How to Cut Shortening in a Pie Crust

Through substituting butter or margarine for shortening in a crust, a different texture can be achieved.

Pie crusts, known for their flaky texture, are used to hold a variety of both sweet and savory fillings. Shortening is the most common ingredient used to create this consistency in the baked dough. However, when not available to use or when attempting to cut fat in the crust, substitutions can be made -- margarine or butter being the most common. While shortening is 100 percent fat, margarine and butter are only 80 percent, and allow shortening to be cut in a crust recipe.

Things You'll Need

• Pie crust recipe
• Shortening
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Butter or margarine

Instructions

1. Examine the recipe and look at how much shortening is called for.

2. Replace shortening in a recipe by a 1-to-1 ratio with butter or margarine.

3. Lessen any other liquid ingredients by 1/2 tbsp. for every 1/2 cup of butter or margarine added.

4. Ensure you keep the dough chilled, and only add cold margarine or butter in lieu of shortening, because they have lower melting temperatures than their fat counterpart.

5. Cut in the butter or margarine as fast as you are able to -- if possible, use a food processor to pulse it until you get a coarse-texture dough, with pea-sized lumps.

6. Continue with the recipe as written to complete your dough.

Tips & Warnings

• Substitute virgin coconut oil in the same manner you would add margarine or butter in order to add healthy cholesterol to the recipe.

• The best crusts, with both flavor and texture, are made from half butter, half shortening recipes.

• The more butter in the dough, the less flaky the crust .

• Be careful not to over mix the dough, otherwise it will loose its flaky and light texture.

References

• The New Homemaker: Making the Perfect Pie Crust
• Scope: What makes a better pie crust: butter or shortening?
• CHOW: Basic Butter and Shortening Pastry Pie Dough Recipe