Baker’s Ammonia Substitutes (Ratio Chart)
For each 1 teaspoon of baker’s ammonia, use 1 teaspoon of double-acting baking powder as the simplest substitute. The result may be softer and less crisp. A mix of ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon cream of tartar is another approximate option, but it will not match the texture exactly. Avoid baking soda alone unless the recipe has enough acid.
Baker’s ammonia is also called ammonium bicarbonate. It helps thin cookies and crackers rise, then breaks down in the oven. Replacing it can be frustrating because a substitute may lift the dough but still change its spread or crispness.
When I troubleshoot a recipe, I first check what the leavener is meant to do and how much moisture the bake contains. That simple check helps rule out a common mistake: treating every leavener as if it works the same way.
Choose the Leavener and Measure the Substitute
A leavener is an ingredient that makes dough or batter expand by producing gas. Baker’s ammonia releases gas as it heats, while baking powder and baking soda rely on different reactions. Because those reactions differ, a substitute can help a recipe rise without giving it the same texture.
For most home bakers, double-acting baking powder is the easiest choice. It is designed to produce gas in stages, including during baking, and it does not depend on the recipe having a particular amount of acid. Use the recipe’s original oven temperature; changing leaveners does not, by itself, call for a new temperature.
Ratio chart by substitute
The chart gives volume measures, not weight measures. Use level teaspoons, and do not assume that equal weights will give the same result: the ingredients have different bulk densities. These ratios are practical starting points, not a promise of identical lift, spread, flavor, or crispness.
| Substitute for 1 tsp baker’s ammonia | Volume amount | Best fit | Likely trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double-acting baking powder | 1 tsp | Simplest swap for many recipes | May produce a softer, less crisp bake or different spread |
| Baking soda + cream of tartar | ¼ tsp soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar | A recipe that can tolerate added acid | Approximate baking-powder equivalent, not a guaranteed ammonia match |
| Baking soda alone | No universal conversion | Only when the recipe has enough acid | Too much soda, or too little acid, may cause an alkaline or soapy taste and excess browning |
For a batch that uses 2 teaspoons of baker’s ammonia, the straightforward baking-powder swap is 2 teaspoons. For the soda-and-cream-of-tartar option, double each amount: use ½ teaspoon soda and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar.
Understand What Changes When You Substitute
A substitute changes the leavener, not just the number on the measuring spoon. Baker’s ammonia breaks down with heat and releases ammonia, carbon dioxide, and water. In thin, dry products, the ammonia can escape during baking; the gas release helps create a very crisp, porous texture.
Baking powder can raise the dough, but it does not reproduce that full effect. A cookie made with baking powder may be less crisp or may spread differently. Those changes do not always mean the substitution failed. They reflect the fact that the ingredients raise and dry the dough in different ways.
Why baking soda alone is not a safe default
Baking soda needs enough acid in the recipe to react well. If there is not enough, some soda may remain unreacted and leave an unpleasant alkaline taste. It can also make baked goods brown more than expected.
Do not replace 1 teaspoon of baker’s ammonia with 1 teaspoon of baking soda by default. There is no universal soda-only ratio that works across recipes, since the amount and type of acid vary. Choose baking powder when you do not know whether the recipe has enough acid.
Match the Substitute to the Bake
Baker’s ammonia is best suited to thin, low-moisture foods such as crisp cookies and crackers. Their shape and low moisture make it easier for ammonia to escape as the product bakes. For these recipes, baking powder is usually the simplest practical replacement if you cannot use baker’s ammonia.
Avoid using baker’s ammonia in thick, moist, or underbaked products. Ammonia may remain trapped and cause a sharp smell or taste. Baking powder avoids that ammonia-retention issue, though the finished texture will differ from one made with baker’s ammonia.
Recipe scenarios to guide your choice
These examples show how to apply the ratios. They are not test results or guarantees; the recipe’s moisture, shape, and baking time also affect the outcome.
- Thin crisp cookies: Replace each teaspoon of baker’s ammonia with 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Expect a possible change in crispness or spread.
- Crackers: Baking powder is the most convenient swap. Bake until the crackers are fully set and dry; do not judge them by color alone.
- Thick, soft cookies or moist bakes: Do not use baker’s ammonia. If the recipe calls for it, choose baking powder as the substitute and expect a different result.
