Ingredient Substitutions A–F

Find the ingredient you need to replace. Read its original amount, choose one measured substitute, and check the limits before cooking. Alternatives separated into bullets are choices, not ingredients to combine.

US kitchen measures: 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon; 16 tablespoons = 1 cup. These are reference starting points, not tested variations of every recipe. Check allergens. Do not alter a tested canning or preservation formula using this chart.

Find your ingredient: A–F

Allspice

1 teaspoon ground allspice

Use this substitute:

½ teaspoon cinnamon + ½ teaspoon ground cloves

A flavor approximation, not the same spice.

Apple pie spice

1 teaspoon apple pie spice

Use this substitute:

½ teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon nutmeg + ⅛ teaspoon cardamom

This traditional blend totals ⅞ teaspoon; do not silently round up an ingredient.

Arrowroot starch

1 teaspoon arrowroot starch

Use ONE of these options:

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons cornstarch

For thickening only. Mix flour or cornstarch with cool liquid before adding; cook adequately. Flour makes the result cloudier. These reference ratios are not reversible baking formulas.

Baking powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

Use this substitute:

¼ teaspoon baking soda + ½ teaspoon cream of tartar + ¼ teaspoon cornstarch or tapioca starch

Mix well and use promptly. This is single-acting; do not replace baking powder with baking soda alone.

Bay leaf

1 whole bay leaf

Use this substitute:

¼ teaspoon cracked bay leaf, contained in a removable spice bag

Remove the bag after cooking. Do not leave sharp leaf fragments in the finished dish.

Beau monde seasoning

1 teaspoon Beau monde seasoning

Use this substitute:

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

The spice balance varies by brand; taste before adding more salt.

Beef stock base

2 teaspoons instant beef stock base

Use this substitute:

1 beef bouillon cube, only when its label specifies the same broth yield

Cube sizes and concentration vary. Match the package dilution instructions rather than assuming every cube is identical.

Beef stock concentrate

4 teaspoons beef base dissolved in 1¼ cups water

Use this substitute:

One 10½-ounce can condensed beef broth, undiluted

For older recipes specifying condensed broth. Ready-to-serve broth is not the same concentration.

Bread crumbs, dry

⅓ cup dry bread crumbs

Use this substitute:

Crumbs made from approximately 1 slice bread, dried before measuring

Slice size varies: measure the finished crumbs, not just the number of slices.

Bread crumbs, soft

¾ cup soft bread crumbs

Use this substitute:

Crumbs made from approximately 1 slice fresh bread

Check the measured yield; dense and airy loaves give different amounts.

Broth, beef or chicken

1 cup broth

Use ONE of these options:

1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup hot water, if the label specifies that dilution
1 teaspoon powdered broth base dissolved in 1 cup hot water, if the label specifies that dilution

Use the package dilution when it differs. Bouillon often adds more salt than unsalted broth.

Butter

1 cup butter

Use ONE of these options:

1 cup stick margarine intended for baking
⅞ cup neutral oil, only in recipes suited to liquid fat

Oil cannot be creamed or laminated like butter. Do not use the oil option for puff pastry or recipes depending on solid butter; low-fat tub spreads are not baking margarine.

Carob powder

3 tablespoons carob powder + 2 tablespoons water

Use this substitute:

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate

Replace the entire carob-and-water combination. Chocolate changes flavor and contains cocoa; it is not a cocoa-free alternative.

Catsup or ketchup

1 cup ketchup used in cooking

Use this substitute:

A mixture of 1 cup tomato sauce + ½ cup sugar + 2 tablespoons vinegar; use only the amount needed after adjusting consistency

This makes more than 1 cup and is sweeter than many modern ketchups. Measure the finished mixture; not a canning formula.

Chicken stock base

1½ teaspoons instant chicken stock base

Use this substitute:

1 chicken bouillon cube, if its label gives the equivalent concentration

Cube strength varies. For prepared broth, use the dilution on the package and keep the recipe liquid unchanged.

Chili sauce

1 cup sweet tomato-style chili sauce

Use this substitute:

A mixture of 1 cup tomato sauce + ¼ cup brown sugar + 2 tablespoons vinegar + ¼ teaspoon cinnamon + a pinch each of cloves and allspice

This mixture yields more than 1 cup: measure what the recipe needs. It replaces sweet tomato chili sauce, not hot chili paste or sriracha.

Chives

2 teaspoons finely chopped chives

Use this substitute:

2 teaspoons finely chopped green onion tops

Use the green part; white onion bulbs taste stronger.

Chocolate chips

1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips

Use this substitute:

1 ounce chopped sweet baking chocolate

Suitable when melted or mixed into batter; chopped chocolate may spread more than chips.

Chocolate, semisweet

1⅔ ounces semisweet chocolate

Use this substitute:

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate + 4 teaspoons sugar

For mixtures where the sugar can dissolve, not a direct replacement for intact chips.

Chocolate, unsweetened

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate

Use this substitute:

3 tablespoons cocoa powder + 1 tablespoon butter or baking margarine

Blend the fat and cocoa. Not an equal replacement for sweetened chocolate.

Cocoa powder

¼ cup cocoa powder

Use this substitute:

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate; reduce the recipe fat by ½ tablespoon

A cooking reference, not a guarantee for delicate cakes. Natural and Dutch-process cocoa differ in acidity.

Coconut, dried

1 tablespoon grated dried coconut

Use this substitute:

1½ tablespoons fresh grated coconut

Moisture changes; sweetened and unsweetened coconut also differ.

Coconut cream

1 cup unsweetened coconut cream

Use this substitute:

1 cup dairy cream for a savory cooking fallback

Coconut flavor disappears and dairy is introduced. Not sweetened cream of coconut or a dairy-free substitution.

