Homemade Baking Powder
Homemade Baking Powder
Keep this aluminum-free baking powder in your pantry for fluffy pancakes, muffins, and biscuits. It’s a simple 2 : 1 : 1 blend—cream of tartar, baking soda, and starch—mixed in minutes.
Ingredients (Base Batch · makes ¼ cup)
- 2 Tbsp cream of tartar
- 1 Tbsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot/tapioca for corn-free)
Ratio by parts: 2 (acid) : 1 (base) : 1 (starch).
The starch absorbs moisture and keeps the mix free-flowing so it stays potent.
Scale it up
- 1 cup batch: ½ cup cream of tartar + ¼ cup baking soda + ¼ cup starch
- Jar label: “Use 1 tsp per 1 cup flour. Whisk into dry ingredients.”
Directions
- Mix. Whisk the cream of tartar, baking soda, and starch until completely uniform—no streaks. A small sieve helps break up any lumps.
- Store. Transfer to a dry, airtight jar. Keep in a cool cupboard away from steam.
- Use. Most recipes call for about 1 tsp baking powder per cup of flour. Because this is single-acting (no heat-activated second rise), get batters into the oven promptly after mixing.
Freshness test: Stir ½ tsp baking powder into ¼ cup hot water.
Instant vigorous fizz = good. Little/no bubbles = make a fresh batch.
Substitutions, Tips & FAQs
- Emergency swap (per 1 tsp baking powder): mix ½ tsp cream of tartar + ¼ tsp baking soda. Add a pinch of starch if you’re premixing more than one serving.
- Acidic batters (buttermilk, lemon, cocoa): you can reduce the cream of tartar slightly, or keep as written for dependable lift.
- Corn-free: Use arrowroot or tapioca starch in place of cornstarch.
- Shelf life: Stays potent about 3 months sealed and dry. Moisture and heat shorten life.
- Why homemade? It’s aluminum-free, fresh, and you control the starch and sodium.
Yield (base batch)¼ cup (about 12 level teaspoons)
Total Time~5 minutes
Use Ratio~1 tsp per 1 cup flour (typical)
TypeSingle-acting, aluminum-free