Palm shortening

One US cup of palm shortening weighs between 180 and 205 grams, depending on how the cup is filled and which source measured it. That range is the answer; a single number would not be. Every figure behind it is below, with the method each source used.

Also called palm oil shortening, hydrogenated palm shortening, vegan shortening.

Palm shortening is a solid fat product manufactured by hydrogenating palm oil. It is used interchangeably with soybean-based vegetable shortening in most baking applications, and is common in vegan cooking (no animal products), allergen-restricted diets (no soy), and in commercial products where a firmer, higher-melting fat is preferred. Modern palm shortening is 100% fat and 0% water, with the same physical behaviour as vegetable shortening: soft enough to scoop, firm enough to hold a shape.

The two accepted sources for cup weight disagree beyond the 5% tolerance this site applies to fats, in the same pattern seen with vegetable shortening. USDA FoodData Central (FDC 172331, Shortening frying heavy duty, palm hydrogenated) publishes 205 grams per cup, implying a density of 0.8664 g/mL. King Arthur Baking publishes 180 grams per cup, implying 0.7608 g/mL. The gap is 13.9%. Because both are legitimate measurements of the same substance, and the gap reflects a real physical variable (packing method) rather than a source error, this site publishes the range they cover rather than choosing one.

The same physical reasoning applies as with vegetable shortening: a soft-solid fat at room temperature can be scooped gently or packed firmly, and different sources make different choices without stating which. USDA at 205 g per cup and King Arthur at 180 g per cup are consistent with one source measuring firmly packed shortening and the other measuring a gentler spoon-and-level fill. The two shortening entries on this site (vegetable and palm) share the same range-publish reason, which suggests solid-fat entries in the fats category are a class where packing method dominates source disagreement.

Where palm shortening differs from vegetable shortening is composition. Palm shortening is roughly 48% saturated fat, compared to about 25% for soybean-based vegetable shortening. This higher saturated content gives palm shortening a firmer texture and a higher melting point, both of which make it a preferred choice for pastries where the fat needs to hold its shape at slightly elevated temperatures. The higher saturated content also drives the environmental and health debates around palm oil that have shaped the fat industry in recent decades, but the physical measurement (cup weight per volume) is independent of those considerations.

For accuracy in baking, weigh palm shortening on a kitchen scale rather than measuring by volume. The 14% disagreement between sources on cup weight is large enough to affect the outcome of pastry doughs and biscuits where the fat-to-flour ratio matters.

This entry covers standard hydrogenated palm shortening as sold for baking. It does not cover vegetable shortening (soybean-based, listed separately at the same range and for the same reasons); palm oil (liquid at warm temperatures, a distinct ingredient); palm kernel oil (a different extract from the palm fruit with different composition); or fractionated palm shortening (a specialty confectionery product with its own physical properties).

The confidence grade is low because sources disagree beyond category tolerance and the entry publishes a range rather than a single figure. A third independent source measuring palm shortening under a stated packing method would resolve the ambiguity.