Ever get part way through a recipe before realizing you’re out of an important ingredient? Us too. Don’t despair! Many common ingredients have easy substitutes that you may have in your kitchen. We’ve also made a handy printable version you can keep on your fridge.
1 tsp allspice
Used mainly for baking in the USA but around the world allspice is used for a variety of sweet and savory foods.
1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1/4 tsp ginger + 1/4 tsp cloves
Though allspice is a spice all its own, you can come close to the flavor with a combination of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
1 tsp arrowroot starch
This starch is a versatile, gluten-free flour that can be used to thicken sauces, stews and soups. It's also helpful in baking.
1 tbsp wheat flour OR 1 tsp cornstarch
If you're not cooking gluten-free you can use wheat flour to replace arrowroot. If you are cooking gluten-free, use cornstarch.
1 tsp baking powder
Baking powder is used in recipes that do not have an acid component to the other ingredients.
1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp vinegar
Baking soda requires an addition of an acid ingredient to activate its rising power.
1 tsp baking soda
Baking soda is used in recipes that have an acid component to the other ingredients.
3 tsp baking powder
You can replace baking soda with three times the amount of baking powder, since baking powder is made with soda plus other ingredients.
1 cup breadcrumbs
In this instance, these breadcrumbs would be for meatballs or similar recipes where the crumbs are combined with other ingredients.
1 cup cracker crumbs OR 1 cup ground oats
A cup of plain crackers blitz into crumbs will work. Or, simply use oats ground roughly in a food processor.
1 cup brown sugar
Brown sugar has molasses added back into it, giving it the dark color and caramel-like flavor.
1 cup white sugar + 1/4 cup molasses
You can simply make your own brown sugar by adding molasses to the recipe. You will want to leave out a 1/4 cup of liquid from the recipe.
1 cup butter
Butter is often an essential component of baked goods. But it doesn't have to be a disaster if you've run out! You can also make your own butter by beating heavy cream until the butter separates from the buttermilk.
1 cup shortening + 1/2 tsp salt OR 1 cup oil + 1/2 tsp salt
Since butter has a little salt to it, you add replace it with similar fats and a little salt. If the recipe uses unsalted butter, you can just use the fat.
1 cup buttermilk
Buttermilk is made when cream is turned to butter. It is acidic and has a tangy flavor. Use buttermilk to get fluffy biscuits, dumplings, and soda bread.
1 cup yogurt OR 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice + 1 cup milk
Yogurt will have the same chemical reaction with soda as buttermilk. If you only have regular milk, you just need to add a little acid to it.
1 oz chocolate (baking)
Unlike snacking chocolate, baking chocolate doesn't have added sugar. It's bitter and intense!
3 tbsp cocoa powder + 1 tbsp vegetable oil or shortening
You can make your own baking chocolate by mixing cocoa powder with oil.
1 cup corn syrup
Sometimes a recipe calls for corn syrup and you don't want to use it!
1 cup honey OR 1/4 cup sugar + 1/3 cup water
Luckily honey makes a great, much more healthy, alternative. You can also use sugar and water.
1 tsp cream of tartar
Cream of tartar is a by product from winemaking and it add a little acidity to a recipe.
2 tsp lemon juice OR 2 tsp vinegar
Another acidic ingredient like lemon of vinegar will do the trick!
1 whole egg
Eggs in baking create structure and stability as well as moisture.
1/2 a banana + 1/2 tsp baking powder OR 1 tbsp flax powder or chia seeds soaked in 3 tbsp water for 15 minutes
Bananas work great in baking but they will add their distinctive flavor. Flax eggs are great and flavorless!
1 cup flour (bread)
Bread flour has extra protein, which is great for creating extra gluten in doughs.
1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 tsp wheat germ
Germ comes from the part of the grain seed that makes new life (the seed embryo, if you will). It's a good source of plant protein and therefore, makes regular flour into wheat flour.
1 cup flour (cake)
Cake flour is the opposite of bread flour, with a lower protein content. This makes cakes fluffy rather than chewy.
1 cup all-purpose flour - 2 tbsp
Since you can't remove protein from flour, simply side a little less flour.
1 cup flour (self-rising)
Self-rising flour is popular in a lot of southern cooking, like those fluffy, fluffy biscuits! It's simply flour with baking powder and salt already added and a lower protein content.
7/8 cup all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp salt
That's your recipe for homemade self-rising flour!
1 tbsp gelatin
This translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient is usually derived from collegian from animals. It's definitely not vegan.
2 tbsp agar agar
Agar agar does the same thing as gelatin but it's obtained from the cell walls of some species of red algae. It's vegan!
1 cup half & half
It's used in coffee and tea a lot, but some recipes call for half and half too. It's great when you need a little extra fat but don't need full on cream.
7/8 cup milk + 1 tbsp butter
Use milk, but up the fat content by replacing a little with butter.
1 cup heavy cream
Full-fat goodness.
1/4 cup unsalted butter + 3/4 cup milk OR 1 cup coconut cream
Melt the butter and gently whisk in the milk. heavy cream made by hand. This only works for recipes where the heavy cream is mixed in. It won't work for whipped cream. For vegan, you can use coconut cream.
1 tbsp herbs (fresh)
Fresh herbs are the best option for many dishes but if you don't have any to hand, you will need a backup.
1 tsp dried herbs
Since dried herbs are concentrated, you won't need quite so much.
1 cup ketchup
We're talking tomato ketchup here, though there are a lot of different kinds not as popular in the US.
1 cup tomato sauce + 1 tsp vinegar + 1 tbsp sugar
It may not quite as good on a hotdog but for recipes like BBQ sauce, meatloaf, or ketchup fried rice, this will work!
2 stalks lemongrass
Lemon grass may not be the easiest to track down when you want it.
1 tbsp lemon zest
As lemongrass really does taste like lemon, you can replace it with zest in a pinch.
1 tsp mace
Mace is a spice that comes from the same tree as nutmeg. Nutmeg comes from the seed, mace from the seed's protective covering. In its natural state it looks like red lace.
1 tsp nutmeg
Nutmeg and mace have a very similar flavor, though mace is stronger. It's also more expensive, since there's less of it in each fruit. You can use nutmeg instead of mace, though the nuance won't be quite the same.
1 cup mayonnaise
Mayo is a great source of fat, made from oil and egg yolk. In baking it imparts richness and moisture.
1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup greek yogurt
You can get the same effect with sour cream or greek yogurt. It works in baking and for mayo based salads like tuna.
1/4 tsp saffron
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, derived from the stigma and styles of the saffron crocus.
1/4 tsp turmeric
Saffron's subtle floral flavor may be hard to replicate but the coloring component can be imitated by turmeric.
Sour Cream
Sour cream is a fermented dairy product with a distinct sour flavor.
3/4 cup buttermilk + 1/3 cup butter OR 1 cup plain yogurt
In baking, use butter milk and butter. For fresh application, use plain greek yogurt. You can use yogurt in baking too.
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
Condensed milk is cow's milk that has had all the water removed from it. It's usually sweetened with sugar.
3/4 cup white sugar + 1/2 water + 1/8 cup dry milk
You can make your own version of condensed milk with sugar, water, and dry milk. Cook it on the stovetop for 20 minutes, stirring constantly. For vegan, you can use coconut cream mixed with sugar.
1 cup oil for baking
Oil in baking is a common ingredient in cakes and muffins. You'll never guess what can replace it!
1 cup apple sauce
It's true, you can replace oil or melted butter with applesauce in baking. It works well with cakes and muffins.
