Substitutions for Cooking & Baking

Updating your recipes to healthier alternatives can be a fun and creative process. Experiment with your recipes, trying out a variety of alternative ingredients to discover new tastes that appeal to you and your family.

Reduce or Replace	Substitute	Conversion Ratio
white flour	unbleached white flour	equal amounts
	whole wheat flour	equal or 1/8 less
	whole wheat pastry flour	use more liquid or less flour
	spelt flour	use less liquid or more flour
	tapioca flour potato flour rice flour oat flour	use up to 1/4 cup of any of these per cup of flour to vary the flavor
margarine	butter	equal amounts
	1/2 butter blended with 1/2 canola oil	equal amounts
shortening	expeller pressed oils	2/3 cup for one cup
	butter	equal
cornstarch	arrowroot	1/2–1 tsp per cup of cool liquid; heat slowly
	kudzu powder	1/2–3/4 tsp per cup of liquid
eggs Used in recipes to bind or leaven. Not all substitutions will work equally well for both purposes.	Egg Replacer; binds and leavens	11/2 tsp + 2 TB water = 1 egg
	baking powder; leavening	in cake and cookie recipes that require 1 egg, substitute 2 TB water and 1/2 tsp baking powder
	Buttermilk and diluted yogurt; leavening	replaces the liquid in the recipe replace baking powder with equivalent amount of baking soda to a maximum of 1 tsp per cup of flour
	tofu; binds	1/4 cup mashed tofu (firm or regular)
	applesauce, fruit puree, cooked starchy vegetable puree	3 TB equals 1 egg
	1/4 cup warm water, 1 tsp arrowroot powder, 1 tsp soy flour, pinch of lecithin	equals 1 egg
milk	Kefir; cultured milk drink	7/8 to 1; reduce sweetener
	diluted yogurt	7/8 to 1: reduce sweetener
	Amazake	equal: reduce sweetener
	Amazake is a cultured rice-based liquid that varies in viscosity from thick, malt-like to the consistency of skim milk, depending on the brand and intended use.
	soymilk	equal
	nut milks	equal
	Nut milks are available ready-made or you can make your own. For home-made, mix 2–3 TB nuts with 2 cups water and blend until water turns white; strain. Use plain or add a sweetener of your choice, and a dash of flavor extract.
gelatin	agar agar	1 tsp powder per cup of cool liquid; heat slowly, stirring until thickened. Strain and add to recipe.
refined salt	sea salt	3/4 to 1
refined sugar	Sucanat	equal
	malted barley	equal
	honey	2/3 to 1
	rice syrup	2/3 to 1
	maple syrup	2/3 to 1
	date sugar	2/3 to 1
	molasses	1/2 to 1
	fructose	1/2 to 1
	fruit juice concentrate	1/2 to 1
	FruitSource	equal
Experiment with sweeteners to suit your taste. To increase sweetness with powdered or granulated sweeteners, add the sweetener and reduce the flour proportionally. Reverse to decrease sweetness. If substituting a liquid for a dry sweetener, either decrease other liquids by ¼ cup per cup of sweetener, or add one quarter cup of flour. Add one half tsp of baking soda per cup of liquid to counteract the increased acidity; decrease baking powder by 2 tsp or eliminate it altogether.