Shortening Substitute for Vegetable Oil
Shortening has zero water. That’s why it makes pie crusts so flaky. Water creates steam, which makes gluten tough. Shortening? No steam, no toughness. Pure tenderness.
Here’s a weird fact: Shortening was originally made from cottonseed oil. Yes, the same plant used for T-shirts. Your cookies were once wearing a shirt.
Can You Substitute Shortening With Vegetable Oil at Laura McDonald blog
Today, most shortening is soy or palm oil. It’s still a magical engineering feat. Scientists literally re-arranged hydrogen atoms to create a solid fat from a liquid. Show offs.