What's a Substitute for Baking Powder? Use This Ratio

A reliable substitute for baking powder is a blend of baking soda, cream of tartar, and a little cornstarch. The dry acid and baking soda create lift when they meet moisture, so mix the blend right before adding it to a batter or dough and bake promptly.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon baking soda (4.6 g)
2 teaspoons cream of tartar (about 6 g)
1 teaspoon cornstarch (about 2.5 g)

This makes 4 teaspoons of substitute, or four 1-teaspoon portions. Use 1 teaspoon of the blend for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder called for in a recipe. The cornstarch adds the small amount of starch found in commercial baking powder and brings the blend to a convenient one-for-one volume. If you do not have cornstarch, leave it out; the leavener will still work, but use about ¾ teaspoon of the soda-and-cream-of-tartar mixture for each teaspoon of baking powder.

Instructions

Measure the baking soda, cream of tartar, and cornstarch into a small, completely dry bowl. For best results, measure carefully rather than estimating, since too much baking soda can leave a salty or soapy taste.
Whisk the ingredients for about 20 seconds, breaking up any lumps. You can also sift them together once. The goal is an even blend so one portion does not contain a concentrated pocket of baking soda.
Measure the amount your recipe needs and whisk it into the other dry ingredients. Do not sprinkle the mixture over wet batter and let it sit; dispersing it through the dry ingredients helps it raise the food evenly.
Add the wet ingredients, mix only as directed by the recipe, and get the batter or dough into the oven promptly. This homemade blend begins reacting as soon as it becomes wet, unlike many commercial double-acting baking powders, which release some gas again with oven heat.

Tips

Keep the ratio steady. For each teaspoon of baking powder, the full-volume substitute is ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, and ¼ teaspoon cornstarch. Scaling the formula above keeps those proportions intact. Avoid adding extra baking soda to chase more rise: excess soda can make baked goods taste bitter or soapy and can darken them too quickly.
Mix it with the dry ingredients. Baking soda needs acid and moisture to produce carbon dioxide, the gas that helps a batter rise. Even distribution matters, especially in a large bowl of flour. If the recipe calls for sifting dry ingredients, sift the substitute with them rather than mixing it into the liquid ingredients by itself.
Work quickly after adding liquid. Cream of tartar reacts with baking soda once moisture is present, so a long wait can let some of the gas escape before baking. Preheat the oven and prepare the pan first. If you are making pancakes, waffles, muffins, or quick bread, cook or bake the batter soon after mixing instead of leaving it on the counter.
Check that the ingredients are fresh and dry. Baking soda that has absorbed odors can affect flavor, and damp cream of tartar may clump. Keep each ingredient sealed according to its package directions. Measuring spoons and bowls should be dry; even a small amount of water in the homemade blend can start the reaction early.

Serving Suggestions

This is a baking ingredient, not a finished dish, so use it in a recipe that already calls for baking powder. It is suited to many quick batters and doughs, including pancakes, biscuits, muffins, scones, cakes, and quick breads. In pancakes or waffles, it helps create a lighter interior; in biscuits and scones, it supports a tender, risen crumb. Follow the original recipe’s directions for mixing and baking, since the substitute cannot correct a recipe with too much liquid or too little structure.

For the most predictable result, choose a recipe with an acidic ingredient such as buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, molasses, or natural cocoa. The cream of tartar in this blend provides the acid needed for the baking soda, so an extra acidic ingredient is not essential, but recipes often use one for flavor and texture too. Serve the finished food as the recipe intends: pancakes and waffles are best warm, while many muffins and quick breads are easier to slice after a short cooling period.

Variations

Make only the amount you need. For every teaspoon of baking powder called for, combine ¼ teaspoon baking soda with ½ teaspoon cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon cornstarch. For a recipe needing 2 teaspoons, use ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, and ½ teaspoon cornstarch. Mixing the ingredients immediately before baking is preferable to keeping a large premixed batch around.

