Can you use butter in place of shortening for baking?!
Can you use butter in place of shortening for baking?
If so, how much? Do you measure it the same?
Additional Details1 week ago
just for basic peanut butter cookies
1 week ago
Thanks for the advice everyone. Actually for furture refference..... I decided to go ahead and make them with the butter even though the recipe called for shortening and they are delicious! Sort of flaky yet soft and they didnt have problems rising. So if anyone ever wants to try it. Go for it! You will be glad you did!
(That is at least for Peanut Butter cookies, it might not work so good for other things)
Answers:
1 week ago
just for basic peanut butter cookies
1 week ago
Thanks for the advice everyone. Actually for furture refference..... I decided to go ahead and make them with the butter even though the recipe called for shortening and they are delicious! Sort of flaky yet soft and they didnt have problems rising. So if anyone ever wants to try it. Go for it! You will be glad you did!
(That is at least for Peanut Butter cookies, it might not work so good for other things)
You can substitute butter for shortening at a one to one ratio. Here is the reason your recipe asks for shortening: Solid fats are, what bakers call, a levening agent. What happens with butter or shortening is that when you mix the ingredients, you break down the fat and encapsulate very small bits of fat with the other ingredients. When you bake the item, the fat melts and releases a little bitty steam bubble. That little bitty steam bubble makes a little pocket - and all those little pockets help with the rising and the spreading of the dough.
Butter and shortening melt at different rates under heat. Butter is fast, so it melts at a lower temp. Shortening takes longer, thus allowing the steam to build up longer, thus creating a bigger pocket.
You can do two things for you cookies - use half shortening and half butter and you will get great flavor with a better rise. OR you can use just butter, but I recommend chilling to dough first to get the butter cold so it takes longer to melt. This will help with the rise, too.
Please email me if you want more details on this -
Source(s):
Professional baker
Shortening is better if you are baking cookies(unless they are butter cookies). I find it makes a better product. It measures the same.
you'd be better to use margerine
Not really. Butter has a different flavor and a different texture.
Cooking is an art, baking a science. In some baking recipes, you can substitute but your results will be different. Butter in cookies, for example produces a cookie that is different in texture, taste and color than a cookie made with just shortening. Generally you substitute 1:1
Normally you will use the same amount. Butter will change the flavor of course. The texture may change, for instance I do not like pie crust made with butter. Shortening comes out fakier.
it depends on what you are cooking. if the recipe directly asks for shortening you should use it
You know it really does matter what you are making. for example if you are making homemade biscuits butter is wonderful as is Lard. but like others have said if it is cookies they will not be the same. And for Cakes I don't think I would even try. Good Luck!!
yes but in this instance I would use margarine it is more shortening like than butter which has more cream.