What They Are

• Butter is made from heavy cream that's been whipped to separate the milk fat solids from the liquid. Butter typically contains around 80 percent fat and may be salted or unsalted. Either one works, although you should reduce the salt in the recipe by about 1/4 teaspoon when using salted butter. Butter is a perishable dairy product and should be refrigerated and used within three to six months. Shortening is vegetable oil that's been hydrogenated to thicken it. It is shelf-stable at room temperature, and remains fresh for up to one year.

Taste Test

• Butter has a naturally sweet taste that comes through in dumplings, while shortening has no taste, or may have a slight chemical aftertaste. Butter has a smooth texture that melts instantly on your tongue. Shortening has a higher melting point and may not melt in your mouth. Some people notice a cloying, waxy film on the palate after eating dumplings made with shortening.

Texture and Shape

• The main difference between butter and shortening lies in the texture they give to dumplings. Butter melts between 86 and 96 degrees Fahrenheit, far below the temperature of a simmering pot of stew or soup. Dumplings made with butter tend to flatten out and lose their shape somewhat. Shortening has a higher melting point -- around 106 F, so dumplings keep their shape better. Butter produces dumplings that are flaky. Shortening produces softer dumplings.

Tips for Success

• Butter and shortening each have potential benefits and drawbacks in baking. If you like the taste of butter, but prefer the texture provided by shortening, try using half of each. Butter-flavored shortening is also an option, although it doesn't exactly replicate the real thing. Make sure butter is ice cold to help keep it firmer longer. Cut the butter into 1/4-inch chunks and use a pastry knife or stand mixer to blend it into the dumpling dough -- similar to the method for making biscuits. Some recipes call for neither butter or shortening, but use heavy cream instead. Be sure the soup or stew is simmering when you add the dumplings. Furiously boiling soup causes the dumplings to break down, while the dumplings won't cook quickly enough in a cold soup, and can also disintegrate.