How to Make Pie Crust without Shortening | Butter, Lard,

You can make a flaky pie crust without shortening by using cold butter, lard, solid coconut oil, or vegetable oil.

The pantry reveals the problem: the shortening tub is almost empty, or you’d rather avoid hydrogenated fats altogether. Either way, the pie crust feels like a roadblock. For decades, shortening was the default fat for flaky pastry. But it’s far from the only option—and many bakers argue it is not even the best one.

You can make a tender, flaky pie crust using butter, lard, coconut oil, or even plain vegetable oil. The trick is matching the fat to the recipe and handling the dough correctly. This guide runs through the best shortening substitutes, how to use them, and what to expect from each.

What Happens When You Skip the Shortening?

Shortening is 100% fat, while butter contains about 80–85% fat and 15–20% water. The water in butter turns to steam during baking, pushing the dough layers apart and creating flakiness. The milk solids give color and a rich flavor that shortening simply cannot deliver.

Lard is also close to pure fat and has an almost magical reputation among bakers for producing the flakiest crust—though you need leaf lard from around the pig’s kidneys to get the best result. Coconut oil and vegetable oil bring their own textures but behave differently in the mixing bowl.

When you substitute, technique shifts. Butter and lard must stay cold. Oil crusts don’t require chilling. The payoff is often a crust with more character than a shortening-only version.

Why Butter and Lard Are the Best Shortening Substitutes

Many home bakers assume shortening is necessary for a flaky crust. In a side-by-side test, shortening produced a neat, well-shaped crust but lacked the flakiness and depth of flavor most people want. Here is how the alternatives compare.

• Butter: best flavor and browning. The water content creates steam-flakiness, and the milk solids brown beautifully. It requires cold handling and careful mixing.
• Lard: flakiest crust. Leaf lard delivers an unmatched delicate texture. It is harder to find but worth seeking out for savory pies.
• Coconut oil: vegan option, mild coconut flavor. Use it solid, cut into the flour like butter. A 1:1 swap for lard works well.
• Vegetable oil: easiest to mix. No need to keep fat cold or cut it in. Oil crusts are tender but less flaky than butter or lard.

For a pie made in advance, butter or lard is your best bet. Both fats deliver sturdy, flavorful crusts that hold up well even after five days of storage.

How to Make an All-Butter or Lard Pie Crust

A basic no-shortening crust needs 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/3 cup cold butter or lard. Rub the fat into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized chunks. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just holds together.

The Prairie Homestead offers a straightforward version—see its simple shortening free pie crust for the exact method. Keep the fat very cold, work quickly, and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

An all-butter crust will brown more and taste richer. A lard crust will be more tender and flaky, with a mild, clean flavor. Both benefit from resting overnight in the fridge.

Each fat offers a different balance. For a classic fruit pie, butter is the top pick. For pure flakiness in a savory quiche, seek out leaf lard.

How to Work with Oil and Coconut Oil Crusts

Oil-based crusts are the simplest alternative because the fat doesn’t need to be kept cold or cut into the flour. Here is how to adapt your method to get the best results.

1. Choose your oil. Use vegetable or canola for a neutral flavor. Olive oil works for savory pies at a 1:1 replacement for lard.
2. Mix oil directly with flour. Stir until the mixture looks like damp sand—no cutting in required. Add ice water slowly; oil crusts need slightly less water than butter crusts.
3. For coconut oil, keep it solid. Cut it into the flour just as you would butter. If the oil melts during mixing, refrigerate the bowl for 10 minutes before proceeding.
4. Roll between parchment. Oil doughs are softer and more delicate. Rolling between two sheets of parchment prevents sticking without adding extra flour.
5. Expect a tender, less flaky crust. Oil crusts are ideal for quick weeknight pies or when you want a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Oil crusts won’t achieve the layered flakiness of butter or lard. They are best for recipes where tenderness matters more than lift.

Which Fat Holds Up Best Over Time?

If you need to make a pie a day or two ahead, the choice of fat matters. Serious Eats’ guide to the best fat for pie crust notes that butter and lard deliver sturdy, flavorful crusts that hold up well even after five days of storage. Shortening crusts can become mealy over the same period.

Oil-based crusts tend to soften, especially with wet fillings. They are best eaten the same day. Coconut oil crusts behave somewhere in between—they stay tender but can lose structure if the filling is very moist.

For advance prep, stick with butter or lard. Both keep well in the refrigerator wrapped tightly in plastic, and they re-crisp nicely with a few minutes in a hot oven.

The Bottom Line

You don’t need shortening for a great pie crust. Butter gives the richest flavor, lard delivers the flakiest layers, and oil offers the simplest method. Choose based on your recipe, your timeline, and your pantry.

For a sweet cherry pie, go all-butter and let it cool before slicing. For a chicken pot pie, lard or olive oil can add a savory twist. Experiment with the fat that fits your kitchen and your schedule.