Substitute for 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder: Exact Amounts

For a substitute for 1 tablespoon baking powder, combine ¾ teaspoon baking soda with 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar. This quick, single-use blend supplies both the alkaline and acidic components needed to leaven many cakes, biscuits, pancakes, and quick breads; mix it into the recipe’s dry ingredients and bake promptly.

Ingredients

¾ teaspoon baking soda (about 3.5 g)
1½ teaspoons cream of tartar (about 4.5 g)

Instructions

Measure the ingredients accurately. Use level measuring spoons, not a tableware spoon. Baking soda is much more concentrated than baking powder, so do not replace a tablespoon of baking powder with a tablespoon of baking soda. The smaller amount here is intentional, and the cream of tartar provides the acid that activates it.
Combine the two powders. Stir the baking soda and cream of tartar together thoroughly in a small, completely dry bowl. Break up any lumps with the back of a spoon. This makes one recipe-sized substitute for 1 tablespoon baking powder; the combined volume is less than a tablespoon, but use the full measured mixture.
Add it where the baking powder is called for. Whisk the blend into the recipe’s other dry ingredients so it disperses evenly. Do not sprinkle it onto wet batter in one spot, where it could react unevenly and leave a bitter or soapy-tasting patch.
Finish the batter and bake promptly. Once the dry ingredients meet the wet ingredients, follow the recipe’s mixing and oven directions without an unnecessary pause. This homemade blend begins reacting when moistened and does not have the same dependable second rise in the oven as many commercial double-acting baking powders.

Tips

Measure baking soda carefully. Too much can make baked goods taste alkaline, darken their color, or cause them to rise quickly and then fall. A level ¾ teaspoon is the intended amount for this one-tablespoon replacement; estimating by eye is unreliable.
Keep the equipment dry. Moisture can start the reaction before the blend reaches the batter. Use a dry bowl and spoon, and do not combine the mixture ahead of time if your kitchen is humid or the powders may be exposed to steam.
Account for other acidic ingredients. Buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, molasses, and some fruit purées already bring acidity to a recipe. The cream of tartar still makes this swap straightforward, but if you are adapting a recipe rather than following it as written, avoid adding extra baking soda on top of this amount without recalculating the leavening balance.
Check that your baking soda is fresh. If it has been open for a long time or stored near strong odors, its leavening performance may be weaker. For a reliable result, use fresh baking soda and cream of tartar, and measure by volume with proper measuring spoons.

Serving Suggestions

This substitute is not served on its own; it is used in a batter or dough that calls for 1 tablespoon baking powder. It works best in recipes where the dry leavener is mixed into the flour, such as a batch of pancakes, muffins, biscuits, scones, or a simple quick bread. Add the blend to the dry ingredients and then prepare and bake the food according to its original directions.

For a recipe that makes a large batch, distribute the dry mixture evenly through the flour before adding liquids. That is especially helpful for biscuits and muffins, where streaks of unmixed leavener can create uneven pockets. Once baked, serve those foods as the recipe intended: warm biscuits with soup or jam, muffins at breakfast, or pancakes with fruit and syrup. The substitution changes the leavening, not the serving size or the other ingredients.

Variations

Use lemon juice or vinegar if cream of tartar is unavailable. For this amount, combine ¾ teaspoon baking soda with 1½ teaspoons lemon juice or plain white vinegar, then add the liquid acid to the wet ingredients rather than trying to store it in a dry mix. Mix the soda into the dry ingredients, bring wet and dry together, and bake promptly. This emergency option adds liquid and can affect flavor or texture, especially in a delicate cake, so reduce another liquid in the recipe by about 1½ teaspoons if the formula allows. Lemon juice can leave a faint citrus note; vinegar is usually less noticeable after baking.

Use buttermilk as the acid only when the recipe can accommodate it. A familiar alternative for each teaspoon of baking powder is ¼ teaspoon baking soda plus ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, with an equal amount of another liquid removed from the recipe. Scaled to 1 tablespoon baking powder, that means ¾ teaspoon baking soda and 1½ cups (360 ml) buttermilk, a substantial change to most batters. It may suit a recipe that already uses buttermilk, but it is not a convenient universal swap; do not pour that quantity into a recipe without adjusting its liquid and dry ingredients.

