugar as well).
If you want to give applesauce a try, substitute every 1 cup shortening called for in the recipe with 1 cup applesauce or a 1:1 substitute ratio.
8. Greek Yogurt
If you’re out of vegetable shortening or don’t want to use it, you can effectively replace it with Greek yogurt. This vegetable shortening substitute works best for making moist cakes, muffins and other baked goods that need some moisture.
Please note, Greek yogurt will add some tang to your recipe, so keep this in mind if you intend to use it instead of the neutral tasting vegetable shortening.
Greek yogurt is a great replacement for shortening in recipes where you want a soft, moist result. It’s also a healthier alternative, especially if you’re looking to lower the fat content of your recipe.
However, like applesauce, Greek yogurt doesn’t provide any flakiness, so it’s not ideal for pastry-based recipes.
A good ratio to use here is 1:1.
9. Mashed Bananas
Need another healthier way to replace vegetable shortening? Mashed bananas are exactly what you’re looing for!
Mashed bananas are the perfect ingredient for adding moisture and a soft texture to recipes like cakes, muffins and even quick breads.
Bananas also have a natural sweetness, so you may want to reduce other sugars in the recipe to balance the flavor. Also, while vegetable shortening is neutral flavored, mashed bananas will add a banana-like flavor to your recipe so keep this in mind.
Ratio: 1 cup shortening = 1 cup mashed banana
Best for: Health-conscious baking, especially in cakes, muffins, and quick breads.
10. Bacon Fat
Out of vegetable shortening? Bacon can rescue your recipe!
Bacon fat is an animal fat with a rich, savory flavor that can add a unique, smoky taste to baked goods and cooked dishes. It has similar properties to vegetable shortening in that it’s solid at room temperature and can help achieve a tender texture in baked goods. The high fat content also helps with moisture retention in recipes.
Bacon fat is best used as a sub for vegetable shortening in savory baked goods like biscuits, cornbread, or savory pie crusts, where its smoky flavor complements the dish.
Also, bacon fat is great for recipes where a flaky texture is needed, such as in pie crusts or puff pastry. Bacon fat is more flavorful than vegetable shortening, so it is likely to alter the final taste of your dish, so keep this in mind.
Finally, bacon fat is not ideal for sweet baked goods, as the smoky, salty bacon flavor will overpower the sweetness of baked goods like cakes, and cookies.
11. Vegan Butter
Vegan butter is a plant-based alternative to traditional dairy butter, made from a blend of vegetable oils, such as coconut, olive, or palm oil, along with ingredients like water, salt, and sometimes additives for flavor or texture.
It is designed to mimic the taste and consistency of dairy butter without using animal products.
Vegan butter is a good alternative to vegetable shortening in most baking recipes like cookies, cakes, and even pastries as it provides these baked goods with a tender, moist texture.
Vegan butter is slightly softer than vegetable shortening, so it is best to chill it before using it in recipes where you need to cut it into flour (like in pie crusts or biscuits).
Also, while vegan butter is a great sub in pastries and will help you make awesome flaky pastries and pie crusts, the final texture is likely to be slightly different because vegan butter is typically softer and contains water, which could affect the flakiness or crispiness in some recipes.
Lastly, many brands of vegan butter are salted, so if you’re using it as a substitute for vegetable shortening, you may need to reduce or eliminate the salt in your recipe to prevent the dish from becoming too salty.
A 1:1 ratio is ideal here. This means you can use the same amount of vegan butter as you would vegetable shortening in your recipe.
Each of these substitutes can work in different types of recipes, depending on the texture and flavor you’re aiming for. For best results, consider the role shortening plays in the recipe (e.g., for flakiness, moisture, or richness) and choose the substitute that fits your desired outcome.