Sometimes you need a shortening or firming agent when baking a delicious gluten-free treat, like a cake or pie. But what can you use besides butter or margarine? Many chefs turn to Crisco Vegetable Shortening, which can replace butter or margarine in any recipe. But is it really gluten-free?
Yes, Crisco Shortening is gluten-free. The manufacturer does not add any wheat or gluten-based ingredients into its recipe. However, individuals who are highly sensitive to gluten should be careful because Crisco Shortening is made in a shared environment so there is a possibility for cross-contamination. The best gluten-free alternative to Crisco Shortening is Nutiva Organic Vegan Shortening.
Even with that potential downside, Crisco Shortening simply being labeled as gluten-free will be enough for many individuals who want something flexible and versatile for their baking adventures. Today, let’s take a closer look at Crisco Shortening and its exact ingredients, plus explore some other gluten-free alternatives you can check out.
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No Gluten vs. Gluten-Free
As anyone with gluten sensitivity already knows, there’s a big difference between something having no gluten and something actually being gluten-free.
In general, a product labeled as “no gluten” simply means that there aren’t any intended gluten products or ingredients in the food item. But this does not discount the possibility of cross-contamination (i.e. a food product is made in a shared production environment, so some gluten or wheat particles may end up in the finished product by accident).
Gluten-free, in contrast, is usually meant to show that a food item has been prepared with gluten sensitivity in mind from start to finish. Such products are usually made in safe environments and are checked for gluten by the manufacturer (though this is not always true, unfortunately).
Crisco is the former. According to the official website for the manufacturer, none of their products, including their vegetable shortening, have any gluten-containing ingredients. They are also allergen-free in other ways, lacking dairy, eggs, fish, nuts, wheat, and other common allergenic ingredients.
But this does not mean that Crisco Vegetable Shortening is actually gluten-free like you might hope. It just means that gluten isn’t intended to be part of the product. You should still keep in mind that cross-contamination can (and most likely does) occur, even to a very slight extend. If you are highly sensitive to gluten, you may wish to go with a different brand of vegetable shortening to prevent any side effects.
Are Crisco’s Baking Sticks Also Gluten-Free?
Yes. The baking sticks are very similar to traditional sticks of butter or margarine, whereas “regular” shortening is just like a creamy tub of butter that you can spread onto a recipe using a butter knife.
Although there are a few ingredient differences, the baking sticks are essentially the same product as regular Crisco Shortening, just packaged differently. The baking sticks are very beneficial for some chefs because they have measurement markers on their outer wrappers. We’ll break down the exact ingredients of both types of Crisco Shortening products below.
Which type of shortening is best? Regular or sticks?
Both can work. As noted above, the Crisco sticks and regular tubs of shortening are functionally identical since they have the same ingredients in the same proportions of ingredients. The only difference between the two types of products is that the sticks come with easy to measure markers on their sides.
You can take a butter knife and simply cut into the shortening at the exact amount you need, which can make the sticks a little easier to use for baking purposes. However, the tubs of shortening might be a little more cost-effective since they tend to have more shortening per purchase than the collections of sticks. In any case, neither is strictly “better” than the other.
Crisco Shortening Nutritional Information
Depending on how you like your vegetable shortening to taste, Crisco has a few different options available. Let’s break down each of their core shortening varieties and examine their ingredients so you can know for sure that they are gluten-free.
Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening
This is Crisco’s basic vegetable shortening option, and it’s available in 1 pound, 3 pound, and 6 pound cans depending on how much you need.
Its ingredients are:
- Soybean oil
- Fully hydrogenated palm oil
- Palm oil
- Monoglycerides
- Diglycerides
- TBHQ
- Citric acid
Nutrition Facts:
- 110 cal per serving
- 12 g fat or 15% DV
- 5 g saturated fat or 16% DV
- <1 g carbohydrate
Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening Baking Sticks
These vegetable shortening baking sticks are functionally identical to the above vegetable shortening, but they come in one cup sticks (3 or 1 per package depending on how much you need).
