How does replacing some butter with shortening affect rising / leavening in cookies (biscuits)?
I have been replacing half (half a cup) of the butter called for by some cookie recipes with half a cup of shortening and have noticed that some of these cookies rise less than I expect.
Is there any difference in rising power of butter compared to shortening? If so, how do I counteract that difference?
Best Answer
To answer this question we should turn to the oracle: http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/season3/Cookie/CookieTranscript.htm
The relevant quote is:
"Nothing affects a cookie's texture more than the melting characteristics of its fat. Butter has a sharp melting point meaning that, uh, just a few degrees difference between a solid and liquid states. So since conversion occurs at a relatively low temperature, the resulting batter spreads prior to setting."
The problem is that shortening melts at a higher temperature than butter and so cookies made with shortening typically rise more than butter made cookies. Thus your rising problems are probably not caused by the type of fat.
I suspect that the temperature of your fat might be causing the problem. If your butter came from the fridge and the shortening was room temperature then the shortening cookies would melt faster and rise less.
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Can you use shortening instead of butter in cookies?
The answer is yes, butter or shortening can be used interchangeably in baked goods and can be used as a one-to-one swap. However, be wary that the results - your baked goods - will be a bit different depending on which fat you use because butter and shortening are two very different ingredients.What does shortening do for cookies?
Shortening is 100% fat, containing no water. That means no steam is created during baking which effectively reduces gluten production, so shortening cookies tend to be softer and more tender. Also, shortening has a higher melting point than butter, resulting in taller cookies.What is the difference between shortening and butter in baking?
The general difference that affects baking, is that shortening is 100 percent fat, whereas butter is only 80 percent. This is because butter contains up to 16% moisture and around 2% milk solids.What does too much shortening do to cookies?
All shortening makes cookies puff. Use all butter or half shortening and half butter or all butter. Bring the dough to room temperature before baking.Butter vs. Shortening: Which is BETTER? | Baking Basics
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