Baking – Substitute for margarine in graham cracker crust

bakingcrustsubstitutions

I have a recipe for cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, and the crust recipe calls for melted margarine. I'd like to make the recipe without hydrogenated oils/trans fats.

I have butter and a non-hydrogenated oil shortening (palm oil). Can I substitute one of these for the margarine in the crust recipe? If not, is there something else that would be a good substitute for margarine here?

Best Answer

Use the butter; historically margarine is a simulated butter in the first place, and you will probably get a better product, since butter tastes much better.

You could use the shortening, but it will not help the flavor at all, and doesn't have the approximately 18% water that butter and margarine do, although this usually doesn't matter in a graham cracker crust.