What to Use as a Substitute for Baking Powder

The most dependable substitute for 1 teaspoon of baking powder is ¼ teaspoon baking soda (1.2 g) mixed with ½ teaspoon cream of tartar (about 1.5 g). This quick, single-use mixture supplies both the alkaline base and the acid needed to make bubbles that help pancakes, muffins, cakes, and other batters rise.

Ingredients

¼ teaspoon baking soda (1.2 g)
½ teaspoon cream of tartar (about 1.5 g)

Instructions

Measure the baking soda and cream of tartar into a small, completely dry bowl. Level each spoon so the proportions stay accurate; too much baking soda can leave a bitter or soapy taste.
Stir thoroughly with a dry spoon for about 30 seconds, breaking up any small lumps. Use the entire mixture in a recipe that calls for 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Although the mixture measures about ¾ teaspoon, its ingredients are concentrated to provide the leavening of 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Add the mixture to the recipe’s dry ingredients and whisk or sift them together before adding the wet ingredients. Once liquid reaches the baking soda and cream of tartar, the reaction begins, so mix the batter and bake it promptly rather than letting it stand.

Tips

Measure carefully. Baking soda is more concentrated than baking powder, so do not swap them teaspoon for teaspoon. The cream of tartar is not optional in this formula: it provides the acid that reacts with the soda.
Mix with the dry ingredients. Distributing the substitute through flour or another dry base helps it leaven evenly. Pouring the measured ingredients directly into a wet batter can create concentrated pockets and uneven rising.
Work quickly after adding liquid. This homemade combination reacts as soon as it gets wet and does not have the same delayed, oven-activated action as many commercial double-acting baking powders. Have the pan ready and avoid a long counter rest.
Check your baking soda. If it has been open for a long time or stored somewhere humid, its lifting power may be reduced. For a quick check, add a pinch to a little vinegar; fresh soda should fizz actively. This check does not measure exact strength, so replace soda that produces little or no fizz.

Serving Suggestions

This is a leavening ingredient, not a topping or a finished dish, so add it to the batter or dough for the recipe you are making. It is a useful fix for recipes such as pancakes, waffles, biscuits, quick breads, muffins, and some cakes, especially when the original ingredient list calls for baking powder but you have run out. The substitute works best in recipes that are mixed and baked soon after combining wet and dry ingredients.

For pancakes or waffles, fold the dry mixture into the flour before adding the liquid, then cook the batter without an unnecessary wait. For muffins, combine it with the other dry ingredients and stir the batter only until the flour is moistened; overmixing can make muffins tough regardless of the leavener. In biscuits, distribute it evenly through the flour so that the rise is not concentrated in just a few spots. Follow the recipe’s pan size and oven temperature, since this substitute does not change those requirements.

Some baked goods rely on baking powder for a particular flavor or texture as well as lift. A substitute can help a recipe rise, but it cannot guarantee exactly the same crumb, browning, or height as the original product. The result also depends on the recipe’s other ingredients and how much lift it needs.

Variations

Make a larger dry batch: Whisk together ¼ cup cream of tartar (about 36 g), 2 tablespoons baking soda (about 28 g), and 2 tablespoons cornstarch (about 16 g). Use 1 teaspoon of this blend for each 1 teaspoon of baking powder called for. The cornstarch helps keep the dry ingredients free-flowing and takes up space in the blend; it does not create the leavening. Mix a small batch if you bake infrequently, because humidity and time can reduce its usefulness.

Use lemon juice or vinegar when cream of tartar is unavailable: A commonly used quick substitute for 1 teaspoon of baking powder is ¼ teaspoon baking soda plus ½ teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir the soda into the dry ingredients and the juice or vinegar into the wet ingredients, then combine and bake promptly. Since the acid is liquid, reduce another liquid in the recipe by the same amount if the batter can tolerate that adjustment. This option is less convenient in a recipe with no liquid to reduce, and the acid may add a faint flavor.

