How does substituting Butter for Margarine/Shortening affect the Recipe
I know that Margarine / Shortening are usually softer than butter, but what other differences are there? Can I just melt the butter and call it good or will this effect my final Product? I have seen Margarine / Shortening a lot in cookies, but I am looking for a general answer.
Best Answer
Here are the players:
- butter (~80% fat, salt varies)
- margarine (~80% fat, added salt)
- vegetable oil spread (less than 80% fat, salt varies)
- shortening (100% fat, no salt)
I only list it that way, because some people think a vegetable oil spread = margarine. It is not.
If you substitute an oil spread for butter, you could have problems.
My experience is that butter and true margarine can be substituted freely without negative results. Though, most people believe butter has a better flavor profile.
Salt content could also be a factor. Salt varies in different butter/margarine brands. I'm not sensitive to salt levels, but you might be.
Pictures about "How does substituting Butter for Margarine/Shortening affect the Recipe"
Quick Answer about "How does substituting Butter for Margarine/Shortening affect the Recipe"
In general, you can use a 1:1 ratio when substituting butter in place of shortening. Making this substitution may slightly alter the texture of your baked goods.What happens if you use butter instead of margarine in a recipe?
So if you decide to substitute butter for margarine in a baking recipe, the cookies, etc. will brown faster. Can they be used interchangeably? Yes, butter and margarine can usually be substituted for one another. If they can't the recipe will say so.Can you substitute butter or margarine for shortening?
If you start a baking project and realize that you're out of butter or shortening, don't panic. For most recipes, you can substitute butter for shortening or shortening for butter.Does using margarine instead of butter make a difference in cookies?
There isn't a huge difference. However, cookie recipes using butter will tend to be a bit more crumbly, chewy, and have a far richer flavor. Margarine produces a great flavor, but the texture will be slightly off as the cookies spread further than butter, causing crispier edges.When substituting butter for shortening Do you use the same amount?
No matter what you're using, use the same amount called for in your recipe. In other words, it should be a one-to-one swap. If your recipe calls for one cup of butter, you can use one cup of shortening and vice versa.How To Substitute Butter for Shortening | Ask the Expert
More answers regarding how does substituting Butter for Margarine/Shortening affect the Recipe
Answer 2
The water content in butter/margarine can be enough to make things rise from steam action that you do not want risen (shortbread type doughs which you want to keep shape), or make things wet which you want to stay dry (molten chocolate)... and some textures might rely on the fat not melting below a certain temperature, or quickly going from solid to thin liquid and back as temperature increases/decreases.
And some types of shortening are harder/more brittle than butter/margarine (thinking of eg classic Palmin here).
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Katerina Holmes, Katerina Holmes, Katerina Holmes, Monstera