The Best Ingredient Substitutions for Home Cooks

Ever find yourself halfway through a recipe only to realize you’re out of buttermilk—or suddenly inspired to get creative in the kitchen? Knowing which ingredient swaps work (and which ones don’t) can save your dinner and your sanity. Substitutions are one of the most useful tools in any home cook’s toolkit—but not all are created equal.

In this post, we’ll walk through some of the most helpful ingredient substitutions (many of which are available on our Home Cook and Baker mats), highlight when they’re best used, and explain the cases where it’s worth sticking to the original.

Buttermilk → Milk + Vinegar or Lemon Juice

Buttermilk isn’t something most people keep in the fridge—but many recipes (especially for pancakes, biscuits, or fried chicken) call for it. The good news? You can replicate the acidity of buttermilk with a simple combo of milk and an acid like white vinegar or lemon juice.

How to substitute:

For every 1 cup of buttermilk, use 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and enough milk to make 1 cup. Let it sit for about 5–10 minutes before using.

When it works:

Great in baked goods and batters that rely on the acid to activate baking soda.

When to avoid:

If a recipe calls for a lot of buttermilk flavor (like in buttermilk dressing), the substitution might taste off.

Egg → Flaxseed + Water

Whether you’re baking for someone with an allergy, trying to go plant-based, or just ran out of eggs, flaxseed is your friend.

How to substitute:

Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water and let it sit for 5 minutes. That replaces one egg.

When it works:

Perfect for muffins, pancakes, and quick breads where a little added texture is okay.

When to avoid:

Don’t use in recipes that rely on egg structure or fluff—like meringues, soufflés, or delicate cakes.

Heavy Cream → Butter + Milk

Heavy cream adds richness and fat to everything from sauces to soups to desserts. If you’re out, a combo of butter and milk can do the trick.

How to substitute:

Melt 1/4 cup of butter and mix it with 3/4 cup of milk to make 1 cup of heavy cream substitute.

When it works:

In cooking (soups, sauces) and baking where heavy cream isn’t the star ingredient.

When to avoid:

Skip this in whipped cream or ganache—only real heavy cream will whip or set correctly.

Brown Sugar → White Sugar + Molasses

Brown sugar is just white sugar with molasses added back in. If you’re out, just DIY it.

How to substitute:

For every 1 cup of brown sugar, mix 1 cup of white sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses.

When it works:

Great for baking cookies, banana bread, or anything where that caramel note is welcome.

When to avoid:

If a recipe calls for dark brown sugar, increase the molasses to 2 tablespoons per cup.

Honey → Maple Syrup

Sometimes you just need a liquid sweetener, and your honey jar is empty. Maple syrup makes a great alternative.

How to substitute:

Use a 1:1 swap of maple syrup for honey. It’s a bit thinner and has a slightly different flavor, but often works well.

When it works:

In salad dressings, marinades, baked goods, and drinks.

When to avoid:

In recipes where honey is the main event (like a honey glaze), you’ll notice the flavor difference.

Bonus: Self-Rising Flour → All-Purpose Flour + Baking Powder + Salt

Out of self-rising flour? No need to make a special trip to the store.

How to substitute:

For every 1 cup of self-rising flour, combine:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

When it works:

Ideal for biscuits, scones, and recipes specifically calling for self-rising flour.

When to avoid:

Be careful not to double up if your recipe already includes baking powder or salt.