Butter vs. shortening
 

I have a favorite recipe for Molasses Sugar Cookies that includes shortening. Is shortening still available for purchase
in grocery stores? Also, would it work to use butter in place of shortening?

I think shortening is Crisco. At least that's what I use. But all cookies taste better to me if I use butter or oleo/margarine instead.

Crisco makes Butter Flavored Vegetable Shortening Baking Sticks. I use it for any cookie recipe that calls for shortening. If the recipe doesn't specifically call for shortening then I use butter. Do I get a batch of those Molasses cookies for finding this info for you? :D

http://www.crisco.com/products/bakin...rtening-17-851

Here's what I found about substituting butter for shortening:

http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/bake/how-to-substitute-butter-for-shortening-when-baking/

I'd use shortening (Crisco) as the molasses will overpower the butter anyway

Real butter only.

Kerry Gold Butter yum!

butter wil make a crispier cookie, shortening will make a soft cookie. Its a texture thing. like in ginger snaps do you want them to snap or to bend,,,,,its a personal preference.

I use half shortening and half butter in my cookies. It's the best of both worlds.

For molasses cookies it is Crisco only for me. I have the best recipe handed down from my grandmother, but came off a bottle or Brer Rabbit molasses ( good luck finding that). I bake the cookie for about 8 minutes, take out of oven, very quickly put a small dab of jelly on each cookie then back In the oven for about 3 more minutes. My family likes grape jelly best but raspberry and strawberry are great too. This is a soft cookies that is rolled in sugar before baking. Believe me it is to die for even if you don't like molasses cookies.