Shortening

Shortening is a fat used in baking and cooking to make baked goods tender, crumbly, or flaky.

Shortening is a fat used in baking and cooking to make baked goods tender, crumbly, or flaky. In modern usage, the term most often refers to vegetable shortening, a solid fat at room temperature, though it can also refer more broadly to other fats such as butter or lard used for the same purpose. It is a standard baking ingredient in Canadian home and commercial kitchens, especially in pastry, pie crust, and cookie recipes.

Definition and terminology

Shortening is a culinary term for fats used to create a shorter, more crumbly texture in baked goods. Dictionaries and food references note that the word can also refer more generally to the act of making something shorter, but in cooking it means a fat used for this purpose.

Function in baking

Shortening limits gluten development in dough and batter, which helps produce tender, crisp, or flaky results. Food science sources explain that fats interfere with gluten formation, creating the crumbly texture associated with pastries and similar products.

Types and modern usage

Historically, shortening could mean butter, lard, or other solid fats, but today it commonly refers to vegetable shortening made from hydrogenated oils. Some sources also describe all fats solid at room temperature as shortenings, including margarine and lard.

History and processing

Modern vegetable shortening emerged in the early 1900s and became widely used in American kitchens. Food references describe it as a processed fat with a long shelf life and neutral flavour.