Crisp Classic Waffles

• Dry
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour ≈ 219 g
  Swaps for all-purpose flour

  Instead of all-purpose flour

  • Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: The same amount, a blend that includes xanthan gum. A little grittier and more crumbly, browns faster and dries out sooner.
  • Bread flour: The same amount. More gluten: chewier cookies and bread, tougher cakes.
  • Whole wheat flour: Up to half of the flour. Nuttier, darker and denser.

  All 4 swaps for all-purpose flour

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• ¼ cup cornstarch ≈ 32 g
  Swaps for cornstarch

  Instead of cornstarch

  • All-purpose flour: 2 tbsp flour for each 1 tbsp cornstarch. Sauces turn cloudy instead of glossy and a bit heavier.
  • Arrowroot: The same amount. Very clear and glossy; can turn slimy in dairy sauces.
  • Potato starch: The same amount. Thickens fast with a clear gloss; don't boil it long.

  All 4 swaps for cornstarch

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  Swaps for granulated sugar

  Instead of sugar

  • Less sugar: Up to ¼ less in cookies, muffins and quick breads. Less browning and spread, a drier, more cake-like texture, and bakes go stale sooner.
  • Brown sugar: The same amount, packed. Moister and chewier, with a caramel flavor and darker color.
  • Coconut sugar: The same amount. Darker and caramel-like, a little less sweet; cookies spread slightly less.

  All 4 swaps for sugar

• 2 tsp baking powder
  Swaps for baking powder

  Instead of baking powder

  • Baking soda + cream of tartar: ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar for each 1 tsp baking powder. Rises the same if you don't let the batter sit.
  • Baking soda + buttermilk or yogurt: ¼ tsp baking soda for each 1 tsp baking powder, and swap ½ cup of the recipe's milk for buttermilk or thinned yogurt. Good rise with a light tang.
  • Self-rising flour: Use it for the flour and leave out the baking powder and salt. Each cup has about 1½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt built in, so it only fits recipes close to that ratio.

  More for baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda
  Swaps for baking soda

  Instead of baking soda

  • Baking powder: 3 tsp baking powder for each 1 tsp baking soda. It rises, but bakes come out paler and puffier, cookies spread less, and the extra powder can taste a little bitter.

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• ½ tsp kosher salt
  Swaps for kosher salt

  Instead of salt

  • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
  • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

  More for salt

• Wet
• 2 large eggs
  Swaps for eggs

  Instead of eggs

  • Flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Binds well but gives less lift, so bakes are a little denser and flatter, with a mild nutty taste and brown flecks.
  • Chia egg: 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Works like a flax egg: good binding, little lift, slightly denser crumb.
  • Unsweetened applesauce: ¼ cup for each egg. Moister and denser, with a soft, slightly gummy crumb if you swap more than one egg.

  All 5 swaps for eggs

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• 1 ¾ cups buttermilk
  Swaps for buttermilk

  Instead of buttermilk

  • Milk + lemon juice or vinegar: 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup, topped up with milk to 1 cup, for each cup. Thinner and a bit less tangy, so bakes are a touch less tender.
  • Plain yogurt + milk: ¾ cup plain yogurt + ¼ cup milk for each cup (with Greek yogurt: ½ cup + ½ cup). The closest match for tang and thickness.
  • Plain kefir: The same amount. Similar tang, a little thinner.

  All 4 swaps for buttermilk

• ⅜ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  Swaps for unsalted butter

  Instead of butter

  • Salted butter: The same amount, with about ¼ tsp less salt per stick (½ cup) elsewhere in the recipe. Nothing noticeable once you cut the salt.
  • Plant-based butter sticks: The same amount. The closest swap.
  • Refined coconut oil: The same amount: solid when the butter is soft or cold, melted when it is melted. It is all fat, so bakes are a bit more tender and rich, with no butter flavor.

  All 4 swaps for butter

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  Swaps for vanilla extract

  Instead of vanilla extract

  • Vanilla bean paste: The same amount. Stronger, with visible vanilla seeds.
  • Vanilla bean: The seeds of 1 bean for each 1 tbsp extract. A deeper, floral flavor and visible seeds.
  • Alcohol-free vanilla: The same amount. Made with glycerin; a slightly milder taste.

  All 5 swaps for vanilla extract

• vegetable oil, or cooking spray, for the iron
  Swaps for vegetable oil

  Instead of vegetable oil

  • Another neutral oil: The same amount. No difference.
  • Melted butter: The same amount. Richer, buttery flavor; cakes are a little less moist and firmer once cool.
  • Light olive oil: The same amount. "Light" olive oil tastes mild.

  All 4 swaps for vegetable oil

• maple syrup, butter and berries, to serve
  Swaps for maple syrup

  Instead of maple syrup

  • Honey: The same amount. Thicker and sweeter, browns faster, and it isn't vegan.
  • Agave syrup: The same amount. Sweeter, with no maple taste.
  • Pancake syrup: The same amount. Sweeter and flatter in flavor (it is mostly corn syrup); fine on pancakes, not great in baking or glazes.

  More for maple syrup

Weights from USDA FoodData Central cup weights. Counted things (eggs, cloves, cans) stay as counts, and salt stays in spoons: kosher and flaky salts weigh very differently by brand.

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.