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Substitutions

Try the following options as substitutes if needed (select the missing ingredient to see a list of possible substitutions). All measurements are listed in U.S. units. (see Measurements section to convert)

• Agave Nectar

  • Double amount of corn syrup - reduce other liquids in recipe (water, milk, etc) by 1/3
  • Equal amount honey (caution: honey will crystallize when it cools, so is not an appropriate substitute for icings, candies, etc.)

• Allspice

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (per teaspoon)

• Apple Pie Spice

  • 1/2 unit ground cinnamon, 1/4 unit ground ginger, 1/8 unit ground allspice,and 1/8 unit ground nutmeg

• Arrowroot

  • Double amount of all-purpose flour
  • Equal amount of cornstarch or potato flour

• Baking Powder

  • 1/4 unit baking soda plus 1/2 unit cream of tarter

• Balsamic Vinegar

  • Equal amount of sherry or cider vinegar

• Banana

  • Equal amount boiled turnip mashed with sugar
  • 4 oz of jarred baby food per medium banana

• Bread Crumbs (dry)

  • Equal amount of finely crushed cracker crumbs, corn flakes, or old-fashioned oats

• Biscuit Mix / Bisquick

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (per cup)

• Broth

  • 1 teaspoon / 1 cube of bouillon granules dissolved in 1 cup boilingwater (per cup)
  • 1 cup water plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce (per cup)

• Brown Sugar (packed)

  • 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons molasses or dark corn syrup (per cup)

• Bulgur (cooked)

  • Equal amount cooked couscous or brown rice

• Buttermilk

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup (per cup) [let stand a few minutes before adding to dish]
  • Equal amount plain yogurt
  • 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon cream of tartar (per cup)
  • 1/2 cup whole milk plus 1/2 cup mayonnaise (per cup)

• Chicken Broth

  • 1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup water (per cup)
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules dissolved in 1 cup water (per cup)
  • Dried poultry seasoning dissolved in equal amount vegetable broth

• Chocolate

  • Semisweet Baking

    • 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate plus 1 tablespoon sugar (per ounce)

  • Semisweet Chips

    • 6 ounces chopped semisweet baking chocolate (per cup)

  • Unsweetened Baking

    • 3 tablespoons baking cocoa plus 1 tablespoon shortening, margarine, or fat (per ounce/square)

• Condensed Milk

  • 1 1/4 cup sugar dissolved in 1 cup evaporated milk (per cup)

• Cooking Sherry

  • Equal amount dry vermouth (use sweet vermouth in desserts)
  • Equal amount of red wine, marsala, or any other dry, fortified liquid (may affect taste)
  • Equal amount of tart citrus juice (orange, pineapple, etc.) for alcohol-free

• Corn Syrup

  • Light

    • 1 unit sugar plus 1/3 unit water
    • Equal amount honey

  • Dark

    • 3/4 unit light corn syrup plus 1/3 unit molasses
    • Equal amount light corn syrup
    • Equal amount maple-flavored syrup

• Cornstarch

  • Double amount of all-purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca (per tablespoon)
  • Equal amount of potato starch or arrowroot

• Cream

  • Light

    • 7/8 cup milk plus 3 tablespoons butter (per cup)

  • Heavy

    • 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup butter (per cup) - Not suitable for whipping

• Cream cheese

  • 2/3 cup yogurt or cottage cheese plus 1/3 cup marscapone or ricotta (per cup)

• Cream fraiche

  • Equal amount cream with a squeeze of lemon
  • 1/2 cup sour cream plus 1/2 cup whipping cream (per cup) - let stand for 2 hours before use

• Eggs

  • 2 egg whites per large egg
  • 1/4 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product (per large egg)
  • Equal amount condensed milk in baking recipes (cooking, cakes)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder plus 1/4 cup liquid (water, milk) (per egg)
  • 1 cup plain soy yogurt
  • 2 egg yolks (per large egg) [best for custards or puddings]
  • 2 egg yolks plus 1 tablespoon water (per large egg) [best for cookies or bars]
  • 1 Tablespoon ground flax seeds plus 2 Tablespoons water (per egg)
  • 2 tablespoons applesauce (per egg)
  • 1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise (per egg)
  • 1 table spoon shortening (like Crisco) plus 1 teaspoon milk (per egg)
  • When beating egg whites, up to 1/3 of the egg whites can be replaced with water at the rate of 1 Tablespoon water per egg white for a lighter, fluffier, and healthier mixture

• Evaporated Milk

  • 1 2/3 cup milk simmered slowly until reduced to 1 cup (per cup)

• Fromage Blanc

  • Equal amount of Greek yogurt
  • Creme fraiche (if recipe calls for whipping)

• Flour

  • All-purpose

    • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (per cup)
    • Half the amount of cornstarch
    • 1 cup mashed potatoes and plus 1 tablespoon ground almonds (per cup)
    • Grated/Shredded potatoes can be used to thicken soups and stews

  • Cake

    • 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch (per cup)

  • Self-rising

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder plus 1/2 teaspoon salt (per cup)

• Galangal

  • No direct substitute, but ginger root combined with cinnamon, mace, and pepper comes close to the taste. Ginger root has similar physical properties to galangal.

