Easy Ingredient Substitutes

What to Use in a Recipe When You’re Out of an Ingredient

Next time you discover you’re out of something important, check out these easy ingredient substitutes. Before you give up and put everything away so you can make a grocery run, take a look around your kitchen. You might already have something that works just as well … and in some cases, maybe even better.

Knowing some of these easy kitchen substitutes can save time, money, and frustration. Whether you’re out of eggs, milk, butter, or flour, there are plenty of simple ingredient swaps that can help you prepare your recipe.

I’ve had the experience of realizing I didn’t have an essential ingredient more than once and panicked. The first time, I got on the phone and called my grandmother who always had great answers. After all, she had to prepare family meals during the depression, and my dad raved about what a great cook she was. As always, she came through with a great suggestion!

After that, I sought substitutes for other ingredients and came up with a list. Here are some of my favorite kitchen substitutions to keep in mind.

Egg Substitutes for Baking

Eggs help bind ingredients together and add moisture to baked goods. Fortunately, several common foods can take their place.

In place of each large egg, try one of these:

• Applesauce: 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce works well in muffins, cakes, and quick breads. Use either jarred or homemade applesauce.
• Mashed bananas: 1/4 cup adds moisture, sweetness, and a little extra flavor.
• Flaxseed: Mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it rest about 5 minutes before you use it.
• Plain yogurt: 1/4 cup works in a lot of baked foods. I prefer Greek yogurt, but you can use any type of plain yogurt you have.

Note: Keep in mind that these swaps work best for recipes that only need one or two eggs. If the recipe needs eggs for structure, you’ll need to get eggs.

Wheat Flour and Gluten-Free Substitutes

Are you running low on flour? There are several options, depending on what you’re making.

Here are some suggestions:

• Whole wheat flour: Replace up to half of the all-purpose flour that’s needed in many recipes. You might need a little extra liquid.
• Self-rising flour: Substitute for all-purpose flour in suitable recipes, but you’ll need to decrease or maybe even eliminate the baking powder and salt.
• Gluten-free flour blend: Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour that’s designed to replace regular flour.
• Almond flour: This option is great for muffins and certain types of cookies. You might need to adjust the amount you use by testing the texture of the dough.
• Oat flour: This is an excellent option for pancakes, waffles, and some quick breads.

Note: When you need to cook gluten-free foods, make sure that whatever flour or substitute you use is labeled gluten-free.

Milk Substitutes

If you’re out of regular milk, don’t fret. There are several alternatives that work quite well.

• Almond, oat, or soy milk: This one is easy. Just substitute equal amounts in the recipe.
• Evaporated milk: Mix equal parts evaporated milk and water to replace regular milk.
• Powdered milk: Follow the directions on the powder to reconstitute the milk.
• Half-and-half: Dilute it with a little bit of water to give it more of a milk-like consistency. Or substitute it as-is for a richer outcome.
• Plain yogurt: Thin it out with some water. The flavor will be more tart, but sometimes that’s really good.

Note: Make sure you use unsweetened and unflavored milk alternatives for savory dishes.

I like to keep evaporated and powered milk in my pantry for those times when I need milk in a recipe. They’re inexpensive, shelf-stable, and easy to use.

How to Make a Buttermilk Substitute

I love buttermilk. It gives biscuits, pancakes, and baked foods a wonderful flavor and tender texture. Sometimes I buy it at the store, and other times, I save the buttermilk from my homemade butter.

To replace 1 cup of buttermilk, put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup. Add enough milk to have a total of 1 cup. Stir and let it rest for about 5 minutes before you use it.

Another option is to combine plain yogurt with either milk or water until you get the consistency of buttermilk. I’ve used this in pancakes and biscuits, and my family could never tell the difference. And it’s really good in this buttermilk garlic mashed potato recipe.

Butter Substitutes

I love butter, so I try to have plenty on hand. However, I have run out a time or two, so I’ve had to improvise.

• Coconut oil: Use this as a 1-to-1 substitute. The flavor will be slightly different, but you might even enjoy the difference. I used coconut oil to make stovetop popcorn, and it wound up being our favorite way to have it. The flavor was rich and actually tasted more buttery than when I used butter.
• Applesauce: This only works for sweet foods. But it has always turned out really well when I’ve used it.

Note: Remember that the texture and flavor can change when you use butter substitutes. 

More Common Kitchen Ingredient Substitutes

Here are a few more easy swaps worth keeping in mind:

Sour cream: Replace with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt.

Brown sugar: Combine 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses.

Cornstarch: If you’re thickening sauces, use 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour for each tablespoon of cornstarch.

Lemon juice: When you realize you forgot to pick up a lemon, use white vinegar to get the same acidity.

Breadcrumbs: Try crushed crackers or oats. I like to put crackers in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. You can also crush them in a food processor if you don’t mind cleaning it afterward.

Heavy cream: You can combine 3/4 cup of milk with 1/4 cup of melted butter to replace a cup of heavy cream. The only downside is that it won’t whip like real cream.

Baking powder: Use 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar to replace 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

Tips for Successful Ingredient Substitutions

Not all substitutions work perfectly in every recipe. Baking requires more precision than most stovetop recipes, so it’s important to understand what the missing ingredient does.

That’s why I recommend starting with simple swaps. Remember that the flavors might be different, but that’s not always a bad thing.

Please feel free to share!