Crisco isn’t one product. It’s a brand that currently spans solid shortening, vegetable and canola oil, individually wrapped baking sticks, and nonstick cooking spray, and each of those formats ages a little differently even though they’re all built around the same basic idea: shelf-stable fat that doesn’t need a refrigerator.
Does Crisco go bad?
The short answer: Yes, eventually, but through rancidity, not mold or bacterial spoilage. Across the current Crisco lineup, an unopened container is generally good for about 2 years from the date on the package. Once opened, shortening in a can holds up well for roughly a year, sticks are best used within about 6 months since they’re more exposed at the surface, oil holds up for about a year with the cap kept clean, and cooking spray, per Crisco’s own shelf-life chart, holds its full 2-year rating whether or not the can’s been opened. Crisco recommends storing everything in a cool, dry pantry rather than the fridge, though its own guidance doesn’t rule out refrigerating shortening or oil if you’re in a warm climate and prefer to; just expect the shortening to firm up and the oil to thicken and turn cloudy until it’s back at room temperature. The real signal that something’s actually gone bad is a sharp, rancid, or otherwise off smell, not the date on the package.
For a deep dive on solid shortening specifically, including the preservatives that give it such a long shelf life, see our companion post: does shortening go bad. For the broader category, our guides to does cooking oil go bad and does cooking oil need to be refrigerated cover similar ground, and our Food Storage Guide rounds up shelf life for the rest of your pantry.
Does Crisco Go Bad: At a Glance
Unopened (any format)
~2 years
Opened shortening (can)
~1 year
Opened shortening (sticks)
~6 months
Opened oil
~1 year
Opened cooking spray
~2 years
Refrigeration
Not required
Key Takeaways
Crisco is currently owned and manufactured by B&G Foods, which acquired the brand from The J.M. Smucker Company in a deal that closed in December 2020. Crisco itself dates back to 1911, when it launched as the first shortening made entirely from plant oil.
This article focuses on four main product formats: canned shortening, baking sticks, bottled cooking oils, and cooking spray, though Crisco’s current lineup also includes variations like corn oil and flavored sprays.
Crisco recommends storing its products in a cool, dry pantry rather than refrigerating them. Refrigeration isn’t necessary, but if you do refrigerate shortening or oil, expect the shortening to become firmer and the oil to become thicker and somewhat cloudy until it returns to room temperature.
Rancidity and other quality changes are the main concerns with these shelf-stable fats and oils. Crisco specifically points to a change in color or appearance, or an off odor or taste, as the signs that a product is past its shelf life.
Crisco’s own freshnes