• Garlic

  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (per clove)
  • 1/4 teaspoon instant minced garlic (per clove)

• Gelatin

  • 2 tablespoon agar flakes (per tablespoon)
  • 1 teaspoon agar powder (per tablespoon)

• Ginger Root

  • 3/4 unit ground ginger

• Herbs/Spices

  • Fresh

    • 3/4 to 1 teaspoon dried herbs (per tablespoon)

  • Dry

    • 1 to 1 1/4 tablespoon fresh herbs (per teaspoon)

• Honey

  • 1 1/4 unit sugar plus 1/4 unit apple juice (or water)
  • Equal amount molasses or corn syrup
  • 1 1/3 unit sugar (per unit honey)

• Hoisine Sauce

  • Equal amount oyster sauce

• Jicama (chopped)

  • Equal amount of chopped water chestnuts

• Leeks (sliced)

  • Equal amount of sliced shallots or green onions

• Lemon Juice

  • Equal amount of white vinegar

• Lemon Peel (grated)

  • Equal amount of dried lemon peel

• Maple Syrup

  • 1 cup brown sugar dissolved in 1 cup water, plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Mayonnaise

  • Equal amount hummus

• Molasses

  • Equal amount honey
  • Equal amount dark corn syrup
  • Equal amount maple syrup
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (per cup)

• Milk

  • 1/2 unit evaporated milk plus 1/2 unit water (add 1 tablespoon butter per cup for a whole milk substitute)
  • 1 cup sour milk or buttermilk plus 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (per cup)
  • Equal amount of soy milk
  • Equal amount of almond milk
  • Dry milk powder can be used in recipes that also call for water (most breads, etc.)

• Mizuna

  • Equal amount of arugula
  • Equal amount of dandelion greens

• Oil (Cooking)

  • Equal amount unsweetened applesauce
  • Equal amount melted butter or margarine (do NOT use melted vegetable shortening)

• Onion

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder per small onion
  • 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes per small onion
  • Equal amount leeks, shallots, garlic, daikon, or asafetida powder

• Poultry Seasoning

  • 1/4 unit ground thyme plus 3/4 unit ground sage

• Pumpkin Pie Spice

  • 1/2 unit ground cinnamon, 1/4 unit ground ginger, 1/8 unit ground allspice,and 1/8 unit ground nutmeg

• Raisins

  • Equal amount of currants, dried cherries, dried cranberries, chopped dates, or chopped prunes

• Red Pepper Sauce

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (per 4 drops)

• Sesame Seed

  • Equal amount finely chopped blanched almonds

• Shortening

  • 1 1/3 unit butter. Butter has less fat, so end result is lighter overall.

• Salt

  • Equal amount parmesan cheese

• Sour Cream

  • Equal amount of yogurt
  • Equal amount blended cottage cheese
  • Equal amount fresh cream plus 1-2 drops lemon juice

• Sour Milk

  • 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice stirred into 1 cup milk (per cup)

• Sugar

  • Granulated

    • Equal amount raw sugar
    • Equal amount brown sugar (resulting dish will retain more moisture)
    • 3/4 cup honey (per cup) - reduce liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup per cup of honey added
    • 2/3 cup agave nectar (per cup) - reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup per cup of agave added

  • Powered / Confectioner's

    • Combine 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 Tablespoon cornstarch in blender until powdery

• Tamarind Paste

  • Diced dried prunes and apricots mixed with soy sauce

• Tomato Juice

  • 1/2 unit tomato sauce plus 1/2 unit water

• Tomato Paste

  • Double amount of tomato sauce cooked uncovered until reduced by half

• Tomatoes (canned)

  • 1 1/3 unit cut-up fresh tomatoes simmered for 10 minutes

• Vanilla

  • Equal amount maple syrup
  • Equal amount almond extract/flavoring (may affect taste)
  • 1-2 teaspoon extract per bean

• Vegetable Shortening

  • Equal amount melted butter

• Wasabi

  • Equal amount of mix of finely ground mustard seeds and grated radish

• Wine

  • Red

    • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar plus 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon grape juice (per cup)
    • Equal amount nonalcoholic wine
    • Equal amount apple cider
    • Equal amount beef broth
    • Equal amount tomato juice
    • Equal amount water

  • White

    • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar plus 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon white grape juice (per cup)
    • Equal amount nonalcoholic wine
    • Equal amount dry vermouth
    • Equal amount white grape juice
    • Equal amount apple juice
    • Equal amount chicken broth
    • Equal amount water

  • Rice

    • Equal amount pale dry sherry (similar flavor profile)
    • Equal amount of gin (similar flavor profile)
    • Equal amount apple or white grape juice (if used as marinade)
    • Sake (different flavor profile, but also made from rice)

• Worcestershire Sauce

  • Combine equal parts soy sauce, tamarind paste, and white (or cider) vinegar (may add cloves and onions
  • Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of sugar into 6 drops of Tabasco or other hot sauce (per tablespoon)

• Yogurt (plain or Greek)

  • Equal amount sour cream

• Tell us your own substitution...

  Tell us your own substitution...