12 Common Ingredient Substitutes for Baking (When You're Missing Something)

We’ve All Been There

You’re halfway through a recipe and suddenly realize you’re out of buttermilk. Or eggs. Or brown sugar. The grocery store is closed, and you really want those cookies.

Don’t panic. With the right substitutes, you can save your bake — and sometimes even improve it.

In this guide, we’ll share the most reliable baking ingredient substitutes, with exact ratios so you know exactly how much to use.

Want even more substitutes? Check out our full Ingredient Substitution Finder — search for any ingredient and get tested alternatives.

Dairy Substitutes

1. Buttermilk

Substitutes (1 cup / 240ml):

1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice (let sit 5 minutes)
1 cup milk + 1¾ teaspoons cream of tartar
¾ cup plain yogurt + ¼ cup milk
1 cup kefir

Buttermilk’s acidity reacts with baking soda to leaven baked goods. The milk + vinegar trick is the most reliable emergency substitute.

2. Butter (unsalted)

Substitutes (1 cup / 226g):

1 cup margarine (adjust salt if using salted margarine)
7/8 cup vegetable oil + 2 tablespoons milk (for moisture)
1 cup coconut oil (melted, for tropical flavor)
1 cup applesauce (reduces fat, adds moisture — works best in quick breads)

Important: When substituting oil for butter in cookies, expect a chewier, flatter cookie. Butter’s structure (solids + water) creates the texture we associate with classic cookies.

3. Milk

Substitutes (1 cup / 240ml):

1 cup water + 1½ tablespoons butter (for richness)
1 cup half-and-half + ¼ cup water
1 cup oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk (non-dairy options)
1 cup powdered milk reconstituted with water

For baking, any non-dairy milk will work in a pinch. Just be aware that soy milk has the closest protein content to dairy milk, so it performs best in yeast doughs.

Egg Substitutes

4. Eggs (for binding/leavening)

Substitutes (per 1 large egg):

3 tablespoons water + 1 tablespoon oil + 1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (works best in cakes, muffins, quick breads)
1 mashed banana (adds banana flavor — great in banana bread, muffins)
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water (let sit 5 minutes)
¼ cup silken tofu, blended smooth

Best for cookies: The oil + water + baking powder trick works surprisingly well. You won’t get the exact same texture, but they’ll still be good.

Best for cakes: Applesauce is your friend. It adds moisture without changing the flavor much.

5. Egg Whites

Substitutes (per 1 egg white / 30g):

2 tablespoons aquafaba (chickpea brine) — whip like egg whites for meringues
1 tablespoon meringue powder + 2 tablespoons water

Aquafaba is a revelation for vegan baking. It whips up just like egg whites and works for meringues, macarons, and more.

Sweetener Substitutes

6. Brown Sugar

Substitutes (1 cup / 200g packed):

1 cup white sugar + 1 tablespoon molasses (for light brown sugar)
1 cup white sugar + 2 tablespoons molasses (for dark brown sugar)
1 cup white sugar + 2 tablespoons maple syrup (lighter flavor)

Brown sugar is literally just white sugar + molasses. Making your own is easy and tastes identical to store-bought.

7. Granulated Sugar

Substitutes (1 cup / 200g):

1¼ cups powdered sugar (sifted — results will be softer)
1 cup honey or maple syrup (reduce other liquids by ¼ cup)
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons light corn syrup (reduce other liquids by ¼ cup)

Note: Liquid sweeteners like honey and maple syrup add moisture, so you need to reduce other liquids in the recipe to compensate. They also brown faster, so lower the oven temp by 25°F (15°C).

8. Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar)

Substitutes (1 cup / 120g):

1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon cornstarch (blend in a blender until powdery)

That’s really all powdered sugar is — finely ground sugar with a little cornstarch to prevent caking.

Leavening Substitutes

9. Baking Powder

Substitutes (1 teaspoon):

¼ teaspoon baking soda + ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon baking soda + ½ teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice (add to wet ingredients)
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder works best

Baking powder = baking soda + acid + cornstarch. If you have baking soda and an acid, you can make your own.

10. Baking Soda

Substitutes (1 teaspoon):

3-4 teaspoons baking powder (since baking powder is ¼ baking soda by volume)

This only works if the recipe already has an acidic ingredient (like buttermilk, yogurt, or brown sugar). You may also want to reduce the salt slightly since baking powder contains salt.

Flour Substitutes

11. Cake Flour

Substitutes (1 cup / 120g):

¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons cornstarch (sift together)
1 cup pastry flour (close substitute)

Cake flour has less protein than all-purpose flour, which makes for a softer, more tender crumb. The cornstarch trick mimics this perfectly.

12. Bread Flour

Substitutes (1 cup / 130g):

1 cup all-purpose flour (most recipes will work fine)
1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (for chewier breads)

Bread flour has more protein (gluten) than all-purpose. For most bread recipes, all-purpose flour will work — you just might get a slightly less chewy crumb.

Substitution Rules of Thumb

When Substitutes Work Best

Quick breads, muffins, cakes: Most substitutions work great here
Cookies: Texture may change slightly, but taste will be fine
Yeast breads: Stick closer to the original — gluten development is tricky
Meringues, macarons, delicate pastries: Substitutes are risky — these are precision recipes

Tips for Successful Substitutions

Don’t substitute multiple ingredients at once — one swap is fine, but three or four and you’re basically making a different recipe.
Expect slight differences — the texture might be a little different, the color might be a little off, but it will still taste good.
Adjust bake time if needed — substitutions with extra moisture may need longer baking; substitutions with less moisture may need less.
Taste the batter/dough — if something tastes off, adjust. Add a little more sugar, a little more salt, whatever it needs.
Use our substitution finder — for more substitutes and exact ratios, use our Ingredient Substitution Finder.

Final Thought

Baking is science, but it’s also forgiving. Most of the time, a simple substitute will get you a perfectly good result. The key is to understand what each ingredient does and find a substitute that does the same job.

Save this guide for the next time you’re missing an ingredient mid-bake — it’ll save you a trip to the store.

And for even more substitutes, don’t forget to try our Ingredient Substitution Finder — search for any ingredient and get tested alternatives.

Happy baking! 🧁