Kitchen Ingredient Substitutes
Top 10 Substitutes for Common Ingredients
Did you underestimate how much sugar you had on hand? Are common ingredients such as flour in short supply at your local store? No matter the situation, we’ve all had times when we needed to find a substitute for an ingredient using staples we already had in our kitchen.
As the holidays approach, the sight of empty grocery store shelves may become familiar as shoppers snag the last of the items they need to make festive meals. If you’re unable to find the ingredients you need, don’t worry. With a few simple substitutions using items you may already have on hand, you can still make the holiday recipe of your dreams.
The most important kitchen skill is adaptability in this Top Ten
Discover easy ingredient substitutions you can make for kitchen staples such as sugar and eggs:
1. Buttermilk
A craving for pancakes or waffles can strike at any time. The buttermilk in your fridge, however, has a limited life span. Luckily, you can substitute your buttermilk with everyday ingredients. Combine two cups of milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or white distilled vinegar. Let the mixture stand until it curdles, then use the milk as you would buttermilk in your recipe.
2. Shortening
Whether you’re making a flaky crust for pumpkin pie, festive Christmas cookies or irresistible latkes, you’ll likely need shortening. While the texture of your baked goods may change slightly, shortening has many substitutions. Ingredients such as butter, coconut oil and lard can replace the exact amount of shortening you need. If you have margarine or vegan butter on hand, add an extra tablespoon for every cup of shortening you need. For recipes that call for melted shortening, vegetable oil is a great substitute.
3. Evaporated Milk
Forgetting an ingredient at the store happens to all of us, especially if it’s something we don’t use in our everyday cooking, such as evaporated milk. If you need a substitute for evaporated milk or are looking for non-dairy alternatives, you have a wide selection of ingredient options. Cream or half and half are great options and will still give your baked goods the creamy richness you crave. Some non-dairy alternatives include soy milk, rice milk or any nut milk to keep the sweetness of evaporated milk without the lactose.
If you want to make your own evaporated milk, heat your chosen milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it reduces in volume by half. Remember to stir the saucepan continuously to prevent burning or sticking.
4. Molasses
Sticky and sweet, molasses is the star ingredient of many holiday favorites, such as gingerbread or molasses cookies. If your recipe calls for molasses and you don’t have any on hand, don’t stress — you have many options for molasses substitutes. Options such as dark corn syrup, maple syrup, honey and golden syrup are great for an exact ratio replacement.
If you have brown sugar on hand, you can replace your molasses with it. Dark brown sugar will create more of a molasses flavor than light brown sugar, but both will work as substitutes. Another option is to mix granulated sugar and water, which will mimic the sweetness and moisture of molasses. This substitute is not as flavorful as molasses, so be sure to add more of the other spices you use in your recipe.
5. Bread Crumbs
Stuffing is an essential part of any Thanksgiving or holiday meal. Trying to make it without bread crumbs, however, is an interesting challenge. Luckily, you have plenty of options for finding a substitute. Toast your favorite bread and break it into pieces or smash it in a plastic bag to make your own bread crumbs. If bread is in short supply, other options include crushing rolled oats, cornflakes or potato chips or using almond flour for a gluten-free option.
6. Cornstarch
The ingredient substitutions you use for cornstarch will vary depending on what you are baking or cooking. If you are making a gravy to serve with your Thanksgiving dinner, try adding more flour. If you need cornstarch to thicken a fruit pie filling such as apple pie, potato starch is also an option.
7. Eggs
You can’t bake without breaking a few eggs, but what do you do if you don’t have any? You can still make your holiday cookies by substituting eggs with ingredients such as applesauce or mashed banana.
Another egg substitute option entails using pantry staples you most likely already have at the ready. Combine water, baking powder and vegetable oil to keep your baked goods light and airy. If you have non-flavored carbonated water, this also works as a substitute in recipes for moist and tender baked goods.
8. Thyme
The spices you use on your Thanksgiving turkey can make it a flavorful meal your guests will crave long after the holiday is over. One of the most important spices is thyme, but what do you do if you run out or can’t find a dried option at the store? Some ingredient substitutions include fresh herbs such as oregano and basil. If you’d prefer a dried herb option, look for poultry seasoning or Italian seasoning to use on your turkey.
9. Flour
Flour is a staple in kitchens across the country. However, it may be hard to find due to food shortages or high demand. If you need flour for baking holiday cookies, cakes or other festive desserts, some substitute options include pastry or bread flour. You can also substitute flour for a gluten-free option, such as almond flour.
10. Sugar
When baking for the holidays, sugar is the one ingredient you want to have. If you can’t find sugar at the store or are looking to lower your sugar intake, you can make many substitutes without sacrificing flavor.
Honey is a common substitute for sugar due to its natural sweetness. Another option is maple syrup, which works well as a sweetener whether you choose a genuine version or an imitation. If you use molasses, be careful of its high sugar content and use it sparingly to prevent your desserts from being too sweet.
Let Feeser’s Supply All Your Holiday Cooking and Baking Needs
When you’re cooking and baking for the holidays, the unpredictable may happen. Whether you need pantry staples or an unexpected ingredient, Feeser’s has you covered. Since our founding 120 years ago, we have distributed delicious food to customers in the Mid-Atlantic region. We are a trusted family-owned business you can depend on for all your holiday cooking and baking needs.
To learn more about our products or services, contact Feeser’s by calling 1-800-326-2828 or filling out our contact form today.