Replacing Palm Oil with Vegetable Shortening

by SJ
(Scottsdale, AZ)

I have been having a tough time finding Palm Oil locally (I have since ordered some) but was wondering what I could replace the Palm Oil portion of a recipe with that would still keep it "vegetarian" so-to-speak.


Answer:

Visit my page on Soap Making Oils and scroll down to the heading "Love That Creamy Lather". You will find a good selection of oils that can replace palm oil in a recipe.

You can also use vegetable shortening from the grocery store. Read the ingredients on the label and you will probably find that it is made up of soybean oil and palm oil.

Be sure to run any recipe through a lye calculator before using it.

Cathy

Comments for Replacing Palm Oil with Vegetable Shortening

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		vegetable shortening works for me
by: dcjdavis

My personal basic recipe (4 oils) contains a little over 23% vegetable shortening and I have had no problems whatsoever with soaps going rancid. I've been using this same basic recipe for ten years now and am no longer even choosy about which shortening I buy for my soaps. At the percentage of it that I use it seems not to make much if any difference in the way my recipe turns out.
My recipe is not a vegetarian one, as some lard is included. Also olive and coconut oils. And any extras I might want to add at the time, though often I just use the basic recipe with nothing added for extra moisturizing or scent.
I used to try a lot of different essential oils and other oils for scent but have found that more often than not I like it plain.
If it's on hand, though, I will usually use just a splat of castor oil late in the process.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		DOS
by: Anonymous

I am new to soap making. What is DOS?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		tips
by: Emoneyblue

Wow that was a great tip! thanks so much
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		soy
by: Jack

When I first started making soap, I used whatever was around, which included cheap vegetable (soybean) oil. I found it wasn't great for shelf life and the soap was slimier and softer than the bars I make now. I did, however, use quite a bit (40%+) so I suppose lower percentages would be alright.

I'm still afraid to put soybean oil in my recipes though, because of possibility of increasing chance of DOS.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		When a recipe calls for both
by: Anonymous

This helps a lot! I do have another question . . . if a recipe calls for vegetable Shortening AND Soybean oil, do I just add the two measurements together or do I need to find another substitute for one of them? I also heard that coconut oil can be substituted for palm oil, but I wasn't sure if you just combine the two measurements or not. Thanks for the quick response and helpful tips!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Replacing Palm Oil with Vegetable Shortening
by: Mary

I read your post as I had the same question a few months ago when attempting my first batch. Being new, I was reading the recipes exactly and if it required "soybean oil" I was looking for a can or bottle labeled "soybean". After much frustration I finally got wise and started reading the ingredients on the cans. "Crisco" is soybean. I finally found Whole Foods and Central Market (our natural food markets) "vegetable shortenng" is actually Palm oil! I am now in the process of using up all the gallons I ordered online and am thrilled I can buy locally. From one newbie to another, I hope this helps.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Submit a Question.

Like This Page?