When You’re in a Pinch - Easy Ingredient Substitutions

Check out the G-Free Foodie way to make Easy Ingredient Substitutions for items common in recipes but sometimes missing from your pantry!

Share your own substitutions and quick fixes! We’d love to hear ‘em! Thanks to the amazing Paula Deen for some of her tips!

Need to make allergen subs? Check out our G-Free Foodie Guide to Dairy Substitutes & Cooking with Dairy Alternatives and our Guide to Egg Substitution

Buttermilk
Add 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar to 1 cup fresh milk; let sour for 5 minutes.

Cake Flour
Substitute 1 ⅔ cups sifted Gluten Free Flour Blend for 2 cups cake flour.

Corn Meal Mix
Having trouble finding corn meal mix in your grocery store? You can make your own by combining 1 cup corn meal, 1 cup Gluten Free Flour Blend, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum and 4 teaspoons baking powder. You can store it in a tightly covered container for up to 6 months.

Corn Syrup
1 cup of sugar dissolved in ½ cup water equals 1 ½ cups corn syrup.

House Seasoning
1 cup salt, ¼ cup black pepper, and ¼ cup garlic powder.

Lemon Juice
½ teaspoon of vinegar can be substituted for each teaspoon of lemon juice.

Liquids
Instead of the water your recipe calls for, try juices, Gluten Free stock, or water you’ve cooked vegetables in. Instead of milk, try buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. It can add a whole new flavor and improve nutrition.

Self-Rising Flour
To make your own self-rising flour, add 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt to each cup of Gluten Free Flour Blend. Sift for best results.

Sour Cream
Use 1 cup of plain yogurt, OR 1 cup cottage cheese blended until smooth with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and ⅓ cup buttermilk for each cup of sour cream

Sweetened Condensed Milk
Mix 6 cups whole milk with 4 ½ cups sugar, 1 stick of butter, and 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon Gluten Free vanilla). Cook over medium heat, reducing liquid, for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. Cool. Yields 4 ½ cups. This can be stored and covered in the refrigerator for several weeks. Cut recipe in half for immediate use.

Tomato Juice
½ cup tomato sauce and ½ cup water equal 1 cup tomato juice