Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Amount	Substitution
Allspice	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves
Arrowroot starch	1 teaspoon	1 tablespoon flour, or 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Baking mix	1 cup	1 cup pancake mix OR 1 cup Easy Biscuit Mixture
Baking powder	1 teaspoon	1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar OR 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk (decrease liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup)
Beer	1 cup	1 cup nonalcoholic beer OR 1 cup chicken broth
Brandy	1/4 cup	1 teaspoon imitation brandy extract plus enough water to make 1/4 cup
Bread crumbs	1 cup	1 cup cracker crumbs OR 1 cup matzo meal OR 1 cup ground oats
Broth - beef or chicken	1 cup	1 bouillon cube plus 1 cup boiling water OR 1 tablespoon soy sauce plus enough water to make 1 cup OR 1 cup vegetable broth
Brown sugar	1 cup, packed	1 cup white sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses and decrease the liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup OR 1 cup white sugar OR 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Butter (salted)	1 cup	1 cup margarine OR 1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
Butter (unsalted)	1 cup	1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil OR 7/8 cup lard
Buttermilk	1 cup	1 cup yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup
Cheddar cheese	1 cup shredded	1 cup shredded Colby cheddar OR 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Chervil	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Chicken base	1 tablespoon	1 cup canned or homemade chicken broth or stock. Reduce liquid in recipe by 1 cup
Chocolate (semisweet)	1 ounce	1 (1 ounce) square of unsweetened chocolate plus 4 teaspoons sugar OR 1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips plus 1 teaspoon shortening
Chocolate (unsweetened)	1 ounce	3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon shortening or vegetable oil
Cocoa	1/4 cup	1 (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
Condensed cream of mushroom soup	1 (10.75 ounce) can	1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery, cream of chicken, or golden mushroom soup
Corn syrup	1 cup	1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water OR 1 cup honey OR 1 cup light treacle syrup
Cottage cheese	1 cup	1 cup farmers cheese OR 1 cup ricotta cheese
Cracker crumbs	1 cup	1 cup bread crumbs OR 1 cup matzo meal OR 1 cup ground oats
Cream (half and half)	1 cup	7/8 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon butter
Cream (heavy)	1 cup	1 cup evaporated milk OR 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup butter
Cream (light)	1 cup	1 cup evaporated milk OR 3/4 cup milk plus 3 tablespoons butter
Cream (whipped)	1 cup	1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
Cream cheese	1 cup shredded	1 cup pureed cottage cheese OR 1 cup plain yogurt, strained overnight in a cheesecloth
Cream of tartar	1 teaspoon	2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar
Crème fraiche	1 cup	Combine 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt. Let stand for 6 hours at room temperature
Egg	1 whole (3 tablespoons)	2 1/2 tablespoons of powdered egg substitute plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water OR 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute OR 1/4 cup silken tofu pureed OR 3 tablespoons mayonnaise OR 1/2 a banana mashed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder OR 1 tablespoon powdered flax seed soaked in 3 tablespoons water
Evaporated milk	1 cup	1 cup light cream
Farmers cheese	8 ounces	8 ounces dry cottage cheese OR 8 ounces creamed cottage cheese, drained
Fats for baking	1 cup	1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree
Flour - Bread	1 cup	1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon wheat gluten
Flour - Cake	1 cup	1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons
Flour - Self Rising	1 cup	7/8 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Garlic	1 clove	1/8 teaspoon garlic powder OR 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic OR 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt - reduce salt in recipe
Gelatin	1 tablespoon, granulated	2 teaspoons agar agar
Ginger - dry	1 teaspoon	2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
Ginger - fresh	1 teaspoon, minced	1/2 teaspoon ground dried ginger
Green onion	1/2 cup, chopped	1/2 cup chopped onion, OR 1/2 cup chopped leek OR 1/2 cup chopped shallots
Hazelnuts	1 cup whole	1 cup macadamia nuts OR 1 cup almonds
Herbs - fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 teaspoon chopped dried herbs
Herring	8 ounces	8 ounces of sardines
Honey	1 cup	1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water OR 1 cup corn syrup OR 1 cup light treacle syrup
Hot pepper sauce	1 teaspoon	3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper plus 1 teaspoon vinegar
Ketchup	1 cup	1 cup tomato sauce plus 1 teaspoon vinegar plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Lard	1 cup	1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil OR 1 cup butter
Lemon grass	2 fresh stalks	1 tablespoon lemon zest
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon vinegar OR 1 teaspoon white wine OR 1 teaspoon lime juice
Lemon zest	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon lemon extract OR 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Lime juice	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon vinegar OR 1 teaspoon white wine OR 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Lime zest	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon lemon zest
Macadamia nuts	1 cup	1 cup almonds OR 1 cup hazelnuts
Mace	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon nutmeg
Margarine	1 cup	1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 1 cup butter OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mayonnaise	1 cup	1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup plain yogurt
Milk - whole	1 cup	1 cup soy milk OR 1 cup rice milk OR 1 cup water or juice OR 1/4 cup dry milk powder plus 1 cup water OR 2/3 cup evaporated milk plus 1/3 cup water
Mint - fresh	1/4 cup chopped	1 tablespoon dried mint leaves
Molasses	1 cup	mix together 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Mustard - prepared	1 tablespoon	Mix together 1 tablespoon dried mustard, 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar
Onion	1 cup, chopped	1 cup chopped green onions OR 1 cup chopped shallots OR 1 cup chopped leeks OR 1/4 cup dried minced onion OR 1/4 cup onion powder
Orange juice	1 tablespoon	1 tablespoon other citrus juice
Orange zest	1 tablespoon	1/2 teaspoon orange extract OR 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Parmesan Cheese	1/2 cup, grated	1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese OR 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
Parsley	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil OR 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Pepperoni	1 ounce	1 ounce salami
Raisin	1 cup	1 cup dried currants OR 1 cup dried cranberries OR 1 cup chopped pitted prunes
Rice - white	1 cup, cooked	1 cup cooked barley OR 1 cup cooked bulgur OR 1 cup cooked brown or wild rice
Ricotta	1 cup	1 cup dry cottage cheese OR 1 cup silken tofu
Rum	1 tablespoon	1/2 teaspoon rum extract, plus enough water to make 1 tablespoon
Saffron	1/4 teaspoon	1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Salami	1 ounce	1 ounce pepperoni
Semisweet chocolate chips	1 cup	1 cup chocolate candies OR 1 cup peanut butter or other flavored chips OR 1 cup chopped nuts OR 1 cup chopped dried fruit
Shallots, chopped	1/2 cup	1/2 cup chopped onion, OR 1/2 cup chopped leek OR 1/2 cup chopped green onion
Shortening	1 cup	1 cup butter OR 1 cup margarine minus 1/2 teaspoon salt from recipe
Sour cream	1 cup	1 cup plain yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough cream to make 1 cup OR 3/4 cup buttermilk mixed with 1/3 cup butter
Sour milk	1 cup	1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice mixed with enough milk to make 1 cup - Let stand 5 minutes to thicken
Soy sauce	1/2 cup	4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Stock - beef or chicken	1 cup	1 cube beef or chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup water
Sweetened condensed milk	1 (14 ounce) can	3/4 cup white sugar mixed with 1/2 cup water and 1 1/8 cups dry powdered milk - Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring frequently until thickened, about 20 minutes
Vegetable oil - for baking	1 cup	1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree
Vegetable oil - for frying	1 cup	1 cup lard OR 1 cup vegetable shortening
Vinegar	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice OR 2 teaspoons white wine
White sugar	1 cup	1 cup brown sugar OR 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar OR 3/4 cup honey OR 3/4 cup corn syrup
Wine	1 cup	1 cup chicken or beef broth OR 1 cup fruit juice mixed with 2 teaspoons vinegar OR 1 cup water
Yeast - active dry	1 (.25 ounce) package	1 cake compressed yeast OR 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast OR 2 1/2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
Yogurt	1 cup	1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup buttermilk OR 1 cup sour milk

