Baking Soda Substitutes

Baking Soda Substitutes

Looking for a baking soda substitutes? Everyone has had that moment where they get out their favorite baking and recipe and realize they are missing a key ingredient….baking soda! It can be so frustrating to not have everything you need on hand. Typically, I wouldn’t recommend trying out replacements for baking items because unlike cooking, baking is a science! Baking soda seems to be in just about every baking recipe. In the case of baking soda, there are several alternatives that give you a similar end result in your baked goods! All of these baking soda substitutes are Made It. Ate It. Loved It approved!

 

My favorite baking recipes!

Baking Soda Substitutes:

  1. Baking powder
  2. Egg whites
  3. Club soda

What is baking soda?

Baking soda is technically sodium bicarbonate and this is the ingredients that helps baked goods rise. When it combined with an acid or something highly acidic, it produces carbon dioxide which is what causes it to rise. 

What happens if I leave out the baking soda?

If you leave baking soda out altogether and do not replace it with anything, your recipe won’t rise! If it is a baked good like bread or cookies, they will be very dense and almost hard. That light but chewy texture comes from the rising of dough, which is only possible with baking soda or a baking soda substitute.

Baking Powder

Although they may seem similar, baking soda and baking powder are very different! Baking powder is made of  baking soda, cream of tartar and sometimes cornstarch which is why it makes the best substitute for pure baking soda. Baking soda is much more potent than baking powder, which is why you’ll want to use a 1:3 ratio when making this swap!

When substituting baking powder for baking soda, you might notice that your baked good is a bit more airy or fluffy and could be slightly more acidic. Overall, this is a great ingredient to have on hand and for most recipes, you may not even notice!

Egg Whites

Yes, egg whites can be substituted for baking soda as well! For this swap, you’ll want to whip the egg whites as much as possible so they are a light, whipped cream texture. Egg whites will help the dough rise and will give a very light, airy texture to your baked good. I’ll be honest – I haven’t tried this swap so I can’t give you a first hand experience. However, it can be done!

There isn’t an exact conversion for egg whites instead of baking soda. It will depend on how well you whip your egg whites. I would start with 2-3 egg whites for a typical baked good recipe.

Club Soda

This could be a bit of stretch, but in a real pinch, you can use club soda! Club soda also has carbon dioxide so it can help with adding some rise to your recipe. The issue with this swap is that is obviously a liquid which can change the texture of your recipe. In this case, I would remove some other liquid from your recipe if you can so it isn’t so thin. There isn’t an exact conversion for this swap so you will have to use your best judgement on this one.

Truthfully, I would rather go to the store than try club soda instead of baking soda! I’m guessing this would change the taste of the final result.

Having a fully stocked pantry 24/7 is no easy feat which is why I wanted to explore some baking soda substitutes! This ingredient is in so many of my recipes that I do keep this on hand at all times. 

What did I learn from this? Keep stock of both baking soda and baking powder and you’ll be good to go!

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