Can you substitute coconut oil for lard in a pie crust?

I want to make a hot water crust but some folks don't eat pork. Can I use coconut oil? Or should I stick with vegetable shortening?

joewho112
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4 Comments

Nancy
Nancy September 20, 2018
Some sources recommend coconut butter, as closer in texture than coconut oil.
 
Ttrockwood
Ttrockwood September 20, 2018
I’m gonna say no. I think the coconut oil will melt and the crust will not be able to bake into a shape with sloped sides.
Butter is ideal
https://www.marthastewart.com/344292/our-favorite-pie-crust
 
dryer_fire
dryer_fire September 19, 2018
Might depend on the type of coconut oil you're using.

I'd stick with shortening, or a mix of shortening and butter (if butter is an option) - Erin McDowell has a recipe where a mix of butter and shortening can be used. https://food52.com/recipes/64572-hot-water-crust

the internet tells me that shortening melts at around 115F, and lard melts between 86 and 118F depending on the composition, while nonhydrogenated coconut oil melts at 76F (hydrogenated melts between 97 and 104F). If you were to use nonhydrogenated coconut oil, the lower melting point would probably mean that it would not behave the same way in the oven.
 
joewho112
joewho112 September 19, 2018
Thanks for the answer. It makes sense. I might need to try out that internet thing
 
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