Healthy Substitutions

Sour cream substitutes:

• Plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese blended with 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
• Fat-free sour cream

Whipped cream substitutes:

• Chilled, whipped evaporated skim milk
• Nondairy whipped topping made from polyunsaturated fat

Cream substitutes:

• Evaporated skim milk

Whole milk (as a beverage or in recipes) substitutes:

• Skim, 1 percent or 2 percent milk

Full-fat cheese substitutes:

• Low-fat, skim-milk cheese
• Cheese with less than 5 grams of fat per ounce
• Fat-free cheese

Ricotta cheese substitutes:

• Low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese
• Nonfat or low-fat ricotta cheese

Ice cream substitutes:

• Low-fat or nonfat ice cream
• Frozen low-fat or nonfat yogurt
• Frozen fruit juice products
• Sorbet

Ground beef substitutes:

• Extra lean ground beef
• Lean ground turkey or chicken

Bacon substitutes:

• Canadian bacon
• Lean ham

Sausage substitutes:

• Lean ground turkey
• 95% fat-free sausage

Whole egg substitutes:

• Two egg whites
• 1/4 cup cholesterol-free liquid egg product
• 1 egg white plus 2 tsp. oil
• One egg yolk = One egg white
• One egg (as thickener) = 1 tablespoon flour

Mayonnaise substitutes:

• Low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise
• Whipped salad dressing
• Plain low-fat yogurt combined with low-fat cottage cheese

Salad dressing substitutes:

• Low-calorie commercial dressings
• Homemade dressing made with unsaturated oils, water, and vinegar or lemon juice

Cream soup substitutes:

• Defatted broths
• Broth-based or skim milk-based soups

Nut substitutes:

• Dried fruit such as raisins, chopped dried apricots or dried cranberries

Chocolate substitutes:

• 1 ounce baking chocolate = 3 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon oil

Butter, lard, and other saturated fat (coconut oil, palm oil) substitutes:

• Soft tub margarine (first ingredient on food label listed as liquid vegetable oil)*
• Corn, cottonseed, olive, rapeseed (canola), safflower, sesame, soybean or sunflower oil

*(When cooking, it is better not to substitute reduced-fat margarine or corn oil spreads for regular butter and margarine unless a recipe has been specifically developed for their use. Their increased water content can make a substantial difference in the food's taste, appearance and texture).