- A recipe with known acidic ingredients: The soda-and-cream-of-tartar mix may be an option, but it adds acid. Use the ratio as an approximate leavener replacement, not as an exact match.
Mix Evenly and Bake Until Dry
Even mixing matters because a concentrated pocket of leavener can affect taste and rise in one spot. Before you add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, stir the baking powder through the flour and other dry ingredients. This helps spread it through the dough.
Then follow the recipe’s stated oven temperature. A leavener substitution does not give enough information to set a new temperature. Start checking near the recipe’s expected finish time, but use the product’s doneness cues as well: a crisp bake should be set and dry, not merely browned.
Step-by-step substitution
- Check the recipe. Confirm the amount of baker’s ammonia and the kind of bake. If it is thick or moist, do not use baker’s ammonia.
- Measure by volume. For each teaspoon of ammonia, measure 1 teaspoon of double-acting baking powder. Use level measures.
- Disperse the leavener. Mix it evenly into the dry ingredients before combining them with wet ingredients.
- Use the original oven setting. Keep the recipe’s stated temperature unless the recipe gives other instructions.
- Check the bake, not just the clock. Substitutes can change browning, spread, and crispness, so the original baking time may not be exact.
- Cool before judging. Let the product cool fully on a rack. Check crispness after cooling, not while it is still hot.
Baker’s ammonia can leave an odor if it has not escaped from a bake. If a product made with it smells sharply of ammonia, do not assume that more cooling will fix it. For the next batch, use a suitable substitute or check that the product is thin, fully baked, and dry.
Cool Fully Before Judging Crispness
Cooling is part of the texture check, not just a pause before serving. As a bake cools, moisture can shift within it, so a hot cookie may seem soft even if it becomes crisper later. A rack lets air reach the underside and helps the product cool without sitting in trapped steam.
Wait until the cookies or crackers have cooled completely before deciding whether the substitute worked. If they remain soft, note the result before changing several ingredients at once. The leavener, thickness, moisture, and baking time can all affect the final texture.
A baking-ammonia substitution does not call for a special pan, seasoning, or cleaning method. Use the pan and preparation method specified by the recipe. The key variables are the leavener, its even distribution, and whether the bake dries fully.
Common Questions About Baker’s Ammonia Substitutes
These quick answers cover the most common substitution decisions. The ratios are volume measures, and each option can change the finished bake. Use the recipe’s original oven temperature and assess texture only after the product has cooled.
Can I replace baker’s ammonia with baking powder?
Yes. Use 1 teaspoon of double-acting baking powder for each 1 teaspoon of baker’s ammonia. The bake may be softer or spread differently.
What is the ratio of baking soda and cream of tartar?
For each teaspoon of baker’s ammonia, use ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon cream of tartar as an approximate baking-powder equivalent. It is not a guaranteed match for baker’s ammonia.
Can I use baking soda by itself?
Not as a universal one-for-one replacement. Baking soda needs enough acid in the recipe; otherwise it can leave an alkaline taste and cause extra browning.
Will baking powder make cookies just as crisp?
Not necessarily. Baker’s ammonia can create a very crisp, porous texture in thin, dry bakes. Baking powder may produce a softer result.
Can I use baker’s ammonia in a thick cake or moist cookie?
Avoid it in thick, moist, or underbaked products. Ammonia may not escape and can leave a sharp odor or taste.
Does the substitution change the oven temperature?
No. Follow the recipe’s stated temperature. A different leavener alone does not establish a new baking temperature.
Should I measure the substitute by weight?
The chart uses volume measures. Do not assume equal weights are equivalent, since the ingredients have different bulk densities.
Why does my substituted cookie spread differently?
Leaveners act in different ways, and the substitute can change how the dough rises and sets. Dough thickness and recipe moisture also affect spread.
When should I judge whether the bake is crisp?
After it has cooled completely on a rack. A hot product may still feel soft, and its final crispness is clearer once it cools.
Do I need a special pan for a substitute?
No. This is a leavener change, not a cookware change. Use the pan and preparation method the recipe specifies.
The most reliable starting point is 1 teaspoon of double-acting baking powder for each teaspoon of baker’s ammonia. Mix it evenly, bake at the recipe’s temperature until the product is set and dry, then cool fully before judging the texture.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Andrew P. Morrison. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
