Out of it? Swap it.
Type what you are missing and get the substitute with the exact ratio. 30+ pantry staples covered.
The most-needed swaps: buttermilk = 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice, rested 5 minutes. One egg in baking = 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, or 1/4 cup applesauce. Baking powder = 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. Heavy cream for sauces = 3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup melted butter.
Ingredient substitution chart
Every swap below is per the amount shown in the second column.
| Missing | Amount | Use instead |
|---|---|---|
| Buttermilk | 1 cup | 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar (Stir and let sit 5 minutes until slightly curdled.) |
| Egg (in baking) | 1 egg | 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water (Rest 5 minutes to gel. Works best in muffins, pancakes, cookies.) |
| Egg (in baking, alt) | 1 egg | 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (Adds slight sweetness and moisture. Best in cakes and quick breads.) |
| Baking powder | 1 tsp | 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar |
| Baking soda | 1/4 tsp | 1 tsp baking powder (Only works in this direction. Expect a slightly less crisp result.) |
| Brown sugar | 1 cup | 1 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses (Mix with a fork until evenly moist.) |
| Powdered sugar | 1 cup | 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tsp cornstarch, blended (Blitz in a blender until fine.) |
| Butter (in baking) | 1 cup | 3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil (Texture gets slightly denser. Skip for laminated doughs.) |
| Heavy cream | 1 cup | 3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup melted butter (Will not whip, fine for sauces and soups.) |
| Sour cream | 1 cup | 1 cup plain Greek yogurt |
| Crème fraîche | 1 cup | 1 cup sour cream (Add a splash of cream if it needs to survive simmering.) |
| Mascarpone | 1 cup | 8 oz cream cheese + 2 tbsp cream + 1 tbsp butter, beaten |
| Ricotta | 1 cup | 1 cup cottage cheese, briefly blended |
| Evaporated milk | 1 cup | 2 1/4 cups milk, simmered down to 1 cup |
| Self-rising flour | 1 cup | 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt |
| Cake flour | 1 cup | 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tbsp, plus 2 tbsp cornstarch (Sift twice.) |
| Cornstarch (thickener) | 1 tbsp | 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (Simmer a bit longer to cook out the floury taste.) |
| Fresh herbs | 1 tbsp | 1 tsp dried herbs (The 3:1 rule works for most herbs.) |
| Garlic clove | 1 clove | 1/8 tsp garlic powder |
| Onion | 1 small | 1 tsp onion powder or 1 shallot |
| Shallot | 1 shallot | 1/2 small yellow onion + pinch of garlic powder |
| Tomato sauce | 1 cup | 1/2 cup tomato paste + 1/2 cup water |
| White wine (cooking) | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup chicken or veg broth + 1 tsp white vinegar |
| Red wine (cooking) | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup beef broth + 1 tsp balsamic vinegar |
| Soy sauce | 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp Worcestershire or tamari (Tamari is the gluten-free route.) |
| Fish sauce | 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp soy sauce + squeeze of lime |
| Mirin | 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp rice vinegar + 1/2 tsp sugar |
| Lemon juice | 1 tbsp | 1/2 tbsp white vinegar or 1 tbsp lime juice |
| Cream of tartar | 1/2 tsp | 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar |
| Breadcrumbs | 1 cup | 1 cup crushed crackers or rolled oats |
| Mayonnaise (in dips) | 1 cup | 1 cup plain Greek yogurt |
| Tahini | 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp unsweetened peanut or cashew butter |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp | 1 tsp maple syrup or dark rum (In baked goods the difference is barely noticeable.) |
| Molasses | 1 cup | 3/4 cup brown sugar + 1/4 cup water, or 1 cup honey |
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.
Questions people ask
What can I use instead of buttermilk?
1 cup of milk plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir and let it sit 5 minutes until it curdles slightly. The acid is the point: it reacts with baking soda for the lift buttermilk gives.
What is a good egg substitute in baking?
1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons of water, rested 5 minutes until gel-like, replaces one egg in muffins, pancakes and cookies. 1/4 cup of applesauce also works in cakes and quick breads, adding a little sweetness.
Can I make baking powder at home?
Yes: 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar equals 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Mix it fresh, because the reaction starts as soon as it meets moisture.
What replaces heavy cream in a sauce?
3/4 cup of milk plus 1/4 cup of melted butter per cup of cream. It will not whip, but it enriches a sauce or soup exactly the same way.
Good to know
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.
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.
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.