Making shortening at home is surprisingly simple: blend about three parts solid fat (like coconut oil) with one part liquid oil, then chill the mixture until it firms up. The result is a spreadable, scoopable fat that behaves like store-bought shortening in most recipes. You can also render animal fats like lard or tallow for a more traditional approach. Here’s how each method works and why shortening does what it does in baking.
What Shortening Actually Is
Shortening is any solid fat used in baking to create tender, flaky textures. The name comes from what the fat literally does: it “shortens” the structure of baked goods by coating flour particles and preventing them from forming long, stretchy gluten networks. When fat surrounds flour proteins before water reaches them, gluten can’t develop as fully. The result is a more crumbly, tender crumb in cookies and a flakier layers in pie crusts.
Commercial shortening like Crisco is made from soybean oil, fully hydrogenated palm oil, and palm oil, plus emulsifiers and antioxidants to extend shelf life. The FDA revoked authorization for partially hydrogenated oils in food as of December 2023, so modern commercial shortenings rely on full hydrogenation (which doesn’t create trans fats) combined with a process called interesterification, which rearranges fatty acid molecules to achieve the right firmness without the health risks of the old formulations.
Homemade Shortening With Coconut Oil
The easiest method uses a 3:1 ratio of refined coconut oil to a neutral liquid oil like canola, light olive oil, or rice bran oil. For a standard batch, that’s three-quarters cup of coconut oil to one-quarter cup of liquid oil. The coconut oil provides the solid structure, while the liquid oil keeps it soft and scoopable rather than rock-hard.
Start by melting the coconut oil just until it liquefies. You want it barely melted and as close to room temperature as possible. This matters because the final texture depends on the mixture solidifying quickly and evenly after blending. If the coconut oil is too hot, the fats will separate as they cool, leaving you with a greasy, grainy result instead of a smooth shortening.
Combine both oils in a food processor and blend for about one minute, scraping down the sides halfway through. Pour the mixture into an ice cube tray or small container and place it in the freezer to set. Once solid, transfer it to the refrigerator for storage. This homemade version works well in pie crusts, biscuits, and cookies, though it has a slightly lower melting point than commercial shortening, so it may soften faster in warm kitchens.
Use refined coconut oil rather than virgin if you want a neutral flavor. Virgin coconut oil will add a noticeable coconut taste that comes through in lighter baked goods.
Rendering Lard or Tallow
Before vegetable shortening existed, lard (pork fat) and tallow (beef fat) were the standard solid cooking fats. Rendering your own is straightforward, and many bakers prefer the results. Lard produces exceptionally flaky pie crusts, while tallow has a higher smoke point that makes it excellent for frying.
To render either fat, cut raw fat into small cubes (half-inch or smaller) or ask your butcher to grind it. Place the fat in a heavy pot or slow cooker over very low heat. Add a few tablespoons of water to prevent scorching in the early stages. As the fat melts, it separates from the connective tissue. This process takes two to four hours on the stovetop or six to eight hours in a slow cooker. Stir occasionally.
Once the solid bits (called cracklings) have turned golden and float in clear liquid fat, strain everything through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into clean jars. The rendered fat will solidify at room temperature into a white or off-white block that scoops and measures just like commercial shortening. Lard is relatively mild in flavor. Tallow has a distinctly savory, beefy quality that works beautifully in savory pastries and fried foods but may not suit delicate desserts.
You can substitute lard or tallow for vegetable shortening at a 1:1 ratio in most recipes.
Why Shortening Works Differently Than Butter
Butter is roughly 80% fat and 20% water and milk solids. Shortening is nearly 100% fat. That difference matters in baking. The water in butter creates steam, which helps with rise in puff pastry and croissants but can also activate gluten and toughen doughs if overworked. Shortening coats flour proteins more completely because there’s no water competing for contact with the flour.
Shortening also stays solid at higher temperatures. Vegetable shortening has a smoke point around 220°C (428°F), compared to butter’s 150°C (302°F). In practical terms, this means shortening holds its shape in dough longer during baking, which is why pie crusts made with shortening tend to be flakier and hold their form better, while butter crusts are richer in flavor but can slump more in the oven.
Many experienced bakers use a combination of both: shortening for structure and flakiness, butter for flavor. A common split is half and half, though you can adjust to your preference.
Storage and Shelf Life
Commercial shortening is remarkably stable. Unopened, it keeps at room temperature for about eight months. After opening, it stays good for about three months at room temperature, according to USDA guidelines. Store it in a cool, dark spot with the lid sealed.
Homemade coconut oil shortening is less stable. Keep it refrigerated and use it within a few weeks. If it develops an off smell or yellowish tint, the oils have started to go rancid. Rendered lard and tallow last longer, especially if carefully strained of all meat particles. Stored in sealed jars in the refrigerator, they keep for several months. In the freezer, both can last up to a year.
Choosing the Right Method
Your best option depends on what you’re baking and what you have on hand. The coconut oil method is fast, vegan, and works for most recipes where you’d use Crisco. Rendered lard is the classic choice for pie crusts and biscuits, producing a flakiness that’s hard to beat. Tallow is ideal for frying and savory applications.
For the closest match to commercial shortening’s neutral flavor and firm texture, the coconut oil blend is your best bet. For the best-tasting pie crust most bakers have ever had, leaf lard (the fat from around a pig’s kidneys, which is the mildest in flavor) is worth seeking out from a butcher. Either way, you’ll end up with a solid cooking fat with no additives, no mystery ingredients, and a texture you can adjust by tweaking the ratio of solid to liquid fat.