I finally switched from butter to shortening for pie crusts and the difference was huge

I was stuck on butter for years because of the flavor, but after 3 failed soggy bottoms in a row I tried shortening and got my flakiest crust yet - anyone else made that swap and had mixed feelings about the taste trade-off?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_olivia1mo ago

My friend swears by shortening now after her apple pie kept turning into soup. She says the crust is perfect but admits the flavor is a little like eating a really good pillow. She just loads up on cinnamon to make up for it.

claireg811mo ago

My grandmother swore by that same trick and she always said the secret was using half butter half shortening. That way you still get the buttery taste but the crust stays flaky and doesn't turn into a soggy mess. I tried it last Thanksgiving with my apple pie and honestly it was the best crust I ever made, no soup at the bottom at all. The flavor thing is real though, you just have to work with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and even a little clove to cover up that blandness. Some people brush the top with melted butter before baking too, that helps add richness without ruining the texture. Have you tried that mix or does your friend just stick with straight shortening?