Make Your Own Baking Powder

Several years ago I noticed the label on my little jar of cream of tartar had some helpful tips on it. There were a couple tips about making angel food cake and making meringue, but it was the final tip that was more interesting to me. It was a simple method to make your own baking powder substitute.  I saved that label and decided that little bit of info could come in handy someday if I needed to figure out what I could use if I don’t have baking powder on hand.

Although my original intent was just to be able to have a substitute in a pinch, I recently looked back at this little recipe and realized it’s also a nice way to be able to have a mixture with more control to the ingredients.  Many folks prefer to avoid the aluminum sulfate that’s often added to baking powder, something your homemade mixture won’t have.

Cornstarch is also in baking powder (and in my homemade version too), but some folks have concern with grain allergies or GMO’s when it comes to that ingredient. However in the homemade version you have some flexibility and can substitute arrowroot powder if you wish.

Let’s take a closer look:

What Can You Use Instead of Baking Powder?

 

To make a quick little batch of homemade baking powder you can use these three ingredients: Baking Soda + Cream of Tartar + Cornstarch (or Arrowroot Powder).  You’ll use equal amounts of the baking soda and cornstarch and twice as much cream of tartar.  Here are a couple of examples for measurements:

To Make 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder Substitute:

Mix Together:
¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
¼ teaspoon Cornstarch (or Arrowroot Powder)

To Make 2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder Substitute:

Mix Together:
½ teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
½ teaspoon Cornstarch (or Arrowroot Powder)

Or if you would like to make a bigger batch rather than just enough to substitute in on a particular recipe, that’s possible too!  Just remember the ratio of 1 part baking soda + 2 parts cream of tartar + 1 part Cornstarch.  For instance we could do the following:

To Make ¼ Cup of Baking Powder Substitute:

Mix Together:
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
2 Tablespoons Cream of Tartar
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch (or Arrowroot Powder)

Once these ingredients are mixed together they can be used the same as you would use baking powder in a recipe.

So whether you’re just being resourceful and using what you have on hand, or perhaps you’re more interested in making your own friendlier mixture – either way – this recipe can be a great solution.  We can often find the perfect answer when we make our own!

Need another way to use your cream of tartar?  I use it in my Homemade Play Dough recipe!

More Make Your Own Ideas:

Make Your Own Self-Rising Flour

Make Your Own Bisquick

Make Your Own Instant Pudding Mix