Ingredient substitutes

Search for the ingredient you are missing and get a swap with exact amounts, using things you probably already have.

  • Buttermilkfor 1 cup
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup; stir and let stand 5 minutes
    • 3/4 cup plain yogurt plus 1/4 cup milk
  • Heavy creamfor 1 cup (for cooking and baking)
    • 3/4 cup whole milk plus 1/4 cup melted butter
    • 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk

    These will not whip. For whipped cream you need real heavy cream.

  • Half-and-halffor 1 cup
    • 1/2 cup whole milk plus 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • 3/4 cup whole milk plus 1/4 cup heavy cream for a lighter version
  • Sour creamfor 1 cup
    • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 1 cup plain full-fat yogurt
  • Milkfor 1 cup
    • 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water
    • 1 cup unsweetened oat, soy or almond milk
  • Butterfor 1 cup
    • 1 cup margarine or plant-based butter sticks
    • 3/4 cup vegetable oil, for recipes that use melted butter, such as muffins and quick breads

    Oil does not work in recipes that cream butter and sugar, like most cookies.

  • Mayonnaisefor 1 cup
    • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 1 cup sour cream
  • Ricotta cheesefor 1 cup
    • 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese, blended smooth if you like
  • Eggfor 1 large egg (in baking)
    • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed plus 3 tbsp water, rested 5 minutes
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
    • 1/4 cup mashed ripe banana
    • 3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas)

    Works best in recipes with 1 or 2 eggs. Fruit swaps add moisture and flavor.

  • Baking powderfor 1 tsp
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • Baking sodafor 1 tsp
    • 3 tsp baking powder (reduce any salt in the recipe slightly)

    Baking powder is weaker, so you need three times as much.

  • Self-rising flourfor 1 cup
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 tsp baking powder plus 1/4 tsp salt
  • Cake flourfor 1 cup
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour, remove 2 tbsp, add 2 tbsp cornstarch, then sift together twice
  • Cornstarchfor 1 tbsp (for thickening)
    • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
    • 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
    • 2 tsp potato starch
  • Brown sugarfor 1 cup packed
    • 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tbsp molasses (light brown) or 2 tbsp molasses (dark brown)
    • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • Powdered sugarfor 1 cup
    • 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tbsp cornstarch, blended in a blender until fine
  • Honeyfor 1 cup
    • 1 cup pure maple syrup
    • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup extra liquid from the recipe
  • Light corn syrupfor 1 cup
    • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar plus 1/3 cup water, simmered until the sugar dissolves
    • 1 cup golden syrup
  • Molassesfor 1 cup
    • 1 cup dark corn syrup, honey or maple syrup (the flavor will be milder)
  • Vanilla extractfor 1 tsp
    • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
    • 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla flavoring
    • Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
  • Unsweetened chocolatefor 1 oz
    • 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tbsp butter or oil
  • Garlicfor 1 clove
    • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/2 tsp jarred minced garlic
  • Onionfor 1 medium onion
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tbsp dried minced onion
  • Fresh herbsfor 1 tbsp chopped
    • 1 tsp dried herbs of the same kind

    Add dried herbs earlier in cooking; fresh herbs at the end.

  • Fresh gingerfor 1 tbsp grated
    • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • Pumpkin pie spicefor 1 tsp
    • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon plus 1/4 tsp ground ginger plus 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg plus 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • Allspicefor 1 tsp
    • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon plus 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg plus 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • Italian seasoningfor 1 tsp
    • 1/4 tsp each dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme and dried rosemary
  • Lemon juicefor 1 tbsp
    • 1 tbsp lime juice
    • 1/2 tbsp white vinegar (for acidity, not flavor)
  • Tomato saucefor 1 cup
    • 1/2 cup tomato paste plus 1/2 cup water
  • Chicken brothfor 1 cup
    • 1 cup vegetable broth
    • 1 cup water plus 1 bouillon cube or 1 tsp bouillon paste
  • Breadcrumbsfor 1 cup
    • 1 cup crushed crackers or cornflakes
    • 1 cup quick oats
    • 1 cup panko

How to use substitutions well

Every swap lists the amount it replaces, so you can scale it to your recipe. Replacing 1/2 cup of buttermilk, for example, means using half of the amounts shown for 1 cup.

  • Cooking is forgiving. Soups, sauces and stir-fries handle most swaps with no noticeable change.
  • Baking is chemistry. Leavening, eggs and fat affect rise and texture, so change only one ingredient at a time.
  • Taste as you go. Dried herbs, powders and different sweeteners can be stronger or milder than the original.

Need to convert amounts too? Use the cups to grams converter or the recipe scaler.

Frequently asked questions

What can I use instead of buttermilk?

Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into enough milk to make 1 cup and let it stand 5 minutes. Thinned plain yogurt also works.

What can I substitute for an egg in baking?

For each egg, use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1/4 cup mashed banana or 3 tablespoons aquafaba. These work best when a recipe has only 1 or 2 eggs.

Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder?

Not directly. To replace 1 teaspoon of baking powder, mix 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar. Going the other way, use 3 teaspoons of baking powder for each teaspoon of baking soda.

How do I make brown sugar?

Mix 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses for light brown sugar or 2 tablespoons for dark brown sugar.

Will a substitute change my recipe?

Sometimes slightly. Most swaps here work well in everyday cooking, but baking is more sensitive, so expect small changes in texture or flavor, especially when replacing eggs or butter.

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