Alternative for shortening for peanut butter cookies?!


Question: I don't have any shortening and the peanut butter cookies recipe requires 1/2 cup of shortening. Is there an alternative that I could use? thanks!


Answers: I don't have any shortening and the peanut butter cookies recipe requires 1/2 cup of shortening. Is there an alternative that I could use? thanks!

Do you have butter? Shortening and butter are interchangeable.

When I say butter and shortening are interchangeable I mean you can use either in your recipe and nothing gets ruined. One reason you might want to use shortening in a cookie recipe is that it melts at a higher temperature, so the dough holds its shape longer in the oven, allowing the flour and eggs to set before the cookie collapses and spreads. So it is possible to produce a cookie that does not spread very much. Using butter or margarine (which has a melting point only a degree or two above butter) produces a cookie that spreads out more. However, It is does not spread to the point that is no longer looks good and shortening in general does not really add flavor to your cookies, while butter does. And most importantly if you already have butter in your house and don't have shortening then you can save yourself a trip to the market.

Shortening and butter are not interchangeable. Cookies with butter will come out crispy and cookies with shortening will be softer. I suggest you go to the store and buy some shortening. You can't just change a major ingredient like that. Or ask a neighbor for some.

Here's one for you
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Mix, Bake at 325 8 min. No shortening necessary and they're good!

You can use butter or margarine although they do not have a high enough fat content it will work. You can also use cooking oil which has the same amount of fat as shortening but you may need to adjust the liquid content a bit to accommodate the texture difference.

Oh Contraire Butter and shortening are not directly interchangeable to a Baker( only a novice) . The butter can contain up to >10% water. Lard is a more precise alternative. However I would advise use a recipe that dosen't force you use alternative ingredients , or go get the right stuff.





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