Coconut milk

1 cup coconut milk

Use this substitute:

1 cup dairy milk for a cooking fallback

The result is thinner and lacks coconut flavor. Not equivalent for whipping, coconut-forward desserts or dairy-free cooking.

Corn syrup

1 cup corn syrup

Use ONE of these options:

1 cup honey
1 cup sugar dissolved with ¼ cup of the recipe liquid, for a simple cooking syrup

Honey changes flavor. Sugar syrup does not have corn syrup’s anti-crystallization behavior: do not use these as automatic candy-making swaps.

Cornstarch

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Use ONE of these options:

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4–6 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca

For thickening sauces, soups or fillings only. Choose one option. Mix flour with cool liquid and cook it; hydrate and cook tapioca as its package directs. These amounts do not apply to cookies, custards or crispy coatings.

Cracker crumbs

¾ cup cracker crumbs

Use this substitute:

1 cup bread crumbs

Salt and texture change; adjust seasoning after tasting.

Cream cheese

1 cup cream cheese for a soft mixture

Use ONE of these options:

1 cup ricotta, drained and blended smooth
1 cup cottage cheese, drained and blended smooth

An approximate volume substitution for dips or spreads, not firm frosting or cheesecake. Add gradually if the mixture must stay thick.

Cream, half-and-half

1 cup half-and-half

Use this substitute:

1 cup undiluted evaporated milk

For cooking or drinks; it tastes different and is not whipping cream.

Cream, heavy

1 cup heavy cream

Use this substitute:

¾ cup milk + ⅓ cup melted butter, blended together

For cooking or baking only, not whipping. This reference mixture has a greater combined volume than 1 cup; use a recipe designed for the mixture when exact liquid balance matters.

Cream, light

1 cup light cream

Use this substitute:

1 cup undiluted evaporated milk

For cooking. It will not whip like heavy cream.

Cream, sour

1 cup sour cream

Use this substitute:

1 cup plain yogurt

For toppings and compatible batters. Yogurt can separate in hot sauces; add gently off high heat.

Cream, whipped

Whipped topping made from a 13-ounce can evaporated milk

Use this substitute:

Chill the evaporated milk thoroughly for 12 hours, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, then whip

A temporary, lighter topping; not a stable substitute for whipped-cream cake filling. Keep refrigerated. Yield depends on whipping.

Cream, whipping

1 cup whipping cream needed for cooking

Use this substitute:

¾ cup milk + ⅓ cup melted butter

Cooking only: the mixture does not whip. For a whipped topping, use the separate whipped-cream entry.

Cream of tartar

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Use ONE of these options:

1½ teaspoons lemon juice
1½ teaspoons plain vinegar

For suitable mixtures where liquid acid is acceptable. Not a blanket substitution for dry baking-powder blends or every candy recipe.

Dill heads

3 fresh or dried dill heads

Use this substitute:

1 tablespoon dill seed

The flavor differs from dill leaves. In tested pickles, do not change vinegar, water or processing directions.

Egg, whole

1 whole egg in a compatible baked mixture

Use ONE of these options:

2 egg whites
1 egg white + 2 teaspoons oil
¼ cup commercial liquid egg substitute, if its label confirms a one-egg equivalent

Not interchangeable for every custard, meringue or sponge. Many liquid egg substitutes contain egg; this is not an egg-allergy solution.

Egg white

1 egg white (about 2 tablespoons)

Use ONE of these options:

2 tablespoons thawed frozen egg white
Powdered egg white reconstituted to one-white yield according to its package

Only products labeled suitable for whipping will behave like fresh whites in meringue. Keep thawed egg refrigerated.

Egg yolk

1 egg yolk (about 1½ tablespoons)

Use ONE of these options:

1⅓ tablespoons thawed frozen egg yolk
Powdered egg yolk reconstituted to one-yolk yield according to its package

Frozen yolks may contain salt or sugar; match the product to the recipe.

Extracts and flavoring oils

1 teaspoon culinary flavor extract

Use this substitute:

¼ teaspoon food-grade flavoring oil of the same flavor, only when the product permits this concentration

Concentration varies widely: the label takes priority. Never use aromatherapy or non-food essential oils.

Flour, for thickening

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Use ONE of these options:

½ tablespoon cornstarch
2–3 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca

For a sauce or gravy, not dough. Blend starch with cool liquid and cook according to its type; tapioca needs hydration.

Flour, all-purpose

1 cup all-purpose flour for a partial whole-grain change

Use this substitute:

¾ cup all-purpose flour + ¼ cup whole-wheat flour

Start with a partial replacement. Grain flours, crumbs and pure starches are not universal cup-for-cup replacements; they change structure and hydration.

Flour, cake

1 cup cake flour

Use this substitute:

¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Whisk thoroughly before use. A pantry approximation, not identical to commercial cake flour.

Flour, pastry

1 cup pastry flour

Use this substitute:

⅞ cup all-purpose flour

Expect a firmer result. Use a recipe written for your flour for delicate pastry.

Flour, self-rising

1 cup self-rising flour

Use this substitute:

1 cup minus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour + 1½ teaspoons baking powder + ½ teaspoon salt

Mix evenly. Account for the added salt and leavening; do not also add them a second time.

Flour, whole-wheat

1 cup whole-wheat flour

Use ONE of these options:

1 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 cup graham flour

These are wheat flours and contain gluten. Do not confuse white whole-wheat with refined white flour.

Looking while cooking? Enter an ingredient in the recipe’s “Need a substitute?” box. Measured answers appear under the box; selecting an answer opens that ingredient without leaving the recipe.