CircularSaver logo

Ingredient substitutions for cooking & baking

Find a substitute

Indicative guide: a substitute usually changes taste, texture or how the recipe behaves — test a small batch first. Nothing replaces the original exactly.

Dairy & eggs7

Butter

  • Vegetable oil

    ¾ cup oil for 1 cup butter

  • Applesauce

    ½ cup applesauce + ½ cup butter for 1 cup butter

    Lighter — best in muffins/cakes

  • Greek yogurt

    ½ cup yogurt + ½ cup butter for 1 cup butter

Buttermilk

  • Milk + vinegar

    1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar — wait 5 min

  • Yogurt + water

    ¾ cup yogurt + ¼ cup water for 1 cup

Cream cheese

  • Drained ricotta

    1:1

  • Drained Greek yogurt

    1:1 — tangier

Heavy cream

  • Milk + melted butter

    ¾ cup milk + ¼ cup melted butter for 1 cup

    Won't whip — sauces only

  • Coconut milk

    1:1 (thick cream on top for whipping)

Milk

  • Almond/soy/oat milk

    1:1 — oat is creamiest

  • Evaporated milk + water

    ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water for 1 cup

Parmesan

  • Pecorino Romano

    1:1 — saltier

  • Levure nutritionnelle

    1:1 sprinkled — vegan

Sour cream

  • Plain Greek yogurt

    1:1

  • Blended cottage cheese

    1:1 — more protein

Baking10

All-purpose flour

  • Self-rising flour

    1:1 + omit baking powder and salt

  • Cake flour

    1 cup + 2 tbsp for 1 cup

Baking powder

  • Baking soda + cream of tartar

    ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar for 1 tsp baking powder

Baking soda

  • Baking powder

    3 tsp baking powder for 1 tsp baking soda

    Weaker — slightly different result

Bread flour

  • AP flour + vital wheat gluten

    1 cup AP + 1 tbsp gluten for 1 cup

  • Plain AP flour

    1:1 — slightly less chewy crumb

Cake flour

  • AP flour + cornstarch

    1 cup minus 2 tbsp + 2 tbsp cornstarch for 1 cup

Cornstarch

  • All-purpose flour

    2 tbsp flour for 1 tbsp cornstarch

  • Tapioca starch

    2 tbsp for 1 tbsp cornstarch

Egg

  • Flax egg

    1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg

    Let gel 5 min — binder, not a leavener

  • Applesauce

    ¼ cup applesauce per egg

  • Mashed banana

    ½ medium banana per egg

    Noticeable banana flavour

Egg (binder, baking)

  • Chia seeds

    1 tbsp chia + 3 tbsp water per egg

Gelatin

  • Agar-agar

    1:1 powdered — vegan, sets firmer

    Boil 2 min to activate

Vanilla extract

  • Maple syrup

    1:1 — maple hint

  • Almond extract

    Half amount — stronger

Sugars & syrups4

Brown sugar

  • Sugar + molasses

    1 cup sugar + 1 tbsp molasses for 1 cup brown sugar

  • Coconut sugar

    1:1

Corn syrup

  • Honey

    1:1 — similar texture

  • Golden syrup

    1:1

Granulated sugar

  • Brown sugar

    1:1 — chewier texture

  • Honey

    ⅔ cup honey for 1 cup sugar + reduce liquids ¼ cup

  • Maple syrup

    ¾ cup syrup for 1 cup sugar + reduce liquids 3 tbsp

Honey

  • Maple syrup

    1:1

  • Agave syrup

    1:1 — more neutral

Pantry4

Cooking wine

  • Broth + vinegar

    1 cup broth + 1 tsp vinegar for 1 cup

  • Grape juice

    1:1 + splash of vinegar

Olive oil

  • Canola/vegetable oil

    1:1 — more neutral taste

  • Melted butter

    1:1 gentle cooking — not high-heat sauté

Tomato paste

  • Reduced tomato sauce

    3 tbsp reduced sauce for 1 tbsp paste

  • Ketchup

    1:1 — sweeter/tangier, pinch fix

Worcestershire sauce

  • Soy sauce + vinegar

    1 tbsp soy + ¼ tsp vinegar for 1 tbsp

Produce & herbs4

Fresh garlic

  • Garlic powder

    ⅛ tsp per clove

  • Jarred minced garlic

    ½ tsp per clove

Fresh herbs

  • Dried herbs

    1 tsp dried for 1 tbsp fresh (÷3)

    Add early — they need moisture to bloom

Fresh onion

  • Onion powder

    1 tbsp per medium onion

  • Shallot

    1 medium shallot ≈ ¼ onion

Lemon juice

  • White vinegar

    Half amount

  • Lime juice

    1:1

Staples & sides2

Wheat pasta

  • Lentil/chickpea pasta

    1:1 — more protein

  • Zucchini ribbons

    1:1 — veggie swap

White rice

  • Quinoa

    1:1 cooked — more protein

  • Cauliflower rice

    1:1 — low carb

Frequently asked questions

What can I use instead of an egg in baking?

A flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water), ¼ cup applesauce, or half a mashed banana per egg. It binds, but doesn't lift like an egg.

How do I substitute buttermilk?

1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice — let sit 5 min. Or ¾ cup yogurt + ¼ cup water.

Can I swap butter for oil?

Yes — ¾ cup vegetable oil for 1 cup butter. In muffins and cakes, applesauce cuts the fat in half.

Can I make heavy cream without cream?

For sauces: ¾ cup milk + ¼ cup melted butter per cup of cream. It won't whip — for whipped cream, thick coconut cream works.

How do I convert fresh to dried herbs?

Rule of thirds: 1 tsp dried = 1 tbsp fresh. Add dried herbs early so they can bloom.

Also try

Kitchen converter — cups, grams, spoons →Oven temperature — Celsius ↔ Fahrenheit →