Cashew Oil vs Crisco: The Ultimate Verdict

You may have heard of cashew milk or cashew butter – but perhaps not cashew oil. Cashew oil is just like them, however, pressed from the beloved cashews. On the flip side, we have Crisco, a mainstay vegetable shortening in traditional baking and popular in American kitchens across the country. Both have amazing qualities to offer your cooking and baking – so what will your verdict be? Let’s find out!

Comparing cashew oil vs Crisco

	Cashew oil	Crisco
Solid or liquid?	Liquid	Solid
Smoke point (Fahrenheit)	410 degrees	360 degrees
Primary fat	Monounsaturated	Polyunsaturated
Taste	Nutty	Buttery
Good for cooking…	Raw, low heat, medium heat	Raw, low heat, medium heat
Common allergens	Tree nuts, cardanol, cardol and anacardic acid	Soy, palm, tree nut
Gluten-free?	Yes	Yes
Keto?	Yes	Yes
Paleo?	Yes	No
Vegan?	Yes	Yes

Differences between cashew oil and Crisco

Cashew oil and Crisco differ most when it comes to flavor and texture. While cashew oil has a nutty, rich essence and a liquid texture that makes it suitable for raw applications and heat applications, Crisco has a neutral taste and a buttery, solid texture that requires heat to soften.

Crisco and cashew oil accommodate gluten-free, keto, and vegan diets because of their plant-based and grain-free nature, but only cashew oil is suitable as a paleo-friendly option.

Baking and cooking with cashew oil vs Crisco 

Cashew oil’s rich, nutty qualities work wonders in indulgent desserts. You could swirl it into a batch of brownie batter or even drizzle it over a cake – and it pairs exceptionally well with chocolate! Just replace the oil or butter in your favorite recipes with cashew oil, and you can enjoy the delicious nutty notes it can bring. 

Its versatility extends to cooking, as it has a moderate-high smoke point of 410 degrees. That means it might not work for deep frying, but it can be used to pan-fry, stir-fry, sauté, grill, and as a base for dressings and marinades. It’s especially great for Asian-style dishes like Thai curries and Indian dals, where it can effectively mesh the many flavors together while adding its own flair.

Crisco has quite the reputation when it comes to baking, as it’s simply a popular brand of vegetable shortening. Its solid white texture is ideal for cookies that need to hold their shape, frosting that needs a sturdy structure, and pie crusts and pastries that need a lot of flakiness. Its neutral flavor lets other ingredients shine through, as it won’t impart any of its own. 

For cooking, Crisco has a moderate smoke point that makes it useful for pan-frying, especially when you need a golden crust or thick textural qualities. It can be used to thicken up Gumbo, create that delicious crispy golden brown layer on your fried chicken, and provide a velvety, buttery coating on vegetables.

Can cashew oil and Crisco be substituted for each other?

Cashew oil and Crisco are unique in their own ways, so substituting one for the other requires a little finesse. Luckily, both are buttery in nature, which helps with the swap. Although cashew oil might not fit the bill when it comes to making pastries and Crisco would be impossible to use in raw dressings, they can be substituted for each other if you really need to for general pan-frying.

If you’re looking for an alternative to Crisco, shortening or lard will mimic that neutral flavor and solid texture. For something that can withstand higher temperatures, ghee will do the trick. If you want a better substitute for cashew oil, macadamia oil will offer a similar buttery, nutty quality, while pecan oil is a more stable alternative for high-heat cooking.

Nutrition: Cashew oil vs Crisco

Cashew oil and Crisco both are highest in monounsaturated fats, which are healthy fats that lower bad cholesterol in the body and contribute to good heart health. While Crisco contains a 5.2g of monounsaturated fats in each tablespoon, cashew oil tops that with double the amount! Cashew oil is quite dense in calories (even denser than Crisco), but Crisco is denser in saturated fats and has cholesterol, both of which you’ll want to limit in your diet. 

As a bonus, cashew oil is quite rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant that supports skin hair and immune function. Due to its high amount of omega-9, it’s also used in a variety of different cosmetic applications too! While Crisco isn’t something you’ll want to eat a lot of, given its low nutritional values, it is a good source of ALA omega-3 fatty acids.

As all cooking oils and fats are high in calories and fat, use them sparingly.

Per tablespoon (15mL)	Cashew oil	Crisco
Calories	130	115
Polyunsaturated	3 g	2.5 g
Monounsaturated	10 g	5.2 g
Saturated	2 g	4.6 g
Trans	0 g	0 g
Total fat	15 g	12.8 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	7.2 mg

The primary fat source is bolded.

How to store cashew oil and Crisco

Cashew oil can spoil quickly once opened, so you’ll need to be careful when storing it. Ideally, it should be stored in a cool, dark place away from light and heat sources like a kitchen cabinet – and in a dark container. Because it’s such a delicate oil, cashew oil typically only lasts 6 to 12 months unopened and around 3 to 6 months after opening. Refrigerating the oil may help extend its shelf life.

Crisco should be stored in a similar fashion, well-wrapped, and in a cool, dry location. However, if you live in a hot climate, you might want to store it in the fridge – just be sure to let it soften before use! Opened Crisco sticks have a shelf life of 6 months, and unopened sticks can be stored for up to 2 years. Open cans of Crisco can last for about a year, and unopened ones about two years.

Cashew oil vs Crisco: What’s the verdict?

The amazing thing about both Crisco and cashew oil is that they are so versatile when it comes to both baking and cooking. Crisco is fantastic for traditional baking for its solid state and neutral flavor, and it’s a great fit in thickening up stews and soups and for situations where I need a crispy crust.

Meanwhile, cashew oil has the ability to add a delicious sweet nuttiness to my baked goods, as well as a more savory nuttiness in Asian cooking and dishes that can benefit from a flavor boost. Ultimately, the verdict rests on the kind of flavor and texture you want to add to your dishes!

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