Baking
Substitute for Baking Powder
No baking powder? Mix ¼ tsp baking soda with ½ tsp cream of tartar for each teaspoon, or pair the soda with lemon juice, vinegar or buttermilk instead.
- vegetarian
- vegan
- gluten free
Quick answer
Out of baking powder? The most versatile swaps:
- 1
Baking soda + cream of tartar
¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp
- 2
Baking soda + lemon juice or vinegar
¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp lemon juice or white vinegar per 1 tsp
- 3
Baking soda + buttermilk
¼ tsp baking soda + ½ cup buttermilk per 1 tsp; cut other liquid by ½ cup
Baking powder is sodium bicarbonate premixed with dry acids and a little starch to keep them apart. Once wet, and again in the oven for double-acting types, the acid reacts with the bicarbonate and releases carbon dioxide, which inflates the bubbles beaten into a batter. Because baking soda is the active half, every reliable substitute is soda plus an acid, measured so the two cancel out: about a quarter teaspoon of soda does the work of a full teaspoon of powder.
Cakes and cupcakes
Use soda and cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is a dry, flavorless acid, so it changes nothing else in the recipe. The one difference is timing: homemade powder lacks the heat-activated acid, so it gives all its lift at mixing. Have the oven hot and pans greased before combining wet and dry, and don’t let the batter sit.
Muffins, pancakes and quick breads
These forgive a liquid acid. Lemon juice or vinegar in the wet ingredients works, and buttermilk is better still in pancakes and biscuits, where its tang is welcome. When swapping buttermilk for milk, subtract the same volume from the recipe’s other liquid so the batter stays the same thickness, as the New Mexico State chart specifies.
Crisp cookies and crackers
Baker’s ammonia gives a lighter, crunchier result than powder in thin, dry bakes and is the traditional leavener for some Scandinavian and German cookies. Keep it out of cakes and anything thicker than a cracker.
When not to substitute
Recipes with a long rest, such as overnight waffle batter or make-ahead muffin batter, depend on powder’s delayed reaction; homemade mixes go flat while waiting. For those, bake straight away or use yeast-raised recipes. Self-rising flour is a poor fit where the recipe calls for much more or much less powder than the flour supplies.
Common mistakes
- Using soda one-for-one with powder. Four times too much base: bitter, soapy and dark.
- Mixing acid and soda too early. The gas escapes in the bowl and the cake bakes dense.
- Using Dutch-process cocoa as the acid. It has been alkalized, so it won’t neutralize soda the way natural cocoa does.
- Keeping the recipe’s liquid when adding buttermilk. The batter turns runny and the bake spreads.
All 5 substitutes at a glance
| Substitute | Ratio | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baking soda + cream of tartar Baking | ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp | cakes, muffins, biscuits, pancakes | The same base and dry acid that commercial powder contains, minus the second, heat-triggered acid. It releases all its gas once wet, so get the batter into the oven quickly. Add ¼ tsp cornstarch if storing a batch. |
| Baking soda + lemon juice or vinegar Baking | ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp lemon juice or white vinegar per 1 tsp | quick breads, muffins, chocolate cake, pancakes | Liquid acid starts the reaction the moment it meets the soda. Stir the acid into the wet ingredients, the soda into the dry, combine last and bake at once. At these amounts neither taste comes through. |
| Baking soda + buttermilk Baking | ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ cup buttermilk per 1 tsp; cut other liquid by ½ cup | pancakes, waffles, biscuits, soda bread | Buttermilk's lactic acid neutralizes the soda. It replaces half a cup of the recipe's milk or water, so the batter's total liquid stays the same. Adds tang and a softer, browner crust. |
| Baker's ammonia Baking | 1:1 | thin crisp cookies, crackers, biscotti | Breaks down entirely into gas in the oven, which makes very dry, crisp cookies. The ammonia smell bakes out only of thin, small items; thick or moist bakes trap it. |
| Self-rising flour Baking | Replace the flour; leave out the powder and salt | biscuits, pancakes, simple cakes | Each cup carries about 1½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt. Fits recipes that use ½ to 1 tsp powder per cup of flour; below that the result overrises, above it add the shortfall separately. |
Substitute calculator
How much baking powder does your recipe call for?
- Baking soda + cream of tartar¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar
- Baking soda + lemon juice or vinegar¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
- Baking soda + buttermilk¼ tsp baking soda + ½ cup buttermilk
- Baker's ammonia1 tsp baker's ammonia
- Self-rising flourReplace the flour; leave out the powder and salt
Amounts are rounded to practical kitchen measures. Swaps without a fixed ratio, or that can't be measured in the unit you picked, show their ratio instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is baking soda alone a substitute for baking powder?
Only if the batter has enough acid to react with it. Without acid, soda gives little lift and leaves a soapy, metallic taste and a yellowish, over-browned crumb. Pair it with cream of tartar, lemon juice, vinegar or buttermilk.
Why do substitution charts disagree on cream of tartar amounts?
King Arthur uses ½ teaspoon per ¼ teaspoon soda; Nebraska and Utah State extension charts use ⅝ teaspoon. Either neutralizes the soda. The extra acid gives slightly more insurance against a soapy taste.
How can I test whether baking powder still works?
Stir half a teaspoon into a few tablespoons of hot water. Strong, immediate fizzing means it is active. Little or no bubbling means it has absorbed moisture and spent its acid; replace it.
Can I make baking powder ahead of time?
Yes, with cornstarch: King Arthur's version is ¼ teaspoon soda, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon cornstarch per teaspoon. The starch absorbs humidity so the acid and base don't react in the jar.
Sources
- What's the difference between baking soda and baking powder?, King Arthur Baking
- In a pinch: ingredient substitution, New Mexico State University Extension
- Basic ingredient substitutions, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension
- List of ingredient substitutions for cooking and baking, Utah State University Extension
- How to substitute self-rising flour for all-purpose flour, King Arthur Baking
- Ingredient weight chart, King Arthur Baking
More baking substitutes
Substitute for Baking Soda
Out of baking soda? Use 3 tsp baking powder per teaspoon and swap the recipe's acidic liquid for milk, or potassium bicarbonate 1:1 for low-sodium baking.
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Substitute for Self-Rising Flour
Make self-rising flour in a minute: whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour with 1½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt. Pastry flour gets closer to soft Southern brands.
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Substitute for Brown Sugar
Make brown sugar from 1 cup white sugar plus 2 tsp molasses (light) or 1 tbsp (dark), or swap in plain white sugar cup for cup and accept crisper cookies.
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Substitute for All-Purpose Flour
No all-purpose flour? Bread flour swaps cup for cup, use 1 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour per cup for tender cakes, and half whole wheat for muffins and breads.
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