Instructions

1. Measure out an amount of coconut oil that equals 75 to 100 percent of the shortening in your recipe. For example, if your recipe calls for 1 cup of shortening, measure out ¾ cup to 1 cup of coconut oil. The amount you use depends on how much coconut flavor you wish to have in your final dish and how moist you wish the final product to be.

2. Add the coconut oil to the recipe at the same time and in the same form as you would have added the shortening. If the recipe calls for melted shortening, for example, melt the coconut oil before adding it. If the recipe calls for solid shortening, use solid coconut oil.

3. Keep your ingredients at an appropriate temperature while preparing them. Coconut oil becomes liquid at a mere 76 degrees Fahrenheit, while shortening must be at least a full 30 degrees warmer before it melts. This means that if you wish to keep the coconut oil solid in the recipe, you must keep your ingredients below 76 degrees Fahrenheit rather than below 106 degrees Fahrenheit for shortening. If you are cooking on a very hot day or in a hot kitchen, you may need to turn on the air conditioning or otherwise cool the room to compensate for the difference in melting points.