Common Substitutions for Baking
There’s nothing more frustrating than running out of an ingredient when you’re right in the middle of cooking. Consider substituting the missing ingredient with something else from your kitchen. Here are a few common substitution ideas.
| Allspice | 1 teaspoon (5 mL) | = | 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) cinnamon plus 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cloves |
| Apple pie spice | 1 teaspoon (5 mL) | = | 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) nutmeg & 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 mL) cardamom |
| Baking powder | 1 teaspoon (5 mL) | = | 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) baking soda plus 5/8 teaspoon (3 mL) cream of tartar |
| Broth, beef or chicken | 1 cup (250 ml) | = | 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup (250 mL) boiling water OR 1 envelope (or 1 teaspoon 5 mL) powdered broth base dissolved in 1 cup (250 mL) boiling water |
| Butter | 1/4 cup (50 mL)1/3 cup (75 mL) 1/2 cup (125 mL) 2/3 cup (158 mL) 3/4 cup (175 mL) 1 cup (250 mL) |
= | 1/4 cup (50 mL) Crisco® Regular or Golden Crisco® Shortening plus 1-1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) water 1/3 cup (75 mL) Crisco® Regular or Golden Crisco® Shortening plus 2 teaspoons (10 mL) of water 1/2 cup (125 mL) Crisco® Regular or Golden Crisco® Shortening plus 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water2/3 cup (158 mL) Crisco® Regular or Golden Crisco® Shortening plus 4 teaspoons (20 mL) water 3/4 cup (175 mL) Crisco® Regular or Golden Crisco® Shortening plus 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water plus 1-1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) water 1 cup (250 mL) Crisco® Regular or Golden Crisco® Shortening plus 2 tablespoons (30 mL) water |
| Buttermilk | 1 cup (250 mL) | = | 1 cup (250 mL) plain yogurt OR 1 cup (250 mL) milk minus 1 tablespoon (15 mL) plus 1 tablespoon (15 mL) lemon juice or vinegar |
| Catsup | 1 cup (250 mL) | = | 1 cup (250 mL) tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar and 2 tablespoons (15 mL) vinegar (for use in cooking) |
| Chocolate, semisweet | 1 ounce (28 g) | = | 1 ounce (28 g) unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tablespoon (15 mL) sugar |
| Cocoa | 1/4 cup (50 mL) | = | 1 ounce (28 g) chocolate; decrease fat in recipe by reducing the recipe by 1/2 tablespoon (7.5 mL) oil or butter |
| Cornstarch | 1 tablespoon (15 mL) | = | 2 tablespoons (30 mL) flour |
| Cream, half-and-half | 1 cup (250 mL) | = | 7/8 cup (207 mL) milk plus 3 tablespoons (45 mL) butter |
| Egg | 1 whole | = | 2 egg whites OR 1/4 cup (50 mL) egg substitute |
| Flour, all purpose | 1 cup (250 mL) | = | 1/2 cup (125 mL) whole wheat flour plus 1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour |
| Flour, cake | 1 cup (250 mL) | = | 1 cup (250 mL) minus 2 tablespoons (30 mL) sifted all-purpose flour |
| Garlic | 1 clove | = | 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 mL) garlic powder OR 1 teaspoon (5 mL) chopped garlic |
| Gingerroot | 1 tablespoon (15 mL) | = | 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 mL) powdered ginger |
| Herbs, fresh | 1 tablespoon (15 mL) | = | 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried |
| Ketchup | 1 cup (250 mL) | = | 1 cup (250 mL) tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) vinegar (for use in cooking) |
| Lemon juice | 1 teaspoon (5 mL) | = | 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) vinegar |
| Mushrooms, fresh | 1 pound (454 g) | = | 1 10-ounce (280 g) can, drained |
| Mustard, dry | 1 teaspoon (5 mL) | = | 1 tablespoon (15 mL) prepared mustard |
| Onion, fresh | 1 small | = | 1 tablespoon (15 mL) instant minced |
| Onion powder | 1 tablespoon (15 mL) | = | 1 medium onion, chopped OR 4 tablespoons (60 mL) fresh chopped onion |
| Orange | 1 medium | = | 1/2 cup (125 mL) juice |
| Pimento | 2 tablespoons (30 mL) chopped | = | 3 tablespoons (45 mL) fresh red bell pepper, chopped |
| Pumpkin pie spice | 1 teaspoon (5 mL) | = | 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) ginger, 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 mL) allspice & 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 mL) nutmeg |
| Sour cream | 1 cup (250 mL) | = | 3/4 cup (175 mL) buttermilk plus 1/3 cup (75 mL) butter or margarine OR 1/3 cup (75 mL) buttermilk, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) lemon juice, and 1 cup (250 mL) cottage cheese blended until smooth OR 1 cup (250 mL) plain yogurt OR 3/4 cup (175 mL) milk, ¾ teaspoon (4 mL) lemon juice, and 1/3 cup (75 mL) butter or margarine |
| Sugar, brown | 1 cup (250 mL) firmly packed | = | 2 tablespoons (30 mL) molasses |
| Sugar, granulated | 1 cup (250 mL) | = | 1 cup (250 mL) powdered sugar OR 1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar, firmly packed OR 1 cup (250 mL) corn syrup or honey (decrease liquid called for in recipe by 1/4 cup (50 mL)) |
| Tomatoes, fresh | 2 cups (500 mL), chopped | = | 16-ounce (454 g) can, drained |
| Yogurt, plain | 1 cup (250 mL) | = | 1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk OR 1 cup (250 mL) sour cream OR 1 cup (250 mL) cottage cheese + 1 teaspoon (5 mL) lemon juice blended until smooth |
