It never fails.  You live in a small community, and you wake up on Thanksgiving morning to continue with baking and cooking… and you’re out of baking powder!  Most of the major ingredients, you’re going to make sure that you have, but there are some that you think you have hiding in the pantry or fridge.. but don’t.

Check out this list of last minute common ingredient substitutions!

Allspice

This is a BIG BIG spice commonly used at Thanksgiving!  It’s what gives us that warm, fall flavors to our foods.

  • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves

Baking Powder  (1 teaspoon substitution)

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Who has cream of tartar???  Pfft  You can use this for Baking Powder!

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (decrease liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup)

Breadcrumbs

I usually toast a piece of bread really good and crumble it up, but if for some reason you don’t have bread, here are some substitutes.

  • 1 cup of cracker crumbs

or

  • 1 cup of ground oats

or

  • 1 cup of crushed potato chips (ha!)

Broth (Beef/Chicken)

  • Cut one leg off of your turkey and boil it and use the stock

or

  • 1 boullion cube dissolved in one cup of water

or

  • 1 cup boiling water with 1/2 tsp salt

Butter (1 cup)

Use this if you don’t have enough butter for a recipe.

  • 1/2 cup of applesauce
  • 1/2 cup of butter

Use this if you’re completely out of butter.

  • 7/8 cup of oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Buttermilk

  • Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar (or lemon) to just about 1 cup of milk.  Don’t add too much!!

Egg (1 egg)

  • 1/3 cup of applesauce

or

  • 3 tablespoons of mayo (it’s ok for cookies or savory items, but something really sweet and fluffy like cake or cupcakes, you may want to use applesauce!)

Evaporated Milk (1 cup)

It’s Thanksgiving… SURELY you didn’t forget this!?!

  • 1 cup of whole milk

or

  • 1 cup of cream

Lime or Lemon Juice (1 teaspoon)

  • 1 teaspoon of vinegar

or

  • 1 teaspoon of white wine

Lemon Zest (1 teaspoon)

This is one that I always have to do, because I always freeze the juice from freshly picked lemons.  I just didn’t realize that the substitute was for MORE lemon juice.

  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice

or

  • 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract

Milk (1 cup)

There may be a time when you’re out of milk.  But, it’s Thanksgiving, so I KNOW you remembered the evap milk!

  • 1/2 cup of evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup of water

Shortening (1 cup)

  • 1 cup of butter

or

  • 1 cup of margarine (Take out 1/2 teaspoon salt from recipe.)

Sanity (a day’s worth)

  • Eat out

or

  • 1 bottle of wine, consumed moderately  (I’m not a drinker, but I can definitely see why people will want to drink wine moderately on a day like Thanksgiving!

HAPPY EATS, and have a safe and fun Thanksgiving!