Substitutions

The following are substitution suggestions for when you are out of a particular item or don’t care for its taste. Remember, these are general guidelines. Substituting ingredients will change the result. I suggest you use your best judgment with substitutions… or better yet, use your taste buds!

 

Baking Powder
1 tsp = ¼ tsp baking soda + ⅝ tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp = ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ cup buttermilk or yogurt
1 tsp = ¼ tsp baking soda + ¼ to ½ cup molasses
1 Tbsp baking powder = 2 tsp baking soda + 1 tsp cream of tartar

Baker’s Ammonia or Ammonium Carbonate
¾ tsp ground = 1 tsp baking soda

Buttermilk
1 cup = 1 cup (minus 1 Tbsp) milk + 1 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice, let stand 5 minutes
1 cup = 1 cup plain yogurt

Chocolate, semisweet
6 oz = 6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder + 7 Tbsp sugar + ¼ cup vegetable shortening
1 ⅔ oz = 1 oz unsweetened plus 4 tsp sugar

Chocolate, unsweetened
1 oz = 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 Tbsp butter or other fat

Cream, half-and-half
1 cup = 1 ½ Tbsp butter + ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp milk
1 cup = ½ cup light cream + ½ cup milk

Cream, light
1 cup = 3 Tbsp butter + ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp milk

Cream, heavy (36 % fat)
1 cup = ⅓ cup butter + ¾ cup milk

Cream, sour
1 cup = ⅓ cup butter + ¾ cup buttermilk or yogurt

Flour, cake
1 cup = 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour + 1 ½ tsp baking powder + ½ tsp salt
1 cup cake flour = ⅞ cup all-purpose flour + ⅛ cup cornstarch

Flour, all-purpose
1 cup = ¾ cup plus 1 Tbsp gluten flour

Flour, self-rising
1 cup = 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour + 1 ½ tsp baking powder + ½ tsp salt

Fresh herbs
1 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs = ⅓ tsp powdered dried herbs = 1 tsp crushed dried herbs

To reconstitute dried herbs and develop their flavors, soak them in some liquid you can incorporate in the recipe (water, stock, milk, lemon juice, wine, olive oil, or vinegar) for 10 minutes to one hour before using. Or simmer them in butter.

Garlic
1 clove = ⅛ tsp garlic powder = ¼ tsp granulated = ½ tsp minced

Ginger
1 Tbsp minced fresh = ⅛ tsp ground = 1 Tbsp crystallized (washed of sugar)

Jalapeno
1 jalapeno = 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Lemon
1 tsp lemon juice = ½ tsp vinegar
1 tsp grated zest = ½ tsp lemon extract

Milk, whole
1 cup = ½ cup evaporated + ½ cup water
1 cup = ¼ cup dry whole milk powder + ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp water
1 cup = 1 cup soy or almond milk

Milk, skim
1 cup = ⅓ cup nonfat dry milk powder + ¾ cup water

Mushrooms
8 oz fresh = 6 oz canned mushrooms, drained

Mustard
1 tsp dry mustard = 1 Tbsp prepared mustard

Sugar
sugar = agave nectar = honey = maple syrup

Sugar, brown
1 cup = 1 cup white sugar + 2 Tbsp molasses

Sugar, confectioners’
1 ¾ cups = 1 cup granulated sugar

Sweetener, noncaloric
⅛ tsp = 1 tsp sugar

Tabasco
2 dashes = dash of cayenne pepper = ½ tsp red pepper flakes

Tofu
you can almost always use extra-firm tofu instead of any meat, poultry, or fish, in an equivalent weight

Tomatoes
2 large diced tomatoes (2 cups) = 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

Tomato juice
1 cup = ½ cup tomato sauce + ½ cup water

Tomato sauce
2 cups = ¾ cup tomato paste + 1 cup water

Yeast
1 cake (⅗ oz) = 1 package active dry = 2 ¼ tsp