8 Ways to Make Muffins (Without Baking Powder)

There are instances when you want to create homemade muffins but are missing one of the main ingredients: baking powder. Fortunately, you can still prepare muffins using a baking powder substitute.

After reading this post, you will know exactly how to make muffins without baking powder in your cupboard. Although the majority of these options need baking soda, the final two do not.

What Does Baking Powder Do?

Before delving into the many baking powder options for producing those delectable homemade muffins, it’s crucial to understand the function baking powder plays in baking muffins and other baked products to perfection. It everything boils down to chemistry, namely acids and bases.

You may recall from elementary school that when vinegar, an acid, is mixed with baking soda, a bubbling reaction happens. This is exactly what occurs when you add baking powder to your baked products since it contains both a basic and an acidic component.

This reaction is one of many leavening agents available for use in baking. It is responsible for the rising of your baked products by releasing gases.

Baking Powder Replacements

There are various substitutes for baking powder if you don’t have any on hand. You probably have at least one of the items listed below on hand, so you can still make some tasty muffins from home.

Examine the numerous baking powder substitutions, including instructions on how to correctly replace the ingredient so your muffins come out as they should. Remember that you will still need baking soda in addition to many of these baking powder replacements.

1 – Molasses

Molasses is a suitable substitute for baking powder, but it adds more sweetness and moisture to the dough, so you should compensate by using fewer wet ingredients and less sugar.

A quarter-cup of molasses and a quarter-teaspoon of baking soda may be used to replace a teaspoon of baking powder. Your muffins should be fluffy and tasty if you follow this measuring ratio.

2 – Buttermilk

Buttermilk contains some acidity due to the fermentation process, which makes it a perfect alternative for baking powder when combined with sufficient baking soda.

You may substitute a quarter-teaspoon of baking soda with a half-cup of buttermilk for each teaspoon of baking powder in the recipe. If you include buttermilk in your muffin recipe, be sure to use less additional wet ingredients so that the mixture does not become too runny.

3 – Vinegar

Like those primary school science projects, vinegar and baking soda generate a reaction in your muffins that aids in their fluffy texture. However, since it might somewhat affect the taste of your muffins, it is preferable to use white vinegar, which has the most neutral flavor.

If you want to use vinegar instead of baking powder, substitute a teaspoon with a quarter-teaspoon baking soda and a half-teaspoon vinegar.

4 – Cream of Tartar

Cream of tartar is an acidic byproduct of wine that works well as a baking powder alternative without contributing any more taste or moisture to a recipe.

For the best leavening results, use a quarter-teaspoon of baking soda combined with a half-teaspoon of cream of tartar in place of a teaspoon of baking powder.

5 – Lemon Juice

Lemon juice includes citric acid since it is derived from an acidic fruit, making it a suitable alternative for baking powder when coupled with baking soda. Just keep in mind that incorporating this item will bring a touch of lemon to your muffins, which might be a pleasant addition to many different types of muffins.

You may replace one teaspoon of baking powder with a half-teaspoon of lemon juice and a quarter-teaspoon of baking soda.

6 – Yogurt

Because yogurt, like buttermilk, goes through the fermentation process, it is acidic. However, since the item is liquid, you should reduce the proportions of the other wet ingredients in the recipe.

For every teaspoon of baking powder, use a half-cup of yogurt and a quarter-teaspoon of baking soda to get the same result.

7 – Egg Whites

If you don’t have baking powder or baking soda on hand, egg whites make a great replacement. By whipping air bubbles into them, they act as a leavening agent.

You’ll have to do some experimenting to figure out how much to use in place of baking powder.

8 – Self-Rising Flour

Self-rising flour is another option for baking powder that does not need the addition of baking soda. It rises on its own, as the name implies, since it includes baking powder, flour, and salt.

In your muffin recipe, use the same quantity of self-rising flour as conventional flour, and you’ll have warm baked muffins in no time.

Banana Nut Muffins Without Baking Powder

Instead of baking powder, whipped egg whites and buttermilk are used in these homemade banana nut muffins. Take a look at the following ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 2 bananas
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then line a muffin pan with muffin liners. Next, melt the stick of butter in a dish in the microwave, then put it aside.

After breaking all three eggs into a dish, separate the yolks and blend them with the sugar, beating them together until creamy. After you’ve put aside the mixture, combine the chopped nuts and flour, then cut the bananas into tiny pieces before adding them to the yolk mixture.

Next, whisk your egg whites until firm peaks form. Then, stir in the nuts, buttermilk, and melted butter to the yolk mixture, then gently fold in the egg whites.

Pour the batter into the muffin liners and bake for 25 minutes to a half hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Final Thoughts

After reading this article, it should be evident that there are several baking powder substitutions that you may use in your muffin recipe. It’s simpler to accomplish this if you have baking soda on hand, although it’s not always necessary.

Most people have eggs on hand, and if beaten, they may be used as a substitute for baking powder. If you don’t have any baking soda, you may use self-rising flour.

As long as you can get gases into your muffins, they will puff up and become fluffy little pleasures. Perhaps you will never purchase baking powder again, since so many other ingredients work just as well to make your muffins plump and fluffy.