Recipes with vegetable shortening

These individual danish pastries are filled with raisins and topped with a delicious graze.

Lemonade wafers: crisp, egg-free drop cookies bright with fresh lemon zest and juice, optional coconut topping. Light, sunny cookie that tastes like summer in a single bite.

Sugar crisps made with oats, almond extract, and a baking soda-vinegar reaction for extra lift. Rolled into balls and flattened with a sugar-dipped glass for a crackly, crisp cookie.

Spice muffins warmed up with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a tender from-scratch crumb. A pantry-staple muffin you can pull together in one bowl for breakfast, snacks, or coffee time.

G.G. Kettler's pie crust uses the old-fashioned boiling water method: hot water beaten into shortening makes a tender, no-fail dough that rolls out easily and bakes up flaky. Makes enough for two double-crust pies.

Buttery homemade crust cradles juicy peaches under a crunchy almond streusel crown. Fresh lemon zest brightens the filling while nutmeg adds depth to this show-stopping summer dessert.

Chocolate-dipped pretzels with white chocolate drizzle. Four-ingredient Christmas treat that comes together in under an hour, no oven required. Salty-sweet, beginner-friendly, gift-tin ready.

Versatile yeast dough that makes both buttery crescent dinner rolls and glazed cinnamon raisin rolls. One big-batch recipe, two classic results, 48 rolls total.

Garlic-rubbed round steak seared and braised in chili sauce with strong black coffee, green pepper, and onions. A bold Tex-Mex braised steak that turns tough cuts fork-tender.

Browned pork ribs braised with tangy sauerkraut and caraway seeds, then crowned with fluffy potato dumplings cooked right on top. A German-American one-pot meal for 12.

Warm cinnamon-spiced muffins packed with shredded tart apples and crowned with a crunchy pecan-brown sugar topping that caramelizes as it bakes.

Flaky pastry squares layered with spiced apple filling and crumbly streusel topping, drizzled with vanilla glaze. These hand-held treats bake up golden and taste like portable apple pie.

Caribbean-inspired banana bread with grated coconut, ginger, and lime, finished with a warm rum-lime-brown sugar glaze poured over the top. Egg-free and packed with tropical flavor.

Chocolate cake mix cookies with crisp rice cereal folded inside and crushed on the outside for a double crunch. A 5-ingredient cookie that kids love to roll and bake.

This is a good cookie recipe to use up those over ripe bananas.

Cherry pound cake studs a buttery, fine-crumbed Southern-style tube cake with chopped cherries and cherry extract. Classic special-occasion dessert with a tender, rich crumb.

Fudgy brownies layered with a raspberry truffle cream cheese filling and drizzled with chocolate glaze. Three layers of pure indulgence that yield 2 dozen show-stopping bars.

Preschoolers will love these delicious cub-shaped cookies, made with nutty butter and crispy graham crackers. You and the kids can even create these cookies together!

Banana Cake Aloha Oe is a vintage Hawaiian-style layer cake with a soft, banana-rich crumb finished with real banana frosting. Tender cake flour layers, mashed banana in every bite.

Hefty chocolate pound cake with sweetened condensed milk for extra richness, baked in a tube pan and topped with a cooked cocoa frosting that sets with a glossy snap.

Orange muffins packed with citrus: 1¼ cups of orange juice in the batter and a juicy orange segment crowning every cap. Tender from a butter-shortening combo, makes three dozen for brunch.

Choco oatmeal peanut butter dreams bake chewy peanut butter oat cookies, then top each with melted chocolate and chopped peanuts. A 3-flavor cookie ready in 40 minutes.

Pennsylvania-style kettle roast with rump beef seared in bacon drippings, then braised low and slow with ginger, cloves, bay leaves, and onion. Fork-tender after a long simmer.

A warm-spiced apple loaf cake with mini chocolate chips baked in, a buttery streusel crumb topping, and a drizzle of melted chocolate. Fall baking at its coziest.

A snow-white Texas sheet cake made with egg whites, buttermilk, and a touch of almond extract. Baked in a jelly roll pan for a thin, tender crumb that feeds a crowd and frosts up beautifully.

