Many times, when cooking, you have to be flexible and substitute ingredients. Sometimes you don’t have them handy or simply cannot find them where you live. Here is a list of some common cooking substitutions you can make in your kitchen.
Baking Powder – For every teaspoon of baking powder use ¼ tsp. baking soda and add ½ tsp. cream of tartar.
Bread Crumbs – If you need bread crumbs and don’t have them, substitute them for equal amounts of crushed Corn Flakes or crushed soda crackers.
Brown Sugar, dark – For every cup of packed dark brown sugar use 1 cup white granulated sugar and add ¼ cup molasses.
Brown Sugar, light – For every cup of packed light brown sugar use 1 cup white granulated sugar and add 1 ½ TBS molasses.
Buttermilk – For every cup of buttermilk you need place 1 TBS of lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup. Add whole milk to complete the cup measure. Let the milk sit, at room temperature, for 5 minutes without touching it. You can also use plain low-fat yogurt if you prefer. Watch the video on how to do this here.
Cake Flour – Measure 1 cup all-purpose flour. Remove 2 TBS flour from cup. Replace with 2 TBS cornstarch. Mix well and you have 1 cup of cake flour.
Capers – Use equal amounts of chopped green olives, in place of capers, in your recipes.
Chocolate, semisweet – For every ounce of semisweet chocolate use an ounce of unsweetened chocolate and add 1 TBS white sugar.
Chocolate, unsweetened – For every ounce of unsweetened chocolate use 3 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder and add 1 TBS melted, unsalted butter.
Cornstarch – For every TBS of cornstarch use 2 TBS of white flour. Do this only when thickening sauces. If you need cornstarch for baking cookies do not make this substitution.
Corn Syrup, light – For every cup of light corn syrup use 1 cup sugar and add ¼ cup water.
Corn Syrup, dark – For every cup of dark syrup use ¾ light corn syrup and add ¼ cup molasses.
Cream, heavy – For every cup of heavy cream use ¾ cup whole milk and add ¼ cup melted unsalted butter.
Crème Fraîche – For every cup of crème fraîche use ½ cup sour cream and add ½ cup heavy cream.
Flour, self-rising – For every cup of self-rising flour use all-purpose flour and add 1 ½ tsp. baking powder and ½ tsp. salt.
Rice wine – Use equal amounts of sherry to substitute for rice wine.
Sour Cream – Use equal amounts of plain yogurt to substitute sour cream or make your own with some whipping cream and lemon. Watch the video on how to do that here.
