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 how to make a baking powder substitute.
What Can You Use Instead of Baking Powder?
To make a quick little batch of homemade baking powder to use as a substitute, you can use these three ingredients: Cream of Tartar + Baking Soda + Cornstarch (or Arrowroot Powder). And you can make this mixture in smaller or larger amounts too using the basic formula of 2 parts cream of tartar with 1 part each of baking soda and cornstarch.
Here are a few measurement ideas for different sized amounts you can make. The first two examples are smaller amounts for making just enough to use in a particular recipe you might be making.
To make 1 teaspoon of Baking Powder Substitute:
Mix Together:
½ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ teaspoon Cornstarch (or Arrowroot Powder)
To make 2 teaspoons of Baking Powder Substitute:
Mix Together:
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
½ teaspoon Baking Soda
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 2 parts cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 1 part cornstarch. For instance we could do the following:
To make ¼ cup of Baking Powder Substitute:
Mix Together:
2 Tablespoons Cream of Tartar
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
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.
This handy DIY hack is another easy and resourceful trick to know and helps you use what you might have on hand to make what you need. You can often find the perfect answer when you make your own!
Need another way to use your cream of tartar? I use it in my Homemade Play Dough recipe!
Homemade Baking Powder Substitute
Ingredients:
Small Batch Idea #1
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
Small Batch Idea #2
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Larger Batch (makes 1/4 cup)
- 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions:
- For whichever size batch you are making, just mix the three ingredients together and use as needed to replace baking powder in a recipe.
Notes:
Thank you! I had the recipe many years ago, and here I found it again because I ran out of the store-bought baking powder, and I don’t feel like going out there today. Making a blackberry cobbler!
Can I use the same ratios and measure it by weight? I prefer to use weight in measurements when baking. Thank you 😊
Yes, you could use weight instead. Just stick to the ratios of 1 part baking soda, 1 part cornstarch, and 2 parts cream of tartar.
Would you have a suggestion for someone who accidentally did a 2+2+1 ratio (1 was baking soda)
Can i save my dough????
I think the dough might be OK yet, but the possible problem would be that the extra baking powder would give it too much rise.
thank you so much. I love going the best way.
Will this change the flavor of my baked goods?
No, I have found it to be a good substitute with no change to the flavor of the recipe.
Since Cornstarch is a thickener it’s really not the thing to use in a recipe. Especially in Baking. Arrowroot is the proper ingredient for a DIY Baking Powder.
if you look at the ingredients listed on baking powder, cornstarch is the first one…
How do I make three teaspoons of baking powder
You would need to triple this recipe, so it would be 3/4 tsp baking soda, 1-1/2 tsp cream of tartar, and 3/4 tsp cornstarch. Because most of us don’t have a spoon for measuring 3/4 of a teaspoon, another alternative is to just measure the original recipe out three times.
How long would the baking powder last?
The homemade baking powder should last for many months. If you need to test it to see if it is still potent, put a teaspoon or so in a bowl and add some very hot or boiling water to see if the baking powder will still fizz.
Thank you for posting this recipe! I just read the label of my baking powder tonight and realized it has corn starch. My husband is allergic to corn (among other things), so this will come in handy for sure.
Thank you
Can you use tapioca starch instead of arrowroot? If so, do you know if the measurement would stay the same?
I think you could substitute tapioca starch because it’s also a thickener like arrowroot or cornstarch. However I have not tried it myself to know for sure if it would work or not. If you want to give it a try, I would keep the measurement the same.
If I mix up a “batch” to store and use, what is it’s shelf life?
I have had a batch for several months (maybe even a year now) and it is still working fine, so I believe it has a shelf life of at least a year.
Thank you! Just what I was looking for. I haven’t been able to find aluminum free baking powder for weeks now but I had all the other ingredients to make it in my cupboard. I may never buy it again! 🙂
Great recipe. I’ve been paying more to buy Rumsford brand d/t no aluminum. I just ordered organic cornstarch and a pound of cream of tartar (both are cheap). There will be no more overpriced baking powder in my home.
So glad that making your own will save you money!
If you want to avoid the problems with regular corn starch, organic corn starch is available, which is what I use. It’s a little cheaper than arrowroot.
Thanks for that info Pat!