Handy Kitchen Substitutions

Since I live out in the country, when I don’t have an ingredient on hand, it’s not very handy to pop out to the store to pick up what I need.  Over the years I’ve found an assortment of kitchen substitutions that have worked well for me, so I thought I would put them all together in one spot and share them with you.  These won’t work *exactly* like the original ingredients, but they should do in a pinch.  You may even like them better than the original.

Kitchen Substitutions – Sweets

1 square unsweetened chocolate (1 ounce) = 3 tablespoons cocoa plus 1 tablespoon fat (butter or coconut oil)

Chocolate, semisweet 6 ounces (1 cup) = 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus 7 tablespoons sugar plus 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil

1 ounce chocolate = 3 tablespoons carob powder plus 2 tablespoons water

1 cup honey = 1-1/4 cup cane sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid

1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup white cane sugar plus 1-2 tablespoons molasses ( 1 for lighter, 2 for darker)

1-1/2 cup corn syrup = 1 cup sugar plus 1/2 cup water

1 cup molasses = 1 cup honey

maple sugar, 1/2 cup packed = 1 cup maple syrup (you may need to adjust liquids in the recipe)

Kitchen Substitutions – Dairy Products

1 cup fresh whole milk = 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus  1/2 cup water

1 cup fresh whole milk = 1 cup reconstituted nonfat dry milk plus 2 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup fresh whole milk = 1 cup sour milk* or buttermilk plus 1/2 teaspoon soda (decrease baking powder 2 teaspoons)

1 cup sour milk* or buttermilk = 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough fresh whole milk to make one cup

1 cup sour milk* or buttermilk = 1 cup plain milk kefir

1 cup sour cream = 1 cup yogurt (this works better in sweet recipes than savory recipes, IMO)

1 cup cream, half-and-half = 1 1/2 tablespoons butter plus about 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk or 1/2 cup light cream plus 1/2 cup milk

1 cup cream, heavy = 1/3 cup butter plus about 3/4 cup milk

Depending on taste preferences, you can often substitute nut milks or coconut milk or cream in recipes.

Kitchen Substitutions – Eggs

1 whole egg = 2 egg yolks plus 1 tablespoon water (in cookies, cakes, etc.)

1 whole egg = 2 egg yolks (in custards or creamed dishes)

1 whole egg = 3 tablespoons water plus 1 Tablespoon chia seed (combine and let sit for 10 – 15 minutes until it gels – for baking)

1 whole egg = 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds plus 2-3 tablespoons water (simmer water and flax over low heat until it starts to gel – for baking)

1 whole egg = 2 1/2 tablespoons dried egg beaten with 2 1/2 tablespoons water

Kitchen Substitutions – Flours, Leavening and Thickeners

1 tablespoon cornstarch (for thickening) = 2 tablespoons flour (approximately)

1 tablespoon flour (as thickening) = 1/2 tablespoon arrowroot or 2 teaspoons quick cooking tapioca

1 cup self-rising flour = 1 cup all purpose flour plus 1 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt

1 cup cake flour, sifted = 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder = 1/3 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

1 package dry yeast (1/4 ounce) = 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast or 1 cake of compressed yeast or 2 teaspoons SAF-INSTANT yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Kitchen Substitutions – Miscellaneous

1 cup canned tomatoes = about 1-1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes, simmered 10 minutes

2 cups tomato sauce = 3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water

1 cup tomato juice = 1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water

1 cup bread crumbs = 3/4 cup cracker crumbs

Bread crumbs, dry, 1/4 cup = 1 slice bread

Bread crumbs, soft, 1/2 cup = 1 slice bread

1 tablespoon mustard = 1 teaspoon mustard powder, plus a little extra liquid, if needed

Garlic, 1 small clove = 1/8 teaspoon powder or 1/4 teaspoon granulated or 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 to 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs

Gelatin, 1/4 ounce envelope = about 2 1/4 teaspoons gelatin powder or 4 sheets gelatin (4×9 inches)

*sour milk indicated naturally soured raw milk, not pasteurized milk that has gone past its recommended date of use.  Pasteurized milk will rot, not sour.

I hope you find these substitutions helpful.  I know there have been many times over the years in my kitchen where a recipe or meal has been saved by making do with a pantry raid instead of the long trip to town.

Do you have a substitution that I’ve missed?  Please leave a comment below.  Don’t forget to Pin, Share, Stumble or G+ this post to share with your friends and mark for later.  You know you’re going to need it someday. 

Sources:  Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cookbook (1961), The Cook’s Book of Useful Information and The Joy of Cooking.

The post Handy Kitchen Substitutions appeared first on Common Sense Homesteading.