Sometimes, the baking mood strikes unannounced. In times like these, it’s important our Makers be quick on their feet. When convenience requires compromise, it’s easy to accept defeat in the face of that midnight tasty treat.
No ingredients? No problem. In order to remedy those missing ingredients, we put on our thinking caps. Chef hats in this case. Okay, we can’t find our hats, so metaphorical ones will have to do.
We’ve cultivated a list of savvy (yet simple) swaps for those recipe roadblocks:
From the Pantry
When the recipe calls for: Baking Chocolate
- Need 1 ounce of baking chocolate but only have that candy bar in the freezer? Not to worry. Blend 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder with 1 tablespoon of oil or melted shortening to take its place.
When the recipe calls for: Cake Flour
- A swap for flour you say? Piece of cake. 1 cup of cake flour can be replaced with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and ⅞ cups of all-purpose flour.
When the recipe calls for: Dry Yeast
- At the very least, know your yeast. 1 envelope of active dry yeast can also be swapped for 1 cube of fresh yeast. Who knew!
When the recipe calls for: Self Rising Flour
- The trick to finding a substitution for 1 cup of self-rising flour requires mixing 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.
When the recipe calls for: Powdered Sugar
- Short 1 cup of powdered sugar? We’ve got your quick fix. In a blender, mix 1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder with 1 cup of granulated sugar. Let it sit for a minute or two before using.
When the recipe calls for: White Sugar
- Out of white sugar? Luckily, there are several pantry staples eligible to take its place. To make up for 1 cup of white sugar, grab 1 cup of firmly packed light brown sugar, 1 cup of raw sugar, 1¾ cups of powdered sugar, 1 cup of maple sugar mixed with ½ a teaspoon of baking soda, or ¾ cup of honey mixed with ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Makers using the honey and baking soda option should also decrease the liquid in their recipe by ¼ cup or increase the flour by ¼ cup.
When the recipe calls for: Brown Sugar
- Recipes that require 1 cup of dark brown sugar can also use 1 cup of raw sugar, 1 cup of granulated white sugar, or ⅞ cups of granulated sugar mixed with ¼ cup of honey. To substitute for 1 cup of light brown sugar, blend ½ cup of dark brown sugar with ½ cup of granulated white sugar.
When the recipe calls for: Baking Powder
- Missing 1 teaspoon of baking powder? We’ve got you. Mix ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon of baking soda for a seamless substitute.
From the Fridge
When the recipe calls for: Eggs
- In place of 1 large egg, use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba, ¼ cup of mashed banana, 1 tablespoon of either chia or flax seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water, ¼ cup of puréed tofu, 2 tablespoons of arrowroot mixed with 3 tablespoons of water, ¼ cup of yogurt, ¼ cup of sparkling water, ¼ cup of applesauce, or 3 tablespoons of nut butter.
When the recipe calls for: Buttermilk
- To fake 1 cup of farm fresh buttermilk, use 1 cup of plain yogurt, 1 cup of sour cream, or simply mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar with milk or soy milk to make 1 cup (let stand 5 minutes).
When the recipe calls for: Whole Milk
- Recipes that need 1 cup of fresh whole milk can instead use 1 cup of skim milk with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, ¼ cup of powdered whole milk with ⅞ cup water, ¼ cup of powdered skim milk with ⅞ cup water and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, 1 cup of water with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 1 cup of mild-flavored soy or nut milk, or 1 cup of fruit juice.
When the recipe calls for: Heavy Cream
- Recipes that need 1 cup of heavy cream can also use ¼ cup of melted butter mixed with ¾ cups of milk. If using a low-fat milk, mix in about a tablespoon of flour to thicken it up.
Don’t see what you need? Send us a message using our contact form below and we will get back to you quicker than it takes to say “cookies are done!”
