Baking
Substitute for Cornstarch
No cornstarch? Thicken with 2 tbsp flour per tablespoon, or swap arrowroot or potato starch 1:1 for clear, glossy sauces. Instant ClearJel suits fruit pies.
- vegetarian
- vegan
- gluten free
Quick answer
Out of cornstarch? The most versatile swaps:
- 1
All-purpose flour
2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2
Arrowroot
1:1
- 3
Potato starch
1:1
Cornstarch is nearly pure starch. Its granules swell and burst when heated in liquid, releasing long starch molecules that tangle and thicken the sauce, which then sets glossy and fairly translucent. Because it is all starch, it thickens about twice as well as flour. The best substitute depends on whether you need clarity, freezer stability or just body.
Sauces, gravies and stir-fries
Flour is the everyday swap: the Nebraska, Utah State and New Mexico State extension charts all use 2 tablespoons per tablespoon of cornstarch. Whisk it with a little cold liquid, or cook it in fat as a roux, then simmer 2 to 3 minutes until no raw taste remains. It suits brown gravy and cream sauces, where opacity doesn’t matter.
For a glossy stir-fry or sweet-and-sour sauce, use arrowroot or potato starch. The New Mexico State chart lists them as equal to cornstarch, so the amount doesn’t change. Both thicken before the sauce reaches a full boil; take the pan off the heat once the sauce clears.
Fruit pies
King Arthur’s pie chart gives the same amount of Instant ClearJel as cornstarch for apple, cherry and peach pies. It gives a cleaner-tasting, clearer filling that slices neatly and holds up in the freezer. Flour needs more volume and leaves the filling cloudy.
Frying and baking
Cornstarch dredges give a thin, shattering crust. Potato starch gives the same result. In shortbread and gluten-free baking, potato starch also replaces cornstarch measure for measure.
When not to substitute
Pastry cream, cornstarch pudding and lemon meringue filling are boiled for a minute to set firm and to inactivate an egg-yolk enzyme that otherwise thins the starch later. Arrowroot and potato starch break down under that boil, so the filling weeps. Flour makes them pasty. In those recipes, cornstarch is worth a trip to the store.
Common mistakes
- Dumping dry starch into hot liquid. It forms lumps with raw centers; always make a cold slurry first.
- Using flour at the same amount. The sauce stays thin, and adding more late leaves a floury taste.
- Boiling arrowroot or potato starch. The sauce thickens, then turns thin and stringy.
- Thickening dairy with arrowroot. It can make milk sauces slimy; use flour or potato starch.
All 4 substitutes at a glance
| Substitute | Ratio | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour Cooking | 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch | gravy, pan sauces, stews, creamy soups | Flour is only part starch, so it takes twice as much. Sauces turn opaque and matte rather than glossy. Simmer a few minutes after it thickens to cook out the raw taste. Contains gluten. |
| Arrowroot CookingRaw & finishing | 1:1 | fruit sauces, glazes, stir-fry sauces, sauces that will be frozen | Same thickening power, clearer and glossier finish, and it thickens at a lower temperature. It thins if boiled for long and can turn slick in milk-based sauces; add it at the end. |
| Potato starch CookingBaking | 1:1 | soups, gravies, crisp frying coatings, gluten-free baking | Thickens quickly to a clear, silky body. Don't let it boil hard after thickening, or it loses body. Makes a light, very crisp coating on fried foods, much like cornstarch. |
| Instant ClearJel BakingRaw & finishing | 1:1 in fruit pie fillings | apple pie, peach pie, cherry pie, frozen pies | A modified cornstarch that thickens without cooking and stays stable when frozen. Fillings are clearer and less starchy-tasting. Mix it with the sugar first so it doesn't clump. |
Substitute calculator
How much cornstarch does your recipe call for?
- All-purpose flour2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Arrowroot1 tbsp arrowroot
- Potato starch1 tbsp potato starch
- Instant ClearJel1 tbsp Instant ClearJel
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.
Topics: thickeningsaucesgluten freecornstarchcooking All baking guides
Frequently asked questions
Which substitute makes the clearest sauce?
Arrowroot and potato starch both give a clear, shiny sauce suited to fruit glazes and sweet-and-sour sauces. Flour always makes a sauce opaque. Instant ClearJel is clearest in pie fillings.
Why did my cornstarch-thickened sauce go thin overnight?
Starch gels weaken with long boiling, vigorous stirring after thickening, and acids. Refrigeration then lets the gel weep liquid. Reheat gently and add a little more slurry rather than boiling hard.
Can I use cornstarch substitutes in baking?
In small amounts, yes. Potato starch replaces cornstarch in shortbread and gluten-free blends. For homemade cake flour, arrowroot works in place of the cornstarch at the same amount.
What can replace cornstarch for crispy fried chicken or tofu?
Potato starch is the closest match and is the standard coating for Japanese karaage. Rice flour also fries crisp. Wheat flour browns more but makes a softer, breadier crust.
Sources
- In a pinch: ingredient substitution, New Mexico State University Extension
- List of ingredient substitutions for cooking and baking, Utah State University Extension
- Basic ingredient substitutions, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension
- Pie thickener guide, King Arthur Baking
- Ingredient weight chart, King Arthur Baking
More baking substitutes
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.
Read
Substitute for Butter
Out of butter? Plant butter sticks swap 1:1, shortening or lard at ⅞ cup plus ½ tsp salt per cup, and ⅞ cup oil replaces 1 cup melted butter.
Read
Substitute for Coconut Flour
Replacing coconut flour? Use about 1 cup almond flour per ¼ cup and cut the eggs and liquid, or swap equal volume in mixed-flour recipes and reduce liquid.
Read
Substitute for Xanthan Gum
No xanthan gum? Guar gum swaps 1:1 in most gluten-free baking, psyllium husk powder at double the amount suits breads, and some flour blends already include it.
Read