Many substitutions change cooking times.
Generally, more moisture increases cooking time while less moisture decreases it.
Breads & Flours
Bread crumbs (1 cup dry)
- 1 cup of rolled oats
- 1 cup of crushed bran cereal
- 1 cup of cracker crumbs
- 1 cup of chia seeds
Cake flour (1 cup)
- 1 cup of flour minus two tablespoons
Cracker crumbs (1 cup)
- 1 cup of dry breadcrumbs
Flour (1 cup)
- 1 cup of whole wheat flour
- 1 1/4 of oats ground in a blender
- A heaping cup of quinoa ground in a blender
- 1/4 cup of nut flour mixed with a 3/4 cup of wheat flour (for cookies, sweetbreads, and cakes)
- 1 cup of nut flour mixed with a 1/2 teaspoon of a rising agent like yeast (for cookies, sweetbreads, and cakes)
- 1 cup of pureed black beans (for brownies)
- 1/3 cup of coconut flour, an extra egg per ounce of coconut flour, and a dash of extra water (for pancakes, cookies, and cakes)
- Using more than 1/2 cup at a time could bring out the coconut flour’s bitterness.
- You may need to reduce baking time.
Self-rising flour (1 cup)
- 1 cup of flour mixed with a teaspoon of baking powder, a 1/2 teaspoon salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
Rice (1 cup)
- 1 cup of quinoa
Pasta
- Get a spiralizer to convert most veggies into a thin, strand-like base.
Dairy and fats
Butter (1 cup)
- 1 cup of olive oil
- 1 cup of coconut oil
- 1 cup of mashed bananas (for brownies and cookies)
- 1 cup of pureed avocados (for brownies and chocolate cookies)
- 1/2 cup of applesauce mixed with a 1/2 cup of butter, but more if you can’t tell the taste difference (for any sweetbreads or muffins)
- 3/4 cup of prunes blended with 1/4 cup of boiling water (for dark baked goods like brownies, chocolate cookies, and cakes)
- Three tablespoons of flax meal mixed with a tablespoon of water and left to sit for 5-10 minutes (for anything with a strong nutty flavor)
- 2-3 tablespoons of chia seeds mixed with 1 cup of water and left to sit for about 15 minutes (for muffins, cakes, and breads)
Buttermilk (1 cup)
- 1 cup of yogurt
- 1 cup of milk mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar
- 1 cup of milk mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice
Cream or half & half (1 cup)
- A tablespoon of melted butter mixed with 1 cup of whole milk
Heavy cream (1 cup)
- 1 cup of evaporated skim milk
Margarine (1 cup)
- 1/2 cup of applesauce
- 1/2 cup of pureed prunes
Milk (1 cup whole)
- 1/2 cup of evaporated milk mixed with 1/2 cup of water
- 1 cup of water mixed with 1/3 cup of nonfat dry milk powder
Oil (1 cup)
- 1/2 cup of applesauce mixed with 1/2 cup oil, but more if you can’t tell the taste difference (for any sweetbreads or muffins)
- 1 cup of mashed bananas (for brownies and cookies)
Shortening (1 cup)
- 1 cup of butter
- 1 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 cup of coconut oil
Sour cream (1 cup)
- 1 cup of plain yogurt
- 1 cup of Greek yogurt
Condiments & Seasonings
Cajun seasoning (1 teaspoon)
- Mix 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of dried basil, and a clove of minced garlic
Marinades (oil-based)
- Wine, as needed
- Balsamic vinaigrette, as needed
- Fruit juice, as needed
- Fat-free broth, as needed
Mustard (1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground mustard
- Two teaspoons of vinegar
Poultry seasoning (1 teaspoon)
- 3/4 teaspoon of rubbed sage
- 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme
Chocolate & Sweets
Chocolate, semi-sweet (1-ounce square)
- Three tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate and a tablespoon of sugar
Chocolate (1-ounce square)
- Three tablespoons of baking cocoa and a tablespoon of shortening or vegetable oil
Chocolate chips (1 cup)
- 1 cup of cacao nibs
Frosting (1 cup)
- 1 cup of marshmallow whip
- 1 cup of meringue
Honey (1 cup)
- 1 1/4 cup of sugar mixed into 1/4 cup of water
Molasses (1 cup)
- 1 cup of honey
Oreo cookie (1 cup crushed)
- 1 cup of crushed graham crackers (for any pie)
Rice Krispies (1 cup)
- 1 cup of brown rice cereal mixed with two tablespoons of flax meal (for Rice Krispies Treats or baked chicken coating)
Sugar (1 cup)
- 1 cup of packed brown sugar
- 2 cups of sifted confectioners sugar
- 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce
- Reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup per cup of applesauce
- Four teaspoons of pure vanilla extract (for cookies, cakes, sweetbreads, and brownies)
- A teaspoon of liquid Stevia
- Two tablespoons of Stevia powder
Other substitutions
Baking powder (1 teaspoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of cornstarch
Cornstarch (1 tablespoon)
- Two tablespoons of flour (as a thickening agent)
Corn syrup, dark (1 cup)
- 3/4 cup of light corn syrup mixed with 1/4 cup of molasses
Eggs (1 egg)
- 1/4 cup of egg substitute
- Two egg whites
- Two egg yolks
- 1/2 banana
- 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes
- 1/4 cup of canned pumpkin
- 1/4 cup of canned squash
- 1/4 cup of pureed prunes
- Two tablespoons of potato starch
- 3 tablespoons of boiled chickpea gel (leftover water after boiling)
- A tablespoon of chia seeds mixed into 1 cup of water and left to sit for about 15 minutes
- A tablespoon of flax meal mixed into three tablespoons of water and left to sit for 5-10 minutes (for muffins, cakes, and cookies)
Lemon juice (1 teaspoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
Lemon peel (1 teaspoon)
- 1/2 lemon’s extract
Peanut butter (1 cup)
- 1 cup of almond butter
Soups (as a thickening agent)
- Mashed potato flakes, as needed
- Potatoes, as needed
- Silken tofu, as needed
Tomato sauce (2 cups)
- 3/4 cup of tomato paste mixed into 1 cup of water