Here are some common cooking conversions and substitutions!
Conversions:
16 tablespoons = 1 cup
12 tablespoons = 3/4 cup
10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 2/3 cup
8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
6 tablespoons = 3/8 cup
5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1/3 cup
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 1/6 cup
1 tablespoon = 1/16 cup
2 cups = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
48 teaspoons = 1 cup
Substitutions:
Allspice 1 teaspoon = 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves
Arrowroot starch 1 teaspoon = 1 tablespoon flour, OR 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Baking mix 1 cup = 1 cup pancake mix OR 1 cup Easy Biscuit Mixture
Baking powder 1 teaspoon = 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar OR 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk (decrease liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup)
Beer 1 cup = 1 cup nonalcoholic beer OR 1 cup chicken broth
Brandy 1/4 cup = 1 teaspoon imitation brandy extract plus enough water to make 1/4 cup
Bread crumbs 1 cup = 1 cup cracker crumbs OR 1 cup matzo meal OR 1 cup ground oats
Broth: beef or chicken 1 cup = 1 bouillon cube plus 1 cup boiling water OR 1 tablespoon soy sauce plus enough water to make 1 cup OR 1 cup vegetable broth
Brown sugar 1 cup, packed = 1 cup white sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses and decrease the liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup OR 1 cup white sugar OR 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Butter (salted) 1 cup = 1 cup margarine OR 1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
Butter (unsalted) 1 cup = 1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil OR 7/8 cup lard
Buttermilk 1 cup = 1 cup yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup
Cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded = 1 cup shredded Colby cheddar OR 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Chervil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh = 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Chicken base 1 tablespoon = 1 cup canned or homemade chicken broth or stock. Reduce liquid in recipe by 1 cup
Chocolate(semisweet) 1 ounce = 1 (1-ounce) square of unsweetened chocolate plus 4 teaspoons sugar OR 1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips plus 1 teaspoon shortening
Chocolate (unsweetened) 1 ounce = 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon shortening or vegetable oil
Cocoa 1/4 cup = 1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
Condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 (10.75-ounce) can = 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of celery, cream of chicken, OR golden mushroom soup
Corn syrup 1 cup = 1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water OR 1 cup honey OR 1 cup light treacle syrup
Cottage cheese 1 cup = 1 cup farmer's cheese OR 1 cup ricotta cheese
Cracker crumbs 1 cup = 1 cup bread crumbs OR 1 cup matzo meal OR 1 cup ground oats
Cream (half and half) 1 cup = 7/8 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon butter
Cream (heavy) 1 cup = 1 cup evaporated milk OR 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup butter
Cream (light) 1 cup = 1 cup evaporated milk OR 3/4 cup milk plus 3 tablespoons butter
Cream (whipped) 1 cup = 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
Cream cheese 1 cup = 1 cup pureed cottage cheese OR 1 cup plain yogurt, strained overnight in a cheesecloth
Cream of tartar 1 teaspoon = 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar
Crème fraiche 1 cup = Combine 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt. Let stand for 6 hours at room temperature
Egg 1 whole (3 tablespoons or 1.7 oz) = 2 1/2 tablespoons of powdered egg substitute plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water OR 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute OR 1/4 cup silken tofu pureed OR 3 tablespoons mayonnaise OR half a banana mashed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder OR 1 tablespoon powdered flax seed soaked in 3 tablespoons water
Evaporated milk 1 cup = 1 cup light cream
Farmer's cheese 8 ounces = 8 ounces dry cottage cheese OR 8 ounces creamed cottage cheese, drained
Fats for baking 1 cup = 1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree
Flour--Bread 1 cup = 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon wheat gluten (available at health food stores & some supermarkets)
Flour--Cake 1 cup = 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons
Flour--Self-Rising 1 cup = 7/8 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Garlic 1 clove = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder OR 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic OR 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt--reduce salt in recipe
Gelatin 1 tablespoon, granulated = 2 teaspoons agar agar
Ginger--dry 1 teaspoon = 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
