I think everyone’s been there before. You’re in the kitchen, in the middle of cooking the most amazing meal ever, when suddenly you realize you’re out of one (or more) ingredients. Instead of running to the store or trekking all the way to a neighbor’s house to borrow a cup of whatever it is you’re missing, check out this substitution chart and make do the old-fashioned way!
Ingredient | Amount | Substitution |
Allspice | 1 teaspoon | 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon, Ginger OR Cloves |
Baking Powder | 1 teaspoon | 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar OR 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk (decrease liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup) |
Beer | 1/4 cup | 1 cup nonalcoholic beer OR 1 cup chicken broth |
Bread Crumbs | 1 cup | 1 cup cracker crumbs, ground oats OR matzo meal |
Brown sugar | 1 cup, packed | 1 cup white sugar OR 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar |
Butter | 1 cup | 1 cup margarine OR 1 cup shortening + 1 teaspoon salt |
Buttermilk | 1 cup | 1 cup yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to equal 1 cup |
Cocoa | 1/4 cup | 1 oz square unsweetened chocolate |
Corn Syrup | 1 cup | 1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 up water OR 1 cup honey |
Cream (heavy or light) | 1 cup | 1 cup evaporated milk OR 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup butter (for heavy) or 3 Tablespoons butter (for light) |
Egg | 1 whole | Half of a banana mashed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder |
Fresh herbs | 1 tablespoon | 1 teaspoon dried herbs |
Honey | 1 cup | 1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water OR 1 cup corn syrup |
Lemon juice | 1 teaspoon | 1/2 teaspoon vinegar OR 1 teaspoon white wine OR 1 teaspoon lime juice |
Mayonnaise | 1 cup | 1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup yogurt |
Milk | 1 cup | 1 cup soy or rice milk OR 1 cup water OR 2/3 cup evaporated milk plus 1/3 cup water |
Onion | 1 cup, chopped | 1 cup chopped green onions OR 1 cup chopped shallots OR 1 cup chopped leeks OR 1/4 cup dried minced onion OR 1/4 cup onion powder |
Raisin | 1 cup | 1 cup dried currants OR 1 cup dried cranberries OR 1 cup pitted prunes |
Rice (white) | 1 cup | 1 cup cooked barley OR 1 cup cooked bulgur OR 1 cup cooked brown or wild rice |
Semisweet Chocolate Chips | 1 cup | 1 cup chocolate candies OR 1 cup peanut butter or other flavored chips OR 1 cup chopped nuts OR 1 cup chopped dried fruit |
Shortening | 1 cup | 1 cup butter OR 1 cup margarine minus 1/2 teaspoon salt from recipe |
Sour Cream | 1 cup | 1 cup plain yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough cream to make 1 cup OR 1/4 cup buttermilk mixed with 1/3 cup butter |
Vegetable oil (baking) | 1 cup | 1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree |
Vegetable oil (frying) | 1 cup | 1 cup lard OR 1 cup vegetable shortening |
White sugar | 1 cup | 1 cup brown sugar OR 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar OR 3/4 cup honey OR 3/4 cup corn syrup |
Yogurt | 1 cup | 1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup buttermilk |
Cassi says
Just a note, if you happen to have molasses on hand (I always have some around left over from gingerbread cookies at Christmas) one tablespoon of molasses mixed with a cup of white sugar will make brown sugar. I find a pastry blender works best for this of the tools I keep on hand.
Liz E. says
That’s an awesome suggestion. Thanks Cassi!