Ingredient Substitutions Chart: 50 Swaps for When You're Out
A printable ingredient substitutions chart for baking and cooking: dairy, eggs, flour, sugar, leaveners, herbs, acids, sauces and more.
By Ayoub Farid · · 3 min read
Running out of one ingredient shouldn't mean a trip to the shop. This chart covers the most common substitutions. For baking, follow the notes closely, because chemistry matters.
Dairy
| Missing | Substitute (per amount) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buttermilk, 1 cup | 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar | Rest 5–10 min |
| Sour cream, 1 cup | 1 cup Greek yogurt | Tangier |
| Heavy cream (for cooking), 1 cup | ¾ cup milk + ¼ cup melted butter | Won't whip |
| Milk, 1 cup | ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water | Or plant milk |
| Butter (baking), 1 cup | 1 cup plant butter block | Or ¾ cup oil for some cakes |
| Ricotta | Cottage cheese, blended smooth | |
| Mascarpone | Cream cheese + a splash of cream |
Eggs (baking)
| 1 egg | Substitute | Best in |
|---|---|---|
| Flax egg | 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, rest 5 min | Cookies, muffins, brownies |
| Mashed banana | ¼ cup | Pancakes, muffins |
| Applesauce | ¼ cup | Cakes, muffins |
| Aquafaba | 3 tbsp chickpea water | Meringues, light cakes |
| Yogurt | ¼ cup | Cakes |
More detail in egg substitutes for baking.
Flour, starch and leaveners
| Missing | Substitute |
|---|---|
| Self-raising flour, 1 cup | 1 cup plain flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt |
| Cake flour, 1 cup | 1 cup minus 2 tbsp plain flour + 2 tbsp cornstarch |
| Cornstarch (thickening), 1 tbsp | 2 tbsp flour |
| Baking powder, 1 tsp | ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar |
| Breadcrumbs | Crushed crackers, oats, panko, ground nuts |
Don't swap baking soda for baking powder 1:1: soda is about 3–4× stronger and needs an acid.
Sugar and sweeteners
| Missing | Substitute |
|---|---|
| Brown sugar, 1 cup | 1 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses |
| Powdered sugar, 1 cup | 1 cup granulated sugar blended with 1 tbsp cornstarch |
| Honey, 1 cup | 1¼ cups sugar + ¼ cup liquid |
| Maple syrup | Honey, or sugar syrup with a little vanilla |
Herbs, spices and aromatics
| Missing | Substitute |
|---|---|
| Fresh herbs, 1 tbsp | Dried herbs, 1 tsp |
| Garlic, 1 clove | ⅛ tsp garlic powder |
| Onion, 1 small | 1 tbsp onion powder (or shallot, leek) |
| Shallot | Small onion + pinch of garlic |
| Fresh ginger, 1 tbsp | ¼ tsp ground ginger |
| Lemon juice | Lime juice or white wine vinegar (less) |
Sauces and pantry
| Missing | Substitute |
|---|---|
| Wine (in sauce) | Stock + 1 tsp vinegar per cup |
| Soy sauce | Tamari, coconut aminos, or Worcestershire (less) |
| Tomato paste, 1 tbsp | 3 tbsp tomato sauce, reduced |
| Stock | Water + stock cube, miso or soy sauce |
| Fish sauce | Soy sauce + squeeze of lime |
| Mayonnaise | Greek yogurt |
Ask for context-specific swaps
The best substitute depends on the dish. In SmartChef AI, ask Cook AI: "No eggs. What can I use in these brownies?" and get an answer for that recipe. More tips: AI ingredient substitutions.
Frequently asked questions
What's the most useful substitution to know?
Milk plus lemon juice for buttermilk, and dried herbs at one-third the amount of fresh.
Can I substitute baking soda for baking powder?
Not 1:1. Baking soda needs an acid and is much stronger; use about ¼ teaspoon soda plus an acid per teaspoon of powder.
What can replace eggs in baking?
Flax eggs, mashed banana, applesauce, yogurt or aquafaba, depending on the recipe.
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