Sun-dried tomato quiche with mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh basil, and a flaky homemade crust. This rich, custardy brunch centerpiece serves 4 to 6 and comes together in about an hour.

Old-fashioned whole wheat drop cookies sweetened with honey and brown sugar, enriched with sour cream, and studded with raisins and nuts. Makes 3 dozen soft, cakey treats.

These delicate, buttery spritz cookies are infused with almond flavor, shaped into crisp wafers, and dipped in a smooth semi-sweet chocolate glaze. Finished with optional almond slices, they’re perfect for holiday trays or an elegant treat any time of year.

Chewy oatmeal cookies loaded with crushed pineapple, warm cinnamon, and nutmeg. A one-bowl, drop cookie recipe that's ready in 25 minutes. Simple baking with a fruity tropical twist.

Homemade whole wheat baking mix with wheat germ, dry milk, and shortening. A healthier DIY Bisquick alternative that keeps for months and makes pancakes, biscuits, and muffins in minutes.

Molasses muffins spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg, studded with raisins. Make-ahead batter keeps in the fridge for fresh muffins anytime.

Pennsylvania Dutch-style beef brisket braised with tangy sauerkraut and topped with square-cut dumplings. A hearty, old-world comfort dish that feeds a crowd of twelve.

Chicken simmers in a rich, complex mole sauce built from chipotle chili, cocoa, peanut butter, sesame seeds, raisins, and warm spices. Authentic Mexican mole that's worth every minute.

The Gravy used to be made fresh with the Cracklings. Now it comes in a pouch and all you have to do is add water. Thank god for modified starch products.

A slow cooker johnny cake loaded with shredded carrots and crushed pineapple. Made with cornmeal, buttermilk, and baking soda for a moist, tender crumb. No oven required.

Cajun-style fried hand pies stuffed with ground pork and beef, onions, green onions, parsley, and a kick of red pepper. Crimped pastry pockets fried golden and crisp.

Cinnamon rolls with walnuts and raisins, finished with an orange-vanilla-almond icing. Big-batch recipe yields 40 rolls for crowds, brunches, or freezer stashing.

Old-fashioned blackberry cobbler topped with a buttery shortening-and-cream pastry crust. Hot berry filling pre-bakes briefly before the pastry top goes on for a crisp, golden finish.

Fig fruit cake with dried figs, candied cherries, pineapple, walnuts, brandy, and unsweetened chocolate. A spiced holiday loaf baked low and slow for dense, sliceable richness.

Homemade cereal waffles with multi-grain cereal and chopped raisins baked right into the batter. Crispy, hearty, and on the table in 30 minutes for a weekend breakfast.

Mississippi mud cake with a fudgy cocoa and pecan cake base, melted marshmallow layer, and rich chocolate pecan icing. A three-layer Southern chocolate dessert that's pure indulgence.

Indian meal muffins, a Pennsylvania Dutch cornmeal muffin made with just 6 ingredients. Quick, tender, and lightly golden. Ready in 30 minutes, yields one dozen.

German-style veal breast stuffed with seasoned ground beef, pork, lemon, and nutmeg, braised low and slow with paprika, cloves, rosemary, and bay leaves until fork-tender.

Pennsylvania Dutch fastnachts (fried doughnuts) made with yeast dough, evaporated milk, nutmeg, and lemon juice, then tossed in cinnamon sugar. A Shrove Tuesday tradition.

Giant honey oat cookies made with egg whites instead of whole eggs for a lighter, chewy texture. Scooped by the quarter cup for bakery-sized treats with crisp edges and soft centers.

The legendary world's largest apple pie recipe: 320 bushels of apples, 1400 pounds of sugar, and 352 pounds of flour baked in an 18-foot cinder block oven. Feeds 15,000 hungry folks!

Homemade lemon biscuits split and loaded with mixed summer berries, strawberry puree, and billowy whipped cream. Use whatever seasonal fruit you have for this classic fruit shortcake.

Patriotic Fourth of July chocolate sheet cake decorated as an American flag with vanilla and blue frosting and fresh strawberry stripes. A buttermilk-rich chocolate cake the kids can help decorate.