Use an acidic dairy ingredient only with a recipe adjustment: Buttermilk or plain yogurt can contribute acid that reacts with baking soda, but simply adding either one to an unchanged recipe can make the batter too wet or sour. If you know the recipe can handle the change, replace some of its milk or other liquid with an equal amount of buttermilk or thinned plain yogurt, and use baking soda in place of the baking powder according to a reliable recipe written for that swap. Do not assume that a spoonful of yogurt alone replaces a measured amount of baking powder.

For recipes with self-rising flour: Check whether the recipe already includes self-rising flour, which commonly contains baking powder and salt. Adding a substitute without checking can over-leaven or over-salt the mixture. If the ingredient list is unclear, follow the recipe as written rather than adding extra baking soda and acid on top of a flour blend that may already contain leavener.

Storage and Reheating

The two-ingredient amount in this recipe is best mixed just before you need it and used right away. The baking soda and cream of tartar begin reacting once they encounter moisture, so do not mix the substitute into water ahead of time or save a wet mixture for later. If you have already combined it with batter, follow the recipe’s baking directions rather than refrigerating the batter to use another day; the initial gas-producing reaction will not wait indefinitely.

A dry batch containing cornstarch can be kept in a tightly sealed, clearly labeled container in a cool, dry cupboard for up to 1 month for best results. Keep it away from steam, damp utensils, and the stove, and do not put a wet measuring spoon into the jar. If the blend clumps, smells unusual, or fails to fizz when a pinch is stirred into hot water, replace it. For the most reliable rise, mix only what you need.

There is no finished dish to reheat in this recipe. Once the substitute is baked into pancakes, muffins, or another food, store that food according to its own ingredients and recipe. As a general food-safety rule, refrigerate perishable cooked food within 2 hours; most cooked leftovers keep 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C) when applicable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I replace baking powder with baking soda by itself?

No, not as a direct swap. Baking soda needs an acid to produce carbon dioxide, the gas that helps a batter rise. Without enough acid in the recipe, soda can leave an unpleasant alkaline flavor and the baked good may not rise as intended. Combine it with cream of tartar as in this recipe, or use a suitable acidic ingredient and adjust the recipe carefully.

How much substitute should I use for 1 tablespoon of baking powder?

Use ¾ teaspoon baking soda (3.6 g) plus 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar (about 4.5 g), which is three times the one-teaspoon formula. Mix those quantities into the dry ingredients. Do not use 1 tablespoon of baking soda; that would be far too much and could give the baked food a harsh, soapy taste.

Will this work in every baking recipe?

It can work in many quick batters and doughs, but no substitute is identical in every recipe. Commercial double-acting baking powder releases gas in stages, including during baking, while this homemade combination starts reacting when wet. Recipes that need a long rest, have very little liquid, or depend on a particular balance of acidity may need a purpose-made adjustment rather than a simple swap.

Can I make the substitute without cream of tartar?

Yes, if you can use a liquid acid such as lemon juice or white vinegar and the recipe has room for a small liquid adjustment. For 1 teaspoon of baking powder, use ¼ teaspoon baking soda with ½ teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar, keeping the soda with the dry ingredients and the acid with the wet ingredients. Bake promptly, and expect a possible subtle flavor change. If neither cream of tartar nor a suitable acid is available, there is not a reliable one-for-one swap using baking soda alone.

Why did my baked goods taste bitter or soapy?

Too much baking soda or too little acid is a common cause. Check that you measured ¼ teaspoon soda and ½ teaspoon cream of tartar for each teaspoon of baking powder being replaced, and make sure the spoon measures are level. A lingering taste can also result from an unevenly mixed batter or from using soda that was substituted without adjusting the recipe’s acidic ingredients.

Can I use this in yeast bread?

Usually not as a straight replacement. Yeast bread depends on fermentation and dough development, and baking powder is not interchangeable with yeast in most bread recipes. If a bread recipe specifically calls for baking powder, the formula may be designed as a quick bread; in that case, this substitute may be appropriate, but mix and bake the dough promptly.

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