25 Herb and Spice Substitutions to use in your Cooking or Baking Recipes
Let’s say you’re half way through cooking up a meal for your family potluck dinner and you are missing a few spices, what do you do then!
Well, obviously it is too late to run to a grocery store, but the good part is that there are always substitutes available that you can use instead of a certain spice. In this article, I will give you some tips on what substitutes you could use in place of spices you may not have.
Here are some substitutes to some commonly used spices:
Here’s a quick guide to baking spice substitutes — perfect when you’re out of one ingredient but still want that warm, cozy flavor in your bakes 🍪🧁
🥧 1. Cinnamon Substitute
Use: Pumpkin pie spice, allspice, or nutmeg
Ratio:
- 1 tsp cinnamon = ½ tsp allspice or ½ tsp nutmeg or 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
🍂 2. Nutmeg Substitute
Use: Mace or cinnamon
Ratio:
- 1 tsp nutmeg = 1 tsp mace or 1 tsp cinnamon
🍪 3. Clove Substitute
Use: Allspice or nutmeg
Ratio:
- 1 tsp cloves = 1 tsp allspice or 1 tsp nutmeg
☕ 4. Allspice Substitute
Use: Equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
Ratio:
- 1 tsp allspice = ⅓ tsp cinnamon + ⅓ tsp nutmeg + ⅓ tsp cloves
🍰 5. Ginger Substitute
Use: Ground cinnamon or allspice
Ratio:
- 1 tsp ginger = 1 tsp cinnamon or 1 tsp allspice
🎃 6. Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute
Use: Homemade mix
Ratio:
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice = ½ tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp ginger + ⅛ tsp nutmeg + pinch of cloves
🍩 7. Cardamom Substitute
Use: Cinnamon + nutmeg combo
Ratio:
- 1 tsp cardamom = ½ tsp cinnamon + ½ tsp nutmeg
🍪 8. Apple Pie Spice Substitute
Use: Mix of warm spices
Ratio:
- 1 tsp apple pie spice = ½ tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp nutmeg + ¼ tsp allspice
🌿 9. Mace Substitute
Use: Nutmeg
Ratio:
- 1 tsp mace = 1 tsp nutmeg
🌸 10. Vanilla Extract Substitute
Use: Maple syrup, almond extract, or honey
Ratio:
- 1 tsp vanilla = 1 tsp maple syrup or ½ tsp almond extract
🧁 11. Anise Seed Substitute
Use: Fennel seed or star anise (ground)
Ratio:
- 1 tsp anise seed = 1 tsp fennel seed or ½ tsp ground star anise
🍯 12. Star Anise Substitute
Use: Chinese five spice or anise seed
Ratio:
- 1 tsp star anise = 1 tsp Chinese five spice or 1 tsp anise seed
🍫 13. Cocoa Powder Substitute
Use: Carob powder or instant coffee + cornstarch mix
Ratio:
- 1 tbsp cocoa = 1 tbsp carob powder or 1 tbsp instant coffee + ½ tsp cornstarch
🍌 14. Mixed Spice Substitute
Use: Cinnamon + nutmeg + allspice combo
Ratio:
- 1 tsp mixed spice = ½ tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp nutmeg + ¼ tsp allspice
🍮 15. Bay Leaf Substitute (for custards or stews)
Use: Thyme or oregano
Ratio:
- 1 bay leaf = ¼ tsp thyme or oregano
🍋 16. Lemon Zest Substitute
Use: Lemon extract or dried lemon peel
Ratio:
- 1 tsp zest = ½ tsp lemon extract or 1 tsp dried lemon peel
🍊 17. Orange Zest Substitute
Use: Orange extract or lemon zest
Ratio:
- 1 tsp zest = ½ tsp orange extract or 1 tsp lemon zest
🍯 18. Molasses Substitute (for spice cakes & cookies)
Use: Dark corn syrup or honey
Ratio:
- 1 cup molasses = 1 cup dark corn syrup or ¾ cup honey + ¼ cup brown sugar
🍞 19. Brown Sugar Substitute
Use: White sugar + molasses
Ratio:
- 1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses
🍰 20. Cream of Tartar Substitute
Use: Lemon juice or white vinegar
Ratio:
- 1 tsp cream of tartar = 2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
🌾 21. Coriander Substitute (for sweet spice breads)
Use: Cinnamon or nutmeg
Ratio:
- 1 tsp coriander = 1 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg
🥥 22. Coconut Extract Substitute
Use: Almond extract or vanilla extract
Ratio:
- 1 tsp coconut extract = ½ tsp almond extract or 1 tsp vanilla extract
🍒 23. Almond Extract Substitute
Use: Vanilla extract or amaretto
Ratio:
- 1 tsp almond extract = 2 tsp vanilla extract or 2 tsp amaretto
🧂 24. Ground Fennel Substitute
Use: Anise seed or caraway seed
Ratio:
- 1 tsp ground fennel = 1 tsp anise seed or 1 tsp caraway seed
🌼 25. Lavender Substitute (for desserts)
Use: Rosemary or dried lemon balm (tiny amount!)
Ratio:
- 1 tsp lavender = ½ tsp rosemary or lemon balm
