Essential Cooking Ingredient Replacements
Emergency Substitutions for common ingredients listed in a recipe.
| If you don’t have: | Substitute: |
| Baking powder, 1 teaspoon | 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar plus 1/4 teaspoon baking soda |
| Balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or red wine vinegar plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar |
| Brandy | Whiskey, Rum, Wine, Vodka, Gin, Bourbon, Brandy Extract, Apple Juice, White Grape Juice Notes: Substitute for brandy in cake and fruitcake: Brandy is often used in desserts, but you can easily substitute it. For most cakes, 2 to 3 tablespoons of brandy extract will provide a similar flavor to real brandy. Alternatively, you can use the same amount of bourbon or rum, or simply add some apple juice. A good fruitcake usually includes brandy, but if you’re out, grape juice makes a great alternative. Orange or apple juice also works well, especially in light and colorful fruitcakes. For an alcohol-free option, try soaking dried fruits overnight in a glass bowl to release their natural juices, adding extra flavor to your cake. |
| Bread crumbs, fine dry, ¼ cup | 3/4 cup soft breadcrumbs, or 1/4 cup cracker crumbs, or 1/4 cup cornflake crumbs |
| Broth, beef or chicken, 1 cup | 1 teaspoon or 1 cube instant beef or chicken bouillon plus 1 cup hot water |
| Butter, 1 cup | 1 cup shortening plus 1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired |
| Buttermilk 1 cup | 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup (let stand for 5 minutes before using), or 1 cup plain yogurt |
| Chocolate, semisweet, 1 ounce | 3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate pieces, or 1-ounce unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, or 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder plus 2 teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons shortening |
| Chocolate, sweet baking 4 ounces | 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1/3 cup granulated and 3 tablespoons shortening |
| Chocolate, unsweetened, 1 ounce | 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon cooking oil or shortening, melted |
| Cornstarch, 1 tablespoon (for thickening) | 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour |
| Corn syrup (light), 1 cup | 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup Water |
| Egg, 1 whole | 2 egg whites, or 2 egg yolks, or 1/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed |
| Flour, cake, 1 cup | 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour |
| Flour, self-rising, 1 cup | 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda |
| Garlic, 1 clove | 1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder |
| Ginger, grated fresh, 1 teaspoon | 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger |
| Half-and-half or light cream, 1 cup | 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine plus enough whole milk to make 1 cup |
| Molasses, 1 cup | 1 cup honey |
| Mustard, dry, 1 teaspoon | 1 tablespoon prepared (regular mustard) (use only in cooked mixtures) |
| Mustard, yellow, 1 tablespoon | 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard pus 2 teaspoons vinegar |
| Onion, chopped, 1/2 cup | 2 tablespoons dried minced onion or 4 teaspoon onion powder |
| Sour cream, dairy, 1 cup | 1 cup plain yogurt |
| Sugar, granulated, 1 cup | 1 cup packed brown sugar or 2 cups sifted powdered sugar |
| Sugar, brown, 1 cup packed | 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons molasses |
| Tomato juice, 1 cup | 1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water |
| Tomato sauce, 2 cups | 3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water |
| Vanilla bean, 1 whole | 2 teaspoons vanilla extract |
| Wine, red, 1 cup | 1 cup beef or chicken broth in savory recipes or 1 cup cranberry juice in desserts |
| Wine, white, 1 cup | 1 cup chicken broth in savory recipes or 1 cup apple juice or white grape juice in desserts |
| Yeast, active dry, 1 package | about 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast |
Substitutions for Seasonings.
| If you don’t have | Substitute: |
| Apple pie spice, 1 teaspoon | 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice, and dash ground cloves or ginger |
| Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon | 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon black pepper |
| Herbs, snipped fresh, 1 tablespoon | 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried herb, crushed, or 1 teaspoon ground herb |
| Poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon | 3/4 teaspoon dried sage, crushed, plus ¼ teaspoon dried thyme or marjoram, crushed |
| Pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon | 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg |
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