Use lemon juice or vinegar when cream of tartar is unavailable. A commonly used emergency swap for 1 teaspoon baking powder is ¼ teaspoon baking soda plus ½ teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Add the acid to the wet ingredients and the soda to the dry ingredients, then combine and bake promptly. Because lemon juice and vinegar are liquids and their acidity varies, reduce another liquid in the recipe by about ½ teaspoon if the proportions allow. This approach is less dependable than the dry blend and may slightly affect flavor, especially in delicate cakes.

Buttermilk can supply acid, but adjust the recipe. If you have baking soda and buttermilk but no cream of tartar, a recipe-specific adjustment may work: use ¼ teaspoon baking soda per 1 teaspoon of baking powder being replaced, and replace some of the recipe’s other liquid with buttermilk. Do not simply add extra buttermilk to a finished formula, because excess liquid can make the center dense or gummy. The amount of baking soda and liquid to change depends on the recipe’s existing acids, so this option is best for recipes already designed around buttermilk.

For recipes using self-rising flour, check the formula first. Self-rising flour already contains leavener and salt. Do not add a full amount of this substitute on top of it unless the recipe specifically asks for additional baking powder; doing so can make the result over-risen, salty, or unpleasantly flavored.

Storage and Reheating

For the strongest and most predictable lift, prepare this substitute just before you need it. If you have leftover dry mixture, transfer it to a clean, dry, airtight container and keep it in a cool cupboard away from steam, the stove, and direct sunlight. Label it with the ingredients and date, and aim to use it within a month. Moisture can make the soda and acid react in storage, while time and humidity can weaken leavening, so a fresh mix is a better choice for an important bake.

There is no need to refrigerate or reheat the dry blend. Do not store it in a damp measuring spoon or return unused powder from a bowl that has touched wet ingredients to the container. Once mixed into a wet batter, use it promptly rather than refrigerating the batter for later; its first lift may fade while it sits. Store the finished baked item according to its recipe. Items containing perishable fillings or toppings should be refrigerated within 2 hours, and most cooked leftovers keep 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Reheating is not required for the substitute itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best substitute for baking powder?
The most dependable simple option is ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, and ¼ teaspoon cornstarch for each 1 teaspoon of baking powder. The cream of tartar supplies a dry acid, the baking soda provides the alkaline leavener, and the cornstarch fills out the measure. Mix it into the dry ingredients and bake soon after adding liquid.

Can I use baking soda by itself instead?
Usually not as a direct replacement. Baking soda needs enough acid in the recipe to react, and using too much can leave a bitter or soapy taste. Some recipes with substantial buttermilk, yogurt, molasses, or another acidic ingredient can be reformulated with soda alone, but the amount depends on the whole recipe. The cream-of-tartar blend is the safer one-for-one choice when you do not want to redesign the formula.

Can I substitute yeast for baking powder?
Yeast is not a quick, equal swap. It needs time to ferment, and it changes flavor, texture, and the way dough is handled. A yeast bread recipe is built around that process, whereas muffins, pancakes, biscuits, and many cakes rely on fast chemical leavening. Choose a recipe written for yeast rather than replacing baking powder with it in a quick-bake recipe.

Will this work exactly like commercial baking powder?
It works in many recipes, but not in precisely the same way. Many commercial baking powders are double-acting: they release some gas when moistened and more in the oven. This homemade mixture is based on cream of tartar, which reacts quickly once wet, so prompt baking matters. A recipe that sits for a long time before baking may not rise as well.

How can I tell whether the substitute is still active?
Mix a small pinch of the dry blend into a spoonful of warm water. It should fizz noticeably as the baking soda and cream of tartar react. This quick check can reveal a blend that has become damp or ineffective, though it cannot guarantee how a full recipe will rise. If it does not fizz, or if it smells stale or has clumped from moisture, make a fresh batch.

Can I make a bigger batch and keep it for later?
You can, but it is more reliable to combine only what a recipe needs. If you premix a batch, use clean, dry tools and store it airtight in a cool, dry cupboard; use it within about a month for best results. Never scoop it with a wet spoon. If your baking matters more than saving a minute, mix a fresh portion just before baking.

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).

What’s a Substitute for Baking Powder? Use This Ratio