Cake Cookie Question...

I can probably research this on my own, but I'd like to see if the answer is here on NCT.

What will be the effect of the same cake cookie recipe by substituting the 1/2 cup of oil with the same amount of either butter, margarine or Crisco? Will one or the other change the physical appearance of the cookies?

I am interested in this, too. I do it all the time, but only the one way, so I am never sure how it would have been the other way. I always use butter, no matter what the recipe says, not sure why, I just always have.

I feel like I am always asked this question. lol

A cookie made with all shortening with be puffy but will maintain its original shape.

A cookie made with butter will spread and be crisper especially if the dough is too soft before baking which is why one is often told to refrigerate the dough before baking. Melting the butter and adding it to the sugar (especially brown sugar) will assist along with bread flour in creating a chewy cookie.

Normally one does not want to substitute oil for shortening in a cookie recipe. To do so substitute 3 parts oil for every 4 parts solid fat but you will have to use more sugar and eggs in the recipe. That being said, I have seen mandel bread recipes that call for oil in them. Those are a twice baked cookie like biscotti and tend to be hard.

JoeV said:

I can probably research this on my own, but I'd like to see if the answer is here on NCT.

What will be the effect of the same cake cookie recipe by substituting the 1/2 cup of oil with the same amount of either butter, margarine or Crisco? Will one or the other change the physical appearance of the cookies?

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Are you talking about cake mix cookies? If you melt the butter and let it cool, you should be able to replace the oil with little effect.

PieSusan said:

I feel like I am always asked this question. lol

A cookie made with all shortening with be puffy but will maintain its original shape.

A cookie made with butter will spread and be crisper especially if the dough is too soft before baking which is why one is often told to refrigerate the dough before baking. Melting the butter and adding it to the sugar (especially brown sugar) will assist along with bread flour in creating a chewy cookie.

Normally one does not want to substitute oil for shortening in a cookie recipe. To do so substitute 3 parts oil for every 4 parts solid fat but you will have to use more sugar and eggs in the recipe. That being said, I have seen mandel bread recipes that call for oil in them. Those are a twice baked cookie like biscotti and tend to be hard.

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That all makes perfect good sense. So, now, what about the sub in a cake. I am making one tomorrow that calls for a cup and a half of oil and I will use butter. What will be the difference. When my friend made hers she used oil, but that was two years ago that I had it, so I dont remember. Thanks for Help.

Just do the same. Melt the same amount of butter and let it cool. It should be fine.

Actually there is water in the butter that you aren't accounting for, Mama. I don't remember the formula off the top of my head but I do know that when you use oil, you use less and add some water. You would have to google. Maybe the crisco website will tell you.

Come to think of it, why not just make a chiffon cake that uses oil, instead. Then, you will sidestep the issue. Often, when one tries to substitute oil for butter in a cake, you wind up with a less than good result.

Or even an Italian polenta cake that uses olive oil. Nick Malgieri has recipes in his Italian baking book.

PieSusan said:

Come to think of it, why not just make a chiffon cake that uses oil, instead. Then, you will sidestep the issue. Often, when one tries to substitute oil for butter in a cake, you wind up with a less than good result.

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No, I have the exact cake in mind that I intend to make. It is a Hummingbird Cake tomorrow. I have never used oil and I am always happy with using the butter. I just wondered what would be the exact difference.

Now a Chiffon Cake does sound nice, too .... I havent had one of those since the 60's. My grandmother got on a big Orange Chiffon Cake kick there for a year or so and I remember them quite fondly. Do you have a good receipt for one ??

If if t was me, for a cup and a half of oil, I'd use between 1 3/4 and 2 cups of butter (melted and cooled). The texture will be a little different when using butter but it should still be a great cake. Or, you could use clarified butter, in which case, I'd substitute equal amounts since clarified butter is almost all fat.

Good choice of cake, by the way! Hummingbird cakes are awesome!

If it's a small amount of oil (1/2 cup or less) I'd sub an equal amount of butter (melted and cooled).

DownByTheRiverSide said:

No, I have the exact cake in mind that I intend to make. It is a Hummingbird Cake tomorrow. I have never used oil and I am always happy with using the butter. I just wondered what would be the exact difference.

Now a Chiffon Cake does sound nice, too .... I havent had one of those since the 60's. My grandmother got on a big Orange Chiffon Cake kick there for a year or so and I remember them quite fondly. Do you have a good receipt for one ??

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http://www.joyofbaking.com/HummingbirdCake.html
Made with oil

Now you want an Orange Chiffon Cake recipe, too?

My favorite Orange Chiffon Cake is Carole Walter's:
http://seacoastauction.com/2005news/04062005/it/35412.htm

isn't Crisco the same as margarine?

chocolate moose said:

isn't Crisco the same as margarine?

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NO!

And I think I remember having a discussion with Mav here, about cak mix cookies.
Do a search under that title. Or check Mav's posts.

Mama said:

Are you talking about cake mix cookies? If you melt the butter and let it cool, you should be able to replace the oil with little effect.

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Yes, I'm speaking about my Oatmeal Raisin Cake Cookies. I'll be making these for table favors for DD's wedding (this is her favorite cookie) in July...2 per guest x 150 guests = 300 cookies, plus another 30-50 to have at the house for when the bridal party and out of town guests come back to the house before the reception. We'll be putting them in clear cellophane bags, tied with thin ribbon matching the bridesmaid's dresses. I made a batch using a #40 disher and got 30 cookies at 2-3/4" diameter per cake mix, which filled two 3/4 sheet pans. DW found Pillsbury Moist Supreme, Golden Butter Recipe with 1 cup of pudding in the cake mix for $.89 per box at Wal-Mart. Very moist cookies. We're buying 12 boxes tonight before the price goes back up.

I guess I'll try melting the butter then letting it cool and see how they come out. I was hoping to get a little more size to the cookies to fill the bags, which is why I asked this question. Going to Pat Catans tonight to check out what they have for bags.

Anyway you slice it, it will be quite a litle project. I have some cookies in the freezer right now to see how they will be after 2 weeks. I was hoping to make them ahead and then defrost and bag them 1 week ahead of the wedding. A friend did this for her DD's wedding, and they made the cookies and bagged them 2 weeks before the wedding. I'm not so keen on that, especially in July in NE Ohio, when the humidity is at its peak here.

Congratualtions on DD's wedding!!!! I know that you can replace the oil in a cake mix with butter so you should be able to do it with the cookies fine too.

We are getting some of this ribbon for the my DD's wedding for the favor bags: Personalized ribbon