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Ingredient Substitute Finder

Halfway into a recipe and the buttermilk is not there. It happens to everyone. Most missing ingredients have a substitute you already own, as long as you get the ratio right. Search the list below.

Buttermilk(1 cup)
Swap: 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar
Stir and let sit 5 minutes until slightly curdled.
Egg (in baking)(1 egg)
Swap: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water
Rest 5 minutes to gel. Works best in muffins, pancakes, cookies.
Egg (in baking, alt)(1 egg)
Swap: 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
Adds slight sweetness and moisture. Best in cakes and quick breads.
Baking powder(1 tsp)
Swap: 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Baking soda(1/4 tsp)
Swap: 1 tsp baking powder
Only works in this direction. Expect a slightly less crisp result.
Brown sugar(1 cup)
Swap: 1 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses
Mix with a fork until evenly moist.
Powdered sugar(1 cup)
Swap: 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tsp cornstarch, blended
Blitz in a blender until fine.
Butter (in baking)(1 cup)
Swap: 3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
Texture gets slightly denser. Skip for laminated doughs.
Heavy cream(1 cup)
Swap: 3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup melted butter
Will not whip, fine for sauces and soups.
Sour cream(1 cup)
Swap: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Crème fraîche(1 cup)
Swap: 1 cup sour cream
Add a splash of cream if it needs to survive simmering.
Mascarpone(1 cup)
Swap: 8 oz cream cheese + 2 tbsp cream + 1 tbsp butter, beaten
Ricotta(1 cup)
Swap: 1 cup cottage cheese, briefly blended
Evaporated milk(1 cup)
Swap: 2 1/4 cups milk, simmered down to 1 cup
Self-rising flour(1 cup)
Swap: 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt
Cake flour(1 cup)
Swap: 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tbsp, plus 2 tbsp cornstarch
Sift twice.
Cornstarch (thickener)(1 tbsp)
Swap: 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Simmer a bit longer to cook out the floury taste.
Fresh herbs(1 tbsp)
Swap: 1 tsp dried herbs
The 3:1 rule works for most herbs.
Garlic clove(1 clove)
Swap: 1/8 tsp garlic powder
Onion(1 small)
Swap: 1 tsp onion powder or 1 shallot
Shallot(1 shallot)
Swap: 1/2 small yellow onion + pinch of garlic powder
Tomato sauce(1 cup)
Swap: 1/2 cup tomato paste + 1/2 cup water
White wine (cooking)(1/2 cup)
Swap: 1/2 cup chicken or veg broth + 1 tsp white vinegar
Red wine (cooking)(1/2 cup)
Swap: 1/2 cup beef broth + 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Soy sauce(1 tbsp)
Swap: 1 tbsp Worcestershire or tamari
Tamari is the gluten-free route.
Fish sauce(1 tbsp)
Swap: 1 tbsp soy sauce + squeeze of lime
Mirin(1 tbsp)
Swap: 1 tbsp rice vinegar + 1/2 tsp sugar
Lemon juice(1 tbsp)
Swap: 1/2 tbsp white vinegar or 1 tbsp lime juice
Cream of tartar(1/2 tsp)
Swap: 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
Breadcrumbs(1 cup)
Swap: 1 cup crushed crackers or rolled oats
Mayonnaise (in dips)(1 cup)
Swap: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Tahini(1 tbsp)
Swap: 1 tbsp unsweetened peanut or cashew butter
Vanilla extract(1 tsp)
Swap: 1 tsp maple syrup or dark rum
In baked goods the difference is barely noticeable.
Molasses(1 cup)
Swap: 3/4 cup brown sugar + 1/4 cup water, or 1 cup honey

Good to know

Baking swaps are stricter than cooking swaps

In a stew, close enough is fine. In a cake, leavening and fat ratios decide the texture, so measure baking substitutes exactly and expect small differences in crumb or browning.

Acid plus dairy is the master trick

Buttermilk, sour cream, and crème fraîche can all be approximated from milk or yogurt plus an acid. One tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar per cup of milk, rest five minutes, done.

Taste as you go with savory swaps

Substitutes like soy for fish sauce shift saltiness. Add half the amount first, taste, then adjust. You can always add more, never less.

Cooking guides

Tell the Pann app what you actually have and it builds the meal around it in the first place, so most substitutions never come up.

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