Cooking Substitutions - Ingredient Substitute Lookup

How to use this tool

Search ingredient. Type the ingredient name you want to replace or choose a popular ingredient such as buttermilk, egg, or flour.
Apply diet filter. Select any dietary restrictions to filter substitutes that meet your requirements.
Review substitutes. Read the ratio and notes for each option to choose the best substitute for your recipe.

Cooking ingredient substitutions

Whether you're out of an ingredient, adapting a recipe for dietary needs, or experimenting with flavors, this lookup tool gives you tested alternatives with exact ratios and notes on how the swap will affect flavor and texture.

Diet filters

Use the Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Low-Sodium filters to instantly narrow results to substitutions that meet your dietary requirements. Multiple filters can be combined.

How ratios work

A ratio of 1:1 means use the same amount as the original. Other ratios (e.g., ¾ cup per cup for honey replacing sugar) account for differences in sweetness or moisture; read the notes for guidance on adjusting other ingredients.

Offline & private

The entire substitution database is bundled in the page. No network request is made when you search. Your data stays in your browser.

Quick-reference substitutions (top 10)

Missing ingredient	Best substitution	Ratio
1 large egg	3 tbsp aquafaba (chickpea brine)	1:1
1 cup buttermilk	1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar	1:1
1 cup butter	1 cup coconut oil (solid)	1:1 by volume
1 cup heavy cream	1 cup full-fat coconut cream (chilled)	1:1
1 cup all-purpose flour	1 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour (lighter) or 1 cup almond flour (denser)	See notes
1 cup sugar	¾ cup honey (reduce other liquid by ¼ cup)	¾:1
1 tbsp cornstarch (thickener)	2 tbsp all-purpose flour	2:1
1 cup sour cream	1 cup plain Greek yogurt	1:1
1 tsp baking powder	¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar	See notes
1 oz baking chocolate (unsweetened)	3 tbsp cocoa powder + 1 tbsp butter	See notes

When substitutions affect leavening

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) needs an acidic ingredient to activate. Baking powder contains both the base (baking soda) and the acid (cream of tartar), so it is self-activating. When substituting:

Replacing buttermilk with regular milk: the acid (lactic acid in buttermilk) was activating the baking soda. If you substitute regular milk, add 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar per cup of milk to restore acidity, or replace the baking soda with baking powder.
Replacing sugar with honey or maple syrup: these are acidic. A recipe using them with baking powder may need a pinch of baking soda (the base) to neutralize the acid and maintain proper leavening balance.
Replacing baking powder with baking soda: baking soda is roughly 3× stronger. Use ¼ teaspoon baking soda for every 1 teaspoon baking powder. Also ensure the recipe has an acidic ingredient (buttermilk, yogurt, vinegar, brown sugar) to activate it.

Frequently asked questions

How do I use this tool?

Type the ingredient you want to substitute or choose a popular ingredient button. The tool will show common alternatives with ratios and notes. Use the diet filter to narrow results to vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, or low-sodium options.

Are the substitutions accurate?

The database contains well-tested, common substitutions used by home cooks and bakers. Results may vary depending on the specific recipe - substitutions work best when the ingredient plays a single role (sweetener, binder, etc.).

What diet filters are available?

You can filter by vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-sodium. When multiple filters are selected, only substitutions satisfying all selected criteria are shown.

What does the ratio column mean?

The ratio shows how much of the substitute to use in place of the original. "1:1" means use the same amount. Other entries (like "¾ cup per cup") mean you need to adjust the quantity.