Substitutions for Common Recipe Ingredients (2024)

I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I’m cooking or baking, I realize that I’m out of something the recipe calls for. (This is why you should always check and make sure you have all the ingredients first!).

For times like these, cooking and baking substitutions come in very handy. Below are the most common foodsubstitutionsyou will need for your favorite recipes.

Ingredient Substitutions:

Allspice: 1 tsp. = 1/2 ts cinnamon + 1/4 ts ginger + 1/4 ts cloves
Baking Mix: 1 c = 1 c flour + 1 1/2 ts baking powder + 1/2 ts salt + 3 TB unsalted butter
Baking Powder: 1ts = 1/2 ts cream of tarter + 1/4 ts baking soda
Bread Crumbs: 1 c = 1 c cracker crumbs or 1 c matzo meal or 1 c ground oats

Broth, Chicken or Beef: 1 c = 1 bouillon cube + 1 c boiling water or 1 TB soy sauce + enough water to make 1 cup
Buttermilk: 1 c = 1 ts lemon juice (or vinegar) + enough milk to make 1 c or 1 c yogurt
Chocolate, Unsweetened: 1 oz = 1 TB unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 TB butter
Corn Syrup: 1 c = 1 1/4 c white sugar + 1/3 c water or 1 c honey

Corn Syrup, dark: 1 c = 3/4 c light corn syrup + 1/4 c molasses
Cornstarch: 1 TB = 2 TB flour
Cottage Cheese= 1 c = 1 c ricotta cheese
Cracker Crumbs= 1 c bread crumbs or 1 c matzo meal or 1 c ground oats

Cream Cheese: 1 c = 1 c pureed cottage cheese
Cream of Tarter: 1 ts = 2 ts lemon juice or vinegar
Egg: 1 whole = 1/2 banana mashed + 1/2 ts baking powder or 1 TB powdered flax seed soaked in 3 TB water
Flour, Cake: 1 c = 3/4 c + 2 TB flour + 2 TB cornstarch, sifted together

Flour, Self-rising: 2 c = 2 c flour + 1 ts baking soda + 2 ts baking powder + 1 ts salt
Garlic: 1 clove fresh = 1/8 ts garlic powder
Garlic Salt: 1 ts = 1/8 garlic powder + enough salt to make 1 ts
Ginger: 1 ts fresh = 1/4 ts powdered ginger

Half-and-Half: 1 c = 1 TB melted butter + enough milk to make 1 c
Herbs: 1 TB fresh = 1 ts dried herbs
Honey: 1 c = 1 1/4 c white sugar + 1/3 c water or 1 c corn syrup or 3/4 c maple syrup + 1/2 c white sugar
Hot Pepper Sauce: 1 ts = 3/4 ts cayenne pepper + 1 ts vinegar

Italian Seasoning: 3 ts = 1 ts oregano + 1 ts basil + 1 ts sage
Ketchup: 1 c = 1 c tomato sauce + 1 ts vinegar + 1 TB sugar
Lemon Juice: 1 ts = 1/4 ts cider vinegar
Maple Syrup: 1 c = 1 c honey or 3/4 c corn syrup + 1/4 c butter + 1/2 ts maple extract (optional)

Milk: 1 c = 1/2 c evaporated milk + 1/2 c water or 1/4 c dry milk powder + 1 c water
Molasses: 1 c = 3/4 c brown sugar + 1 ts cream of tartar, mix together
Mustard, Prepared= 1/2 ts ground mustard + 2 ts vinegar, mix together
Onion: 1 small, chopped = 1 ts onion powder or 1 TB dried minced onion

Pumpkin Pie Spice: 1 ts = 1/4 ts nutmeg + 1/4 ts ginger + 1/2 ts cinnamon
Ricotta: 1 c = 1 c dry cottage cheese
Saffron: 1/4 ts = 1/4 ts turmeric
Sour Cream: 1 c = 1 c plain yogurt

Soy Sauce: 1/2 c = 4 TB Worcestershire sauce + 1 TB water, mix together
Sugar, Brown: 1 c = 1 c white sugar + 2 TB molasses
Sugar, Confectioners’ (Powdered): 1 c = 1 c white sugar + 1 TB cornstarch, process in blender until powdery
Sugar, White: 1 c = 1 c brown sugar or 1 1/4 c confectioners’ sugar or 3/4 c honey or 3/4 c corn syrup

Sweetened Condensed Milk: 1 c = 3/4 c white sugar + 1/2 c water + 1 1/8 c dry powdered milk, bring to a boil and cook (stirring frequently) until thickened, about 20 minutes
Tapioca: 2 ts = 1 TB flour
Tarter Sauce: 1/2 c = 6 TB mayonnaise + 2 TB pickle relish
Tomato Sauce: 1 c = 1 can (3 oz) tomato paste + 1/2 c water

Vanilla Bean: 1 bean = 2 – 3 ts pure vanilla extract
Vegetable Oil (for baking): 1 c = 1 c applesauce
Vinegar: 1 tsp. = 1 ts lemon or lime juice or 2 ts white wine

Wine: 1 c = 1 c chicken or beef broth or 1 c fruit juice mixed with 2 ts vinegar or 1 c water or 1 c grape juice
Yogurt: 1 c = 1 c sour cream or 1 c buttermilk

For easy reference, I created a chart to print out and post in the kitchen. I keep mine taped to the inside a kitchen cabinet door. Click here to download your own free printable.

What is your favorite substitution? Share in a comment below!