For a smaller recipe, scale the main blend down. Use ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon cream of tartar for each teaspoon of baking powder being replaced. For example, if a recipe needs 2 teaspoons baking powder, use ½ teaspoon baking soda plus 1 teaspoon cream of tartar. Make only the amount needed, and keep the same ratio rather than rounding the soda upward.

Choose another leavener only if the recipe supports it. Self-rising flour contains baking powder and salt, but substituting it for regular flour requires adjusting both the flour and salt quantities. Whipped egg whites can add air to some sponge-style batters, but they are not a direct replacement for baking powder in every cookie, biscuit, or quick bread. If a recipe depends on chemical leavening, the baking soda-and-cream-of-tartar blend is generally the closest simple option.

Storage and Reheating

For the best lift, mix this substitute just before using it. If you have already combined the dry ingredients, transfer them to a clean, dry, airtight container and keep it in a cool cupboard, away from the stove, sink, and steam. Use the mixture within about one month for the most reliable results, and label it with the date and the ratio so it is not mistaken for plain baking soda or baking powder. Discard it if it becomes damp or lumpy. Do not refrigerate the dry blend: condensation when it comes back to room temperature can introduce moisture.

Once it has been added to a batter, follow that recipe’s baking schedule rather than storing the mixed batter for later. The baking soda and cream of tartar start reacting when wet, so a long wait can reduce the rise. The baked food’s storage depends on what it is: most plain muffins, biscuits, or quick breads can be kept covered at room temperature for about 1 to 2 days, or refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Refrigerate perishable baked goods within 2 hours. Reheat individual portions briefly in an oven or microwave if desired; there is no need to reheat the leavening mixture itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I replace 1 tablespoon baking powder with 1 tablespoon baking soda?

No. Baking soda is more concentrated and needs an acid to react, so using a tablespoon on its own can leave a harsh, soapy flavor and cause poor texture. Use ¾ teaspoon baking soda with 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar instead. The acid-and-base balance matters as much as the amount of powder.

Does this substitute make exactly 1 tablespoon by volume?

No. The measured ingredients together occupy less than 1 tablespoon, but they provide the leavening needed to replace 1 tablespoon baking powder in many recipes. Use all of the specified mixture rather than adding extra powder to fill a measuring spoon. Baking powder contains additional ingredients, and the practical goal is comparable leavening, not matching the spoon’s volume.

Can I prepare a larger batch and keep it?

You can scale up the dry ingredients in the same ratio, but a small fresh batch is more dependable. Commercial baking powder is formulated to stay stable in storage, while a homemade blend has no starch to help keep its components separated and dry. If you do make extra, store it airtight in a cool, dry cupboard, label it clearly, and use it within about a month.

Will this work in pancakes, muffins, and biscuits?

It is a useful substitute in many quick batters and doughs, including those foods, provided the recipe calls for baking powder and you mix the blend evenly into the dry ingredients. Results can differ because commercial baking powder is often double-acting, while this blend reacts when it becomes wet. Prepare the batter without a long rest and cook or bake it as directed.

What if I do not have cream of tartar?

Lemon juice or plain white vinegar can provide acidity in a pinch. For a 1-tablespoon baking powder replacement, use ¾ teaspoon baking soda and 1½ teaspoons of either liquid acid, keeping the acid with the wet ingredients and the soda with the dry ingredients. Because this adds liquid and may change the flavor slightly, adjust a comparable recipe liquid if appropriate. If the recipe cannot tolerate that change, it is better to use another recipe or obtain cream of tartar than to add extra baking soda.

Can I mix the substitute into batter and wait before baking?

It is better not to wait. As soon as the liquid reaches the baking soda and cream of tartar, the reaction starts producing gas that helps lift the batter. A brief pause to portion muffins or heat a pan is usually manageable, but prepare the oven or cooking surface first and avoid leaving the finished batter standing for an extended time.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).