What can I replace shortening with?
 

Long story; I have a coworker who is born in America and moved to Sweden for love. She'd done some Hershey's Kisses cookies that were candy also to the eyes. I now got hold of some Hershey's kisses and want to make some of them.

However, the recipe calls for shortening. We don't have that in Sweden. I looked at what shortening contained and I felt that it was not for me... I prefer as little processing to go into my raw materials as possible. I'm a cream and butter kinda girl.

So the question is, can I replace shortening with butter? Do I perhaps need to add something else to the mix to get the same texture? I do want the pretty cookies looking as nice as hers did.

The cookies are called Hershey's Kisses Peanut Butter cookies and can be found on Hershey's web page.

http://www.cooks.com/recipe/lv2ae5y1...ey-kisses.html
I am sure butter would be fine I know I use it instead of shortning

I don't know about your Hershey's Kisses Peanut Butter cookies, but I can tell you that I have made the Quaker Oats "Oatmeal Cookie" recipe for more years than I like to remember. The original recipe called for shortening. Now the recipe uses butter. They are baked at 350 degrees F. Butter could burn if your oven is too hot. I'd try a small batch of your recipe. Can it be cut in half? I looked at the recipe and cutting in half isn't a good option, because it uses 1 egg. If you could find some really small eggs, cutting in half might work. I would bake at 350 degrees for a few minutes longer and use butter. These days, I am like you, I don't use shortening for very much of my cooking.

Have fun and let us know how they came out.

Even if it doesn't cut in half very well I can still make the recipe and just bake one or two cookies off. If it doesn't turn out ok I might add some more flower or something and try again. Most stuff in the recipe is pretty cheap stuff, it's just the kisses that are hard to find. :)

Thanks for the help. I'll get back to you!

After making the cookie dough cut it in half or quarters then only use that amount (a half or quarter) of the Hershey's kisses. If you don't like it then add something else like nuts or left over candy from some other project. One thing I would definitely use is parchment/baking paper. I use it for all my baking even on the non-stick pans. it's easier to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Just slide the paper onto the rack.

Thank you! Well, it's only one kiss per cookie. :)

We don't have the non-stick pans so baking paper is what I always use. But thanks anyway.

It amazes me how different our countries are when it comes to cooking. When I go into an american store I find it very difficult (and expensive) to find any non-processed groceries. Sweden is generally considered to be a rather expensive country, but I get a large container of full cream for about a dollar. A pound of butter is a couple of dollars and good meat locally produced is also comparably low priced. I had trouble even finding real butter in the american store. I was later told I choose the wrong chain... who knew? :o

As an engineer I've seen to much of the food industry to have anything processed. Expensive and important nutrients tends to be exchanged for cheaper stuff (mostly cheap carbs). How things are processed in the body is still measured in the same way as in the 1950's.

I really don't want you to take this the wrong way, but for me I don't do margarine at all. If it works for you - I'm glad. My blood works are excellent even though I eat a lot of cream and butter. :) It will not stay that way if I eat too many of these cookies though... but I believe that will be because the sugars. I'll just have one and then tempt everyone else with the rest. :p:thumbup:

here is a list:
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articl...hortening.html

I found this on the Better Homes and Gardens website. I substitute all the time, and do find that the consistency sometimes changes, but not enough to ruin what I am baking.

"Generally, you can use butter or margarine in place of shortening, but making this substitution may slightly alter the texture of baked goods.

Shortening is 100 percent fat, but butter and margarine are composed of about 85 percent fat and 15 percent water. Though this additional liquid may change the consistency of the sweets you bake, butter and margarine’s rich, pleasing flavors and texture usually outweigh the disadvantages.

Cookies made with butter or margarine may be softer and spread out a little more. In cakes and breads, the substitution is rarely noticeable. Piecrust made with butter or margarine not be as flaky as one made with shortening."

Do not use whipped butters, margarines, or blends in baking.

Butter would make a good substitute. IMHO.