Shortening is a type of fat used in baking that is solid at room temperature. It is used to make doughs "short," which means that the fat worked into the flour prevents long strands of gluten from forming as the dough is handled. This results in baked goods that are tender, crumbly, and flaky. Shortening is 100% fat, meaning there is no water in it, unlike butter, which in the United States must contain at least 80% fat and can contain water. Shortening is commonly used to replace butter in baking, and it can be made from vegetable fats and oils.

Shortening is used in many baked goods, including pie crusts, biscuits, and shortbread cookies. It provides goods with an element of formation and texture that oil cannot. The high fat content in shortening contributes to the moistness of goods, providing them with a softer, fluffier texture. Shortening also contributes to the golden coloring of baked dough, as well as the thick creaminess of fillings and ganache recipes. Additionally, shortening prevents staling of baked products as the fat content delays the process of gelatinization of starch, as well as hard, crumbling textures.

Some common types of shortening include vegetable shortening, lard, margarine, and processed shortenings. Butter is not the best shortening out there because it contains up to 20% water. However, in some recipes, it is used as shortening. The proportion of shortening in doughs and batters varies according to the product, with breads and rolls containing about 1-2%, cakes containing 10-20%, and pie crusts containing over 30%. Increasing shortening proportions increases tenderness, but very high proportions may cause cakes to fall.