Ingredient Substitutions

This is an ingredient substitution list. It is helpful when you are in the middle of a recipe or don’t want to spend the money on an ingredient that you don’t plan to use again.

Allspice:
Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitution: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Baking Powder:
Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitution: 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Beer:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup nonalcoholic beer or 1 cup chicken broth

Brandy:
Amount: 1/4 cup
Substitution: 1 teaspoon imitation brandy extract plus enough water to make 1/4 cup

Bread Crumbs:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup cracker crumbs or 1 cup ground oats

Broth: (Beef or Chicken)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 bouillon cube plus 1 cup boiling water, or 1 tablespoon soy sauce plus enough water to make 1 cup or 1 cup vegetable broth

Brown Sugar:
Amount: 1 cup, packed
Substitution: 1 cup white sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses and decrease the liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup or 1 cup white sugar

Butter: (salted)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup margarine OR 1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt or 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt

Butter: (unsalted)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil

Buttermilk:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup

Cheddar Cheese:
Amount: 1 cup shredded
Substitution: 1 cup shredded Colby cheddar or 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Chocolate: (semisweet)
Amount: 1 ounce
Substitution: 1 (1-ounce) square of unsweetened chocolate plus 4 teaspoons sugar or 1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips plus 1 teaspoon shortening

Chocolate: (unsweetened)
Amount: 1 ounce
Substitution: 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon shortening or vegetable oil

Cocoa:
Amount: 1/4 cup
Substitution: 1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened chocolate

Condensed Cream Soup:
Amount: 1 (10.75-ounce) can
1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of celery, mushroom, cream of chicken, golden mushroom soup

Corn Syrup:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water or 1 cup honey

Cottage Cheese:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup farmer’s cheese or 1 cup ricotta cheese

Cracker Crumbs:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup bread crumbs or 1 cup ground oats

Cream: (half and half)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 7/8 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon butter

Cream: (heavy)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup evaporated milk or 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup butter

Cream: (whipped)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup frozen whipped topping, (Cool Whip) thawed

Cream Cheese:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup pureed cottage cheese

Cream of Tartar:
Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitution: 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar

Egg:
Amount: 1 whole
Substitution: 2 1/2 tablespoons of powdered egg substitute plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water or 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute or 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or half a banana mashed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Evaporated Milk:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup light cream

Oil in Baking:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup applesauce

Flour: (Cake)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution:: 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons sifted

Flour: (Self-Rising)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 7/8 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Garlic:
Amount: 1 clove
Substitution: 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt–reduce salt in recipe

Ginger: (dry)
Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitution: 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

Ginger: (fresh)
Amount: 1 teaspoon, minced
Substitution: 1/2 teaspoon ground dried ginger

Green Onion:
Amount: 1/2 cup, chopped
Substitution: 1/2 cup chopped onion

Herbs: (fresh)
Amount: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh
Substitution: 1 teaspoon (chopped or whole leaf) dried herbs

Honey:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water or 1 cup corn syrup

Hot Sauce:
Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitution: 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper plus 1 teaspoon vinegar

Ketchup:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup tomato sauce plus 1 teaspoon vinegar plus 1 tablespoon sugar

Lemon Juice:
Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitution: 1/2 teaspoon vinegar or 1 teaspoon lime juice

Lemon Zest:
Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitution: 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Lime Juice:
Amount 1 teaspoon
Substitution: 1 teaspoon vinegar or 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Lime Zest:
Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitution: 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Macadamia, Hazelnuts or Almonds:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup almonds, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts

Mace:
Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitution: 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Margarine:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt or 1 cup butter or 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt

Mayonnaise:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup sour cream or 1 cup plain yogurt

Milk: (whole)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup soy milk or 1 cup rice milk or 1 cup water or juice or 1/4 cup dry milk powder plus 1 cup water or 2/3 cup evaporated milk plus 1/3 cup water

Molasses:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: Mix 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Mustard: (prepared – liquid form)
Amount: 1 tablespoon
Substitution: Mix together 1 tablespoon dried mustard (spice), 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar

Onion:
Amount: 1 cup, chopped
Substitution: 1 cup chopped green onions or 1/4 cup dried minced onion or 1/4 cup onion powder

Orange Juice:
Amount: 1 tablespoon
Substitution: 1 tablespoon lemon, lime or grapefruit juice

Orange Zest:
Amount: 1 tablespoon
Substitution: 1/2 teaspoon orange extract or 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Parmesan Cheese:
Amount: 1/2 cup, grated
Substitution: 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese or 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Parsley:
Amount: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh
Substitution: 1 teaspoon dried parsley

Raisins:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup dried currants or 1 cup dried cranberries or 1 cup chopped pitted prunes or 1 cup craisins

Rice: (white)
Amount: 1 cup, cooked
Substitution: 1 cup cooked barley or 1 cup cooked bulgur or 1 cup cooked brown or 1 cup wild rice

Ricotta:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup dry cottage cheese

Rum:
Amount: 1 tablespoon
Substitution: 1/2 teaspoon rum extract, plus enough water to make 1 tablespoon

Semisweet Chocolate Chips:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup chocolate candies (M&M’s) or 1 cup peanut butter or other chips or 1 cup chopped nuts

Shortening:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup butter or 1 cup margarine minus 1/2 teaspoon salt from recipe

Soy Sauce:
Amount: 1/2 cup
Substitution: 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Stock: (beef or chicken)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cube beef or chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup water

Sweetened Condensed Milk:
Amount: 1 (14-ounce) can
Substitution: 3/4 cup white sugar mixed with 1/2 cup water and 1 1/8 cups dry powdered milk: Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, 15 minutes

Vegetable Oil: (for baking)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup applesauce

Vinegar:
Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitution: 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice

White Sugar: (granulated)
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup brown sugar or 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar or 3/4 cup honey or 3/4 cup corn syrup

Wine:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup chicken or beef broth or 1 cup fruit juice mixed with 2 teaspoons vinegar or 1 cup water

Yogurt:
Amount: 1 cup
Substitution: 1 cup sour cream or 1 cup buttermilk or 1 cup sour milk

If you know of another substitute please let us know.