Substitutes for baking powder

Baking powder substitutes

Baking powder is baking soda with its own acid built in. Every swap pairs baking soda with an acid, so the choice is which acid suits the recipe.

What baking powder does

A leavener that holds both a base (baking soda) and a dry acid, so it makes bubbles when it gets wet and again when heated, without needing acid in the recipe.

Quick reference

SubstituteAmount
Baking soda + cream of tartar Sources vary¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartarper 1 tsp baking powder
Baking soda + buttermilk ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ cup buttermilkper 1 tsp baking powder
Baking soda + milk soured with lemon juice or vinegar Sources vary¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tbsp lemon juice or vinegar + 0.469 cup milkper 1 tsp baking powder
Baking soda + lemon juice Sources vary¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp lemon juiceper 1 tsp baking powder
Baking soda + white vinegar Sources vary¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp white vinegarper 1 tsp baking powder
Baking soda + molasses Sources vary¼ tsp baking soda + ¼ cup molassesper 1 tsp baking powder

When the substitute matters

  • Most bakes: baking soda + cream of tartar, mixed fresh.
  • Pancakes and biscuits: baking soda + buttermilk, with less of the recipe's other liquid.
  • Small amounts only: baking soda with a little lemon juice or vinegar.
  • Never swap baking soda alone, one for one.

The substitutes, in detail

Baking soda + cream of tartar

Amount: ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp baking powder

Sources vary

America's Test Kitchen, Food Network, Betty Crocker, Taste of Home, Land O'Lakes, King Arthur and Saskatchewan Health use ¼ tsp soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar. The Henneman extension list and most extension charts use ⅝ tsp cream of tartar; Purdue and some extension charts use ⅓ tsp soda with ½ tsp cream of tartar.

  1. Mix the baking soda and cream of tartar and use right away.
  2. To keep a batch, add ¼ tsp cornstarch per teaspoon (Land O'Lakes, King Arthur).

Best for

  • cakes
  • muffins
  • quick breads
  • pancakes

What changes

Works like baking powder when used at once.

  • vegan
  • dairy-free
  • egg-free
  • gluten-free
Sources: America's Test Kitchen·Food Network·Land O'Lakes·King Arthur Baking·University of California Cooperative Extension (San Joaquin County)·Purdue Extension

Baking soda + buttermilk

Amount: ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ cup buttermilk per 1 tsp baking powder

Sour milk or plain yogurt work the same way (extension charts, Purdue).

  1. Reduce the other liquid in the recipe by ½ cup.

Best for

  • pancakes
  • biscuits
  • quick breads
  • cakes

Not for

  • recipes with little or no liquid to cut back

What changes

Rises well and adds a mild tang. The buttermilk replaces part of the recipe's liquid.

  • egg-free
  • gluten-free
Sources: North Dakota State University Extension·Purdue Extension·Saskatchewan Health Authority (provincial government health agency, Canada)·Betty Crocker

Baking soda + milk soured with lemon juice or vinegar

Amount: ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tbsp lemon juice or vinegar + 0.469 cup milk per 1 tsp baking powder

Sources vary

North Dakota State, Utah State and Purdue use ½ tablespoon of acid. One copy of the chart (Mississippi State) says ½ teaspoon.

  1. Put ½ tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring cup and fill to ½ cup with milk.
  2. Reduce the other liquid in the recipe by ½ cup.

Best for

  • pancakes
  • quick breads
  • cakes

Not for

  • recipes with little or no liquid to cut back

What changes

Rises like buttermilk does. The soured milk replaces part of the recipe's liquid.

  • egg-free
Sources: North Dakota State University Extension·Purdue Extension·Utah State University Extension

Baking soda + lemon juice

Amount: ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp lemon juice per 1 tsp baking powder

Sources vary

Betty Crocker and Hershey's use ½ tsp lemon juice. WebMD uses 1 tsp.

  1. Stir the lemon juice and baking soda into the wet ingredients, mix, and bake without delay.

Best for

  • recipes that use only a little baking powder
  • lemony or tart bakes

Not for

  • delicate flavours

What changes

Rises, but lemon adds a tangy taste.

  • vegan
  • dairy-free
  • egg-free
  • gluten-free
Sources: Betty Crocker·Hershey's·WebMD

Baking soda + white vinegar

Amount: ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp white vinegar per 1 tsp baking powder

Sources vary

Betty Crocker uses ½ tsp vinegar and limits it to recipes needing only a small amount of baking powder. WebMD uses 1 tsp.

  1. Add the vinegar and baking soda to the wet ingredients, mix, and bake without delay.

Best for

  • recipes that use only a little baking powder

Not for

  • recipes that use a lot of baking powder
  • delicate flavours

What changes

Rises, but vinegar can add a sour note.

  • vegan
  • dairy-free
  • egg-free
  • gluten-free
Sources: Betty Crocker·WebMD

Baking soda + molasses

Amount: ¼ tsp baking soda + ¼ cup molasses per 1 tsp baking powder

Sources vary

Colorado State says ¼ cup molasses. North Dakota State, Utah State and Purdue say ¼ to ½ cup.

  1. Reduce the other liquid in the recipe by 1 to 2 tablespoons.

Best for

  • spice cakes, gingerbread and other bakes where molasses flavour suits

Not for

  • light, delicately flavoured cakes

What changes

Molasses is acidic enough to react with the soda. It adds sweetness, colour and molasses flavour.

  • vegan
  • dairy-free
  • egg-free
  • gluten-free
Sources: Colorado State University Extension·North Dakota State University Extension·Purdue Extension

Don't use

  • Baking soda alone, 1:1

    Baking soda has no acid of its own and is much stronger; sources say never swap them one-to-one.

How we source this

Each swap is backed by at least two independent sources, including a test kitchen, university extension service or product maker. The amounts replace one unit of the original ingredient and do not work in reverse. See the full source list.

Sources

Related substitute pages