Ginger--fresh 1 teaspoon, minced = 1/2 teaspoon ground dried ginger
Green onion 1/2 cup , chopped = 1/2 cup chopped onion, OR 1/2 cup chopped leek OR 1/2 cup chopped shallots
Hazelnuts 1 cup whole = 1 cup macadamia nuts OR 1 cup almonds
Herbs--fresh 1 tablespoon chopped fresh = 1 teaspoon (chopped or whole leaf) dried herbs
Herring 8 ounces = 8 ounces of sardines
Honey 1 cup = 1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water OR 1 cup corn syrup OR 1 cup light treacle syrup
Hot pepper sauce 1 teaspoon = 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper plus 1 teaspoon vinegar
Ketchup 1 cup = 1 cup tomato sauce plus 1 teaspoon vinegar plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Lard 1 cup = 1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil OR 1 cup butter
Lemon grass 2 fresh stalks = 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Lemon juice 1 teaspoon = 1/2 teaspoon vinegar OR 1 teaspoon white wine OR 1 teaspoon lime juice
Lemon zest 1 teaspoon = 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract OR 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Lime juice 1 teaspoon = 1 teaspoon vinegar OR 1 teaspoon white wine OR 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Lime zest 1 teaspoon = 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Macadamia nuts 1 cup = 1 cup almonds OR 1 cup hazelnuts
Mace 1 teaspoon = 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Margarine 1 cup = 1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 1 cup butter OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mayonnaise 1 cup = 1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup plain yogurt
Milk--whole 1 cup = 1 cup soy milk OR 1 cup rice milk OR 1 cup water or juice OR 1/4 cup dry milk powder plus 1 cup water OR 2/3 cup evaporated milk plus 1/3 cup water
Mint--fresh 1/4 cup chopped = 1 tablespoon dried mint leaves
Molasses 1 cup = Mix 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Mustard--prepared 1 tablespoon = Mix together 1 tablespoon dried mustard, 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar
Onion 1 cup, chopped = 1 cup chopped green onions OR 1 cup chopped shallots OR 1 cup chopped leeks OR 1/4 cup dried minced onion OR 1/4 cup onion powder
Orange juice 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon other citrus juice
Orange zest 1 tablespoon = 1/2 teaspoon orange extract OR 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup, grated = 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese OR 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
Parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh = 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil OR 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Pepperoni 1 ounce = 1 ounce salami
Raisin 1 cup = 1 cup dried currants OR 1 cup dried cranberries OR 1 cup chopped pitted prunes
Rice--white 1 cup, cooked = 1 cup cooked barley OR 1 cup cooked bulgur OR 1 cup cooked brown or wild rice
Ricotta 1 cup = 1 cup dry cottage cheese OR 1 cup silken tofu
Rum 1 tablespoon = 1/2 teaspoon rum extract, plus enough water to make 1 tablespoon
Saffron 1/4 teaspoon = 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Salami 1 ounce = 1 ounce pepperoni
Semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup = 1 cup chocolate candies OR 1 cup peanut butter or other flavored chips OR 1 cup chopped nuts OR 1 cup chopped dried fruit
Shallots, chopped 1/2 cup = 1/2 cup chopped onion, OR 1/2 cup chopped leek OR 1/2 cup chopped green onion
Shortening 1 cup = 1 cup butter OR 1 cup margarine minus 1/2 teaspoon salt from recipe
Sour cream 1 cup = 1 cup plain yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough cream to make 1 cup OR 3/4 cup buttermilk mixed with 1/3 cup butter
Sour milk 1 cup = 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice mixed with enough milk to make 1 cup: Let stand 5 minutes to thicken
Soy sauce 1/2 cup 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Stock--beef or chicken 1 cup = 1 cube beef or chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup water
Sweetened condensed milk 1 (14-ounce) can = 3/4 cup white sugar mixed with 1/2 cup water and 1 1/8 cups dry powdered milk: Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 20 minutes
Vegetable oil--for baking 1 cup = 1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree
Vegetable oil--for frying 1 cup = 1 cup lard OR 1 cup vegetable shortening
Vinegar 1 teaspoon = 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice OR 2 teaspoons white wine
White sugar 1 cup = 1 cup brown sugar OR 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar OR 3/4 cup honey OR 3/4 cup corn syrup
Wine 1 cup = 1 cup chicken or beef broth OR 1 cup fruit juice mixed with 2 teaspoons vinegar OR 1 cup water
Yeast-active dry 1 (.25-ounce) package = 1 cake compressed yeast OR 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast OR 2 1/2 teaspoonsrapid rise yeast
Yogurt 1 cup = 1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup buttermilk OR 1 cup sour milk
Substitutions Source: From All Recipes
