Ingredient Substitutions. What if you don’t have the right ingredients? This handy list tells how to substitute dry herbs for fresh, one baking product for another, and different sweetners.
Fresh herbs. Courtesy of Unsplash.com/Thomas Rehehäuser.
Ingredient Substitutions are sometimes necessary.
I’m sharing an ingredient substitutions list that I found many years ago in the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper. It’s a terrific list of what items you might have in your cupboard to substitute for missing ingredients when you are making a recipe. Bookmark this page so it’s handy when you need it.
Instead of running to the store, try these ingredient substitutions. When a recipe calls for this, you can use:
What Can You Use?
| When the recipe calls for: | You can substitute: | |
| Baking products | ||
| 1 cup self-rising flour | 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt | |
| 1 cup self-rising cornmeal | 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons fat | |
| 1 cup cake flour | 1 cup LESS 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour | |
| 1 cup all-purpose flour | 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour | |
| 1 teaspoon baking powder | 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar PLUS 1/4 teaspoon baking soda OR 1/4 teaspoon baking soda PLUS 1/2 cup buttermilk (reduce liquid ingredients by 1/2 cup) | |
| 1 tablespoon active dry yeast | 1 cake compressed yeast | |
| 1 tablespoon cornstarch | 2 tablespoons flour | |
| 2 teaspoons arrowroot | 1 tablespoon corn starch | |
| 2 teaspoons tapioca | 1 tablespoon flour | |
| Sweetners | ||
| 1 cup confectioners’ sugar | 7/8 cup granulated sugar PLUS 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch mixed at high in blender | |
| 1 cup granulated sugar | 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar OR 13 tablespoons honey (when baking, decrease liquid ingredients by 3 tablespoons OR increase flour by 3 tablespoons) OR 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar | |
| 1 cup light brown sugar | 1 cup granulated sugar PLUS 3 tablespoons molasses OR 1/2 cup dark brown sugar PLUS 1/2 cup granulated sugar | |
| 1 cup dark brown sugar | 1 cup light brown sugar PLUS 1 tablespoon molasses | |
| 1 cup light corn syrup | 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar PLUS 1/3 cup water, boiled until syrupy | |
| 1 cup dark corn syrup | 3/4 cup light corn syrup PLUS 1/4 cup light molasses OR 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar PLUS 3 tablespoons water | |
| 1 cup honey | 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar PLUS 1/4 cup water | |
| 1/4 cup sugar (for baking) | 1 teaspoon (3 packets) Sweet ‘N Low or Sweet One artificial sweetener OR 1/4 cup Splenda | |
| Herbs & Spices | ||
| 1 teaspoon allspice | 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon PLUS 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves | |
| 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice | 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon PLUS 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg PLUS 1/8 teaspoon EACH: allspice, cardamom | |
| 1 clove garlic | 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder OR 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt (reduce salt in recipe by 1/2 teaspoon) | |
| 1 tablespoon fresh ginger | 1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger | |
| 1 tablespoon fresh herbs | 1 teaspoon dried herbs | |
| 1 tablespoon instant dry onion | 1/4 cup chopped fresh onion OR 1/2 teaspoon onion powder | |
| 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning | 1/4 teaspoon EACH: oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary PLUS dash of cayenne pepper | |
| 1/2 teaspoon celery seed | 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery leaves | |
| 1 teaspoon mace | 1 teaspoon nutmeg, allspice OR cinnamon | |
| Fresh parsley | Celery tops (for flavoring soups and stews) | |
| 1 tablespoon prepared mustard | 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard PLUS 2 teaspoons vinegar | |
| 1 teaspoon lemon juice | 1/2 teaspoon vinegar | |
| 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest | 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract OR 1/2 teaspoon dried peel OR 1 teaspoon grated orange OR lime zest | |
| 1/2 cup soy sauce | 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce PLUS 1 tablespoon water | |
| Dairy | ||
| 1 cup whipping cream | 3/4 cup milk PLUS 1/3 cup butter (for baking only; it will NOT whip) | |
| 1 cup commercial sour cream | 7/8 cup buttermilk OR yogurt PLUS 3 tablespoons butter or margarine | |
| 1 cup whole milk | 1/2 cup evaporated milk PLUS 1/2 cup water OR 1 cup water PLUS 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder | |
| 1 cup butter | 7/8 cup oil 14 tablespoons solid shortening | |
| 1 cup buttermilk OR yogurt | 1 tablespoon vinegar OR lemon juice PLUS enough milk to make a cup | |
| Others | ||
| 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate | 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa PLUS 1 tablespoon shortening OR oil | |
| 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate | 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate PLUS 2 tablespoons sugar OR 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces | |
| 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs | 1/4 cup cracker crumbs OR 2/3 cup rolled oats OR 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs | |
| 1 cup grated coconut | 1 1/3 cup flaked coconut | |
| 1 cup coconut milk or cream | 1 cup milk or cream OR 1 cup milk or cream PLUS 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract |
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