Best Baking & Cooking Shortenings of 2026
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Baking and cooking shortenings are versatile ingredients that can be used in a variety of recipes. These shortenings are made from vegetable oils and are often used in baking to create flaky crusts and tender cakes. They can also be used for frying and sautéing, as they have a high smoke point and can withstand high temperatures. Baking and cooking shortenings come in different forms, including solid, liquid, and spray, making them easy to use in any recipe. They are an essential ingredient in many kitchens and can help elevate the quality of any dish.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
Top 8 Baking & Cooking Shortenings
SCP South Chicago Packing Wagyu Beef Tallow 42oz
The SCP Wagyu Beef Tallow is a 42-ounce can of pure, high-quality Wagyu beef fat with a smooth, butter-like texture. This makes it perfect for sautéing, searing, and cooking your favorite dishes with ease. If you follow a Paleo or Keto diet, you’ll appreciate that this product fits perfectly into those lifestyles, offering a clean and approved fat source. It also provides a healthy balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which support your overall well-being. Plus, it’s free from artificial trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils, so you can cook with confidence and enjoy natural, wholesome ingredients.
SCP LARD Specialty Baking Shortening and Cooking Fat, 42 Ounces
SCP LARD Specialty Baking Shortening and Cooking Fat is a 42-ounce can of natural and sustainable lard, that is gluten-free and contains no artificial trans fats, partially hydrogenated oils or artificial ingredients. It outperforms solid vegetable shortenings in a variety of dishes, including tortillas, fried chicken, pie crusts, biscuits, breads, and cakes at a fraction of the cost of butter. SCP LARD has a superior taste, and is perfect for those who prefer a clean label. It also promotes nose-to-tail usability, with minimal processing.
Aux Délices des Bois Bacon Fat 11 oz
Aux Délices Bacon Fat offers you a pure and rich cooking fat made from real pork bacon, carefully rendered in small batches to ensure top quality and flavor. It’s free from seed oils, carbs, and trans fats, making it a great choice if you follow keto, paleo, or low-carb diets, or if you want to avoid processed vegetable oils. With a high smoke point of 325°F, this bacon fat is perfect for frying, roasting, sautéing, and baking, giving you a stable and tasty alternative to butter or other oils. Plus, it adds a smoky, savory flavor to your meals, enhancing everything from eggs to cornbread.
Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening
Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening, also known as Crisco Shortening, is a must-have in every pantry. This classic blue can is versatile and can be used for baking, frying, or simply to elevate your cooking skills. It is perfect for creating flaky pie crusts, soft cakes and cookies, and fluffy frostings. With its gluten-free and kosher attributes, Crisco Shortening caters to various dietary needs. Whether you are a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, Crisco Shortening is here to make your culinary creations shine.
Stellar 100% Grass-Fed Beef Tallow 3 lbs
Stellar Beef Tallow offers a pure cooking fat made from 100% grass-fed beef, free from any additives or artificial ingredients. This means you can enjoy a natural beef flavor in your meals without worrying about unwanted chemicals. Its high smoke point makes it perfect for frying, roasting, or sautéing, giving you a reliable and stable cooking option that won’t burn easily. The rich, savory taste adds depth and a satisfying umami flavor to your dishes, elevating everyday recipes. Plus, its versatility lets you use it for everything from crispy fries to flaky pie crusts, helping you create delicious meals with ease.
4th & Heart Grass-Fed Ghee Butter, 9 Ounce
Enjoy the delicately seasoned, light and creamy whipped texture of 4th & Heart's Himalayan Pink Salt Grass-Fed Ghee Butter, sourced from grass-fed, pasture-raised, antibiotic and hormone free New Zealand cows. The ghee is spreadable at room temperature and requires no refrigeration. Cooked the old-fashioned way without a centrifuge, this lactose-free ghee is perfect for upgrading any recipe by replacing your current butter, olive oil, coconut oil or other cooking oil 1:1 with ghee.
Future Essentials Powdered Shortening 12 oz
The Future Essentials Shortening Powder offers a convenient 12-ounce can of dehydrated shortening that can be quickly rehydrated with water. This makes it a handy cooking fat for both emergency preparedness and everyday use. With a shelf life of 3 to 5 years, you can store it long-term without worrying about spoilage. When used in baking, it helps create a light, fluffy, and flaky texture in your baked goods, enhancing their quality. This powdered form saves you time and effort, making your cooking process smoother and more efficient.
Rainbow Farms Ghee Butter 9 oz
Rainbow Farms Ghee Butter is made from grass-fed French Sevre butter, giving you a high-quality clarified butter that supports a healthy lifestyle. Since it's keto and paleo-friendly, you can easily include it in your low-carb or ancestral diet, making meal prep simpler. This ghee is free from GMOs and preservatives, so you get a natural product without unwanted additives. Plus, it contains no lactose, gluten, sodium, sugar, trans fats, or casein, making it suitable for people with certain dietary restrictions or sensitivities. With added vitamins A, E, and K, it also offers nutritional benefits beyond regular butter.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are the 4 kinds of shortening that usually used in baking?
The four types of shortening commonly used in baking are solid, liquid, all-purpose, and cake or icing shortening. These different forms of shortening provide varying textures and functionalities in different baking applications.
2. Why shortening is not used in baking anymore?
Shortening has become less popular in baking due to its high trans fat content. Trans fats have been linked to negative health effects, leading to a decline in the use of shortening in baking recipes. Other healthier alternatives, such as butter or oils, are often preferred in modern baking.
3. Do professional bakers use shortening?
Yes, professional bakers do use shortening in certain instances, especially in cake making. They use a specific type of shortening called high ratio shortening, which is made up of 100% fat and contains added emulsifiers. This type of shortening is designed specifically for baking purposes.
4. Which is better for you Crisco or butter?
When it comes to nutrition, butter is considered to be a healthier option compared to shortening like Crisco. Butter offers more nutritional value and is considered more natural and heart-healthy. However, it's important to consume fats in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
During our baking & cooking shortening research, we found 13 baking & cooking shortening products and shortlisted 8 quality products. We collected and analyzed 123,604 customer reviews through our big data system to write the baking & cooking shortenings list. We found that most customers choose baking & cooking shortenings with an average price of $29.22.
The baking & cooking shortenings are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of baking & cooking shortenings, including SCP South Chicago Packing, AUX DELICES DES BOIS, Crisco, STELLAR CHEMICAL CORP, 4th & Heart. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 826 consumers with an average rating of 4.7.
Ashley Abels is a former restaurant executive and has worked in the restaurant industry for 15 years. She is also a gourmet who loves tasting different cuisines and trying out all kinds of cooking methods. The food she writes about will make you want to try it!
Baking & Cooking Shortenings Comparison Table
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| Brand | SCP South Chicago Packing | SCP South Chicago Packing | AUX DELICES DES BOIS | Crisco | STELLAR CHEMICAL CORP | 4th & Heart | Future Essentials | Rainbow Farms |
| Units | 42.0 Ounce | 42.0 Ounce | 11 Fluid Ounces | 96.0 Ounce | 32.0 Ounce | 1 Count | 12 Ounce | 9.0 Ounce |
| Item Weight | 42 Ounces | 42 Ounces | 11 Ounces | 6 Pounds | 3 Pounds | 9 ounces | 12 Ounces | 9 ounces |
| Item Form | Solid | Solid | Liquid | Liquid | Tallow | - | Powder | - |
| Flavor | Beef | - | - | Vegetable | Unflavored | Butter | - | Unsalted |
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