Baking Soda Substitute (2024)

If you're looking for a good baking soda substitute for your recipes, this guide will explain various options to help your baked goods rise and save you a trip to the grocery store. There are many baking soda alternatives that can save the day, and you likely have some of them on hand already.

What is baking soda?

Baking soda, or Sodium bicarbonate, is a powerful chemical leavening agent. People use baking soda for a number of things, from baking to cleaning and odor absorption. In addition, it is used in a variety of recipes, from pumpkin spice donuts to lemon poppyseed cupcakes to make baked goods rise.

Baking soda is alkaline, which means it is not acidic. Instead, it works by interacting with acidic ingredients. For example, it makes batters light and fluffy by releasing carbon dioxide bubbles when you place baking soda with acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, yogurt, or vinegar.

Usually, baking soda is most potent in the first six months after opening. However, if your baking soda is working on a heavy-duty project like absorbing the odors in your fridge, you'll want to switch it out about every 30 days.

Baking soda vs. Baking powder

Baking soda and baking powder are both chemical leaveners famous for their use in baked goods. Baking powder, also known as sodium carbonate, can almost always replace baking soda in recipes without changing the texture or taste of the recipe. But what really makes them different?

Baking powder itself contains both the alkaline and acidic elements needed to generate a reaction (rise). Simply put, baking powder is a combination of non-acidic baking soda and a dry acid, eg. cream of tartar.The liquid in the batter activates this reaction, whereas baking soda activates fully when paired with an external acidic element.

However, if you included baking soda in a recipe with little to no acid, it would cause a bitter or metallic taste and only give the recipe a slight rise. And, most importantly, baking soda is about three times as potent as baking powder, meaning you need much less to get the same reaction.

You can view baking soda and baking powder as excellent choices for most baked goods. Using baking powder instead of baking soda can give you similar results. Sometimes they are even used together for even more leavening action, eg. in this pumpkin banana muffins.

The function of baking soda in baking

This fast-acting leavening agent is great for quick bread like pumpkin bread. The power of the baking soda is visible almost immediately in the batter, and you usually only need a little (one teaspoon baking soda or less) to make the magic happen. Buttermilk, chocolate, and even brown sugar can cause acidity in a batter, but it's baking soda's job to neutralize the acid.

Baking soda can also accelerate the Maillard reaction, a reaction between amino acids and sugars, which in baking gives biscuits and quick breads their coloring.

Considerations when replacing baking soda in baking

Before you substitute baking soda in your recipe, it's essential to think about which baking soda replacement makes the most sense given important factors like the amount of liquid in the batter, how big of a rise you're looking to achieve, and how the recipe you plan to follow is written.

Recipes that already call for baking powder in addition to baking soda make subbing baking powder for baking soda easier. On the other hand, recipes that rely heavily on baking soda will be a bit trickier to make substitutions for.

It's important to read the recipe in its entirety and plan what can be used as a substitute for bicarbonate of soda. This is particularly important in recipes where you'll be using a liquid replacement like club soda because you'll need to omit a portion of the liquid the recipe calls for in favor of the club soda.

What can I use instead of baking soda?

You might be wondering what is a good alternative of baking soda. Whether you're looking to avoid the bitter taste that baking soda can sometimes leave behind, or you simply don't have any baking soda left in your pantry, finding an acceptable replacement for baking soda might just save you a trip to the grocery store.

There are several excellent substitutes for baking soda, but you can't just jump into one and expect it to work exactly the same. When deciding which to use, it's important to consider the specifics of the recipe.

Not every alternative for baking soda on this list is a suitable replacement for every type of recipe, so it's important to carefully consider the amount of baking soda that will need to be replaced and how that may affect your baking. Below you'll learn about all the great options and what can be used as a substitute for baking soda.

1. Baking Powder

Baking powder is one of the best baking soda substitutes for cookies and other sweet baked goods. You can almost always replace baking soda with baking powder. It's easy to find and you likely already have it in your pantry. It works well in just about any recipe that calls for baking soda and won't change the taste or texture.

2. Self Rising Flour

Self rising flour is the perfect baking soda substitute for cake and takes the guesswork out of measuring your leavener. If you have no baking soda or baking powder, self-rising flour is your next best option. This is an excellent baking soda substitute for cookies.

Self rising flour contains baking powder, all-purpose flour, and salt. When considering this swap, it's helpful to know that each cup of self rising flour (120g) contains 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt.

3. Potassium Bicarbonate

Potassium Bicarbonate is another baking soda alternative. This substitute is the most similar in chemical composition to baking soda. It doesn't have sodium, so you'll need to salt potassium bicarbonate before you use it to give it the same flavor as baking soda.

Although it's generally available in supplement form and used to support heart health, potassium bicarbonate is an effective leavening agent.

4. Baker's Ammonia

Baker's ammonia, also known as ammonium bicarbonate, was the go-to leavening agent used before the widespread use of baking soda and baking powder began. Its strong scent makes it a better option for low-moisture, crispy baked goods because the ammonia smell tends to linger in moist treats.

5. Whipped Egg Whites

You might be surprised that whipped egg whites can be used as a substitute for baking soda. Whipping 2-3 egg whites until stiff peaks form can give your baked goods rise and get that fluffy texture you're trying to achieve. This works best in recipes that mix baking soda and powder rather than only baking soda.

6. Aquafaba

If you're making a vegan recipe and need a baking soda substitute, consider using aquafaba, the water from a can of chickpeas. This will give your baked goods a bit of rise and also provide them with additional structure, similar to how whipped egg whites would work in your batter.

7. Whipped Cream

Much like whipped egg whites, whipped cream can also add a nice rise to foods like pancakes or waffles. However, this baking soda substitute will add fat to your recipe, so keep that in mind.

8. Club Soda

Club soda contains a small amount of sodium bicarbonate, which makes it a good baking soda substitute for some recipes. This isn't a good option for cookies, recipes sensitive to excess moisture, or those that typically have a significant rise. Club soda is also a great baking soda substitute for cleaning.

9. Leave it Out

Depending on your baked good, your best option may be to leave it out. If it’s the only leavening agent in your recipe, you might want to find an alternative. In recipes that use baking soda as a secondary leaving agent, you can simply leave it out. However, I do not recommend leaving it out or not replacing it with something else for fluffy bread like banana bread.

Baking soda substitute FAQs

Conclusions on what is the best baking soda substitute

Baking soda is an important ingredient that gives your baked goods rise. It also functions to deliver a distinct and desired flavor, texture, and color. If a recipe calls for baking soda, you should not overlook the addition. Without it, your bakery-style muffins may fall flat, and your chewy cookies may become hard and brittle.

However, you may run into situations where baking soda is simply unavailable, whether you're all out of it or the open box in your pantry has lost its effectiveness.

The good news is that there are several baking soda substitutes that will give you similar results to actual baking soda. Even better, you will likely have many of these substitutes on hand already—no need to search for another recipe.

When deciding what to use instead of baking soda, remember that baking powder is the best baking soda substitute, followed by self rising flour. These options, in addition to potassium bicarbonate, are the most similar to baking soda and will provide the best results.

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