Its ingredients are:
- Soybean oil
- Fully hydrogenated palm oil
- Palm oil
- Monoglycerides
- Diglycerides
- TBHQ
- Citric acid
Nutrition Facts:
- 110 cal per serving
- 12 g fat or 15% DV
- 5 g saturated fat or 16% DV
- <1 g carbohydrate
Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
Alternatively, maybe you want some vegetable shortening that tastes closer to the butter you know and love. In that case, Crisco has you covered with this butter-flavored vegetable shortening.
Its ingredients are:
- Soybean oil
- Fully hydrogenated palm oil
- Palm oil
- Monoglycerides
- Diglycerides
- TBHQ
- Citric acid
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Beta-carotene
Nutrition Facts:
- 110 cal per serving
- 12 g fat or 15% DV
- 5 g saturated fat or 16% DV
- <1 g carbohydrate
Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening Baking Sticks
Lastly is Crisco’s butter-flavored all-vegetable shortening baking sticks. These are, again, identical ingredient-wise to the basic butter-flavored vegetable shortening. But the shortening is separated into easy-to-measure baking sticks.
Its ingredients are:
- Soybean oil
- Fully hydrogenated palm oil
- Palm oil
- Monoglycerides
- Diglycerides
- TBHQ
- Citric acid
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Beta-carotene
Nutrition Facts:
- 110 cal per serving
- 12 g fat or 15% DV
- 5 g saturated fat or 16% DV
- <1 g carbohydrate
Healthy Gluten-Free Alternatives to Crisco Shortening
If you’d rather have an alternative to Crisco’s shortening products, you’re in luck. There are lots of gluten-free shortenings you can try, some of which are made with completely different ingredients. Let’s take a look at some of these alternatives now.
Nutiva Organic Vegan Shortening
Nutiva’s Organic Vegan Shortening is exactly what it sounds like: a healthy, organic, and gluten-free shortening option that’s also perfect for vegans. It offers a creamy texture thanks to its unique blend of coconut oils and red palm oil. It also offers a very basic ingredient list.
Its ingredients are:
- Organic palm fruit oil
- Organic unrefined red palm oil
- Organic unrefined virgin coconut oil
Nutrition Facts:
- 130 cal per serving
- 14 g fat or 22% DV
- 2% DV of vitamin A
Spectrum Organic All-Vegetable Shortening
Spectrum’s All-Vegetable Shortening is also completely organic, and it features arguably the shortest ingredient list you can find on the market for vegetable shortening is. With 0 g of trans fat, it’s a fantastic and overall healthy alternative to both butter and margarine. Even better, it’s made from sustainable palm oil by sustainable farms located in Columbia.
Its ingredients are:
- Expeller pressed organic palm fruit oil
Nutrition Facts:
- 110 cal per serving
- 12 g fat or 15% DV
Market Pantry All Vegetable Shortening
If you want something affordable and very easy to find at your local grocery store, go with a staple brand like Market Pantry. This brand also offers a gluten-free vegetable shortening with 50% less saturated fat compared to most other butter varieties. It’s certified kosher and great for all kinds of baked goods.
Its ingredients are:
- Soybean oil
- Hydrogenated palm oil
- Palm oil
- Monoglycerides
- Diglycerides
- TBHQ
- Citric acid
Nutrition Facts:
- 110 cal per serving
- 12 g fat or 15% DV
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Crisco Shortening is not made with any ingredients containing gluten and is intended to be gluten-free. While there is a possibility for cross-contamination, folks with gluten sensitivity can feel safe to try this shortening themselves. But you can also check out some of the alternatives above to ensure that your baked treats retain their shape and consistency as you cook.
Related Questions
Is shortening typically dairy-free?
Yes. In fact, that’s one of the reasons why it is seen as a good alternative to butter or margarine. Most vegetable shortening brands are also suitable for vegans because they lack dairy ingredients like cream or milk.
Is Crisco healthier than regular butter?
Technically, no. While Crisco and most of the vegetable shortening brands have less saturated fat compared to butter and lard, these products are also usually highly processed. Thus, they don’t offer many (or any) health advantages. In some cases, they might actually be less nutritious than butter or lard depending on the rest of your diet.
What can Crisco be used for overall?
Crisco’s Vegetable Shortening can be used for all kinds of baking needs, including baking cookies, cakes, and pie crusts. When used properly, this shortening product should create a tender and flaky baked product, even when using gluten-free alternatives to wheat or other traditional baking substances.