The Best Yeast Substitutes for Baked Goods (2024)

updated Jul 22, 2020

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The Best Yeast Substitutes for Baked Goods (1)

While we all stay home and bake our stresses away, grocery stores are struggling to keep up with the increased demand for baking supplies. As more and more people begin to take up bread baking, active dry yeast has slowly disappeared from grocery store shelves. It seems that everybody stocked up on the active dry stuff, leaving behind fresh yeast, pizza yeast, rapid yeast, or nothing at all on the shelves.

If you happened to grab any other variety of yeast, you’re in luck. Other types of yeasts can easily be substituted for active dry. But if you were unable to get anything, that’s where it gets a little tricky. Luckily there are several ways to bake bread without any yeast at all. Note that none of them will produce the same exact results as yeast, but you can still get the satisfaction of that warm, homemade loaf of bread right out of the oven.

Baking Soda

Baking soda, like yeast, is a leavening agent. It helps breads rise and gives them their light and airy texture. Unlike yeast, baking soda needs an acid to activate it. By adding an acid to baking soda (such as lemon juice or cream of tartar) a chemical reaction occurs that produces carbon dioxide and fills your bread with air — much like yeast does. You can substitute yeast with equal parts lemon juice and baking soda. So if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of yeast, you can use half a teaspoon of lemon juice and half a teaspoon of baking soda. Keep in mind that the bread will not need the typical proofing time and the dough will begin rising right away.

Read more: The First Thing You Should Do with a Box of Baking Soda

Bread recipes using baking soda:
Ultra-Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Farmers Market Breakfast Bread
Lemon Poppy Seed Quick Bread

Double-Acting Baking Powder

You can also use double-acting baking powder. Double-acting baking powder is the most common variety sold in grocery stores and helps bread rise twice: during the mixing phase and the baking phase. Baking powder already contains an acid in it, so it’s ready to use as-is without any additional ingredients. To replace yeast in a recipe, replace the yeast with the same amount of double-acting baking powder.

Read more: How To Make Baking Powder Out of Baking Soda

Bread recipes using baking powder:
Carrot Quick Bread
Cheddar & Chive Guinness Bread
Zucchini Bread

Sourdough Starter

One of the best ways to get around using commercial yeast is to make your own sourdough starter. Not only does a starter give bread a nice sour flavor, but it actually leavens the bread as well. If you want to replace yeast in a recipe that calls for commercial yeast, you can replace1 envelope of active dry yeast with 1 cup of starter. But because a starter also contains flour and water, you need toreduce the water called for in the recipe by 1/2 cup and the flour by 3/4 cup. And keep in mind that after making your starter, it will take about five to seven days for it to mature enough to be able to use — so this isn’t the best option for people who want to bake bread ASAP.

A Word of Caution

At the end of the day, there is no true substitute for yeast. While baking powder, soda, and sourdough starter can give you somewhat similar results, the texture will not be the same. This is why we suggest sticking to recipes that are specifically developed to be made with these ingredients instead. Yeast is a living, breathing organism and nothing can completely replace it.

What are your best tips for substituting yeast? Let us know in the comments!

The Best Yeast Substitutes for Baked Goods (2024)

FAQs

The Best Yeast Substitutes for Baked Goods? ›

In baked goods, you can replace yeast with an equal amount of baking powder. Just keep in mind that the leavening effects of baking powder will not be as distinct as those of yeast. Baking powder causes baked goods to rise rapidly, but not to the same extent as yeast.

What can I use instead of yeast in baking? ›

In baked goods, you can replace yeast with an equal amount of baking powder. Just keep in mind that the leavening effects of baking powder will not be as distinct as those of yeast. Baking powder causes baked goods to rise rapidly, but not to the same extent as yeast.

What yeast do professional bakers use? ›

Fresh yeast, sometimes called cake yeast or compressed yeast, is a block of fresh yeast cells that contains about 70% moisture and is commonly used by baking professionals. It's pale beige in color, soft and crumbly with a texture similar to a soft pencil eraser, and has a stronger yeast smell than dry yeast.

How to make dough rise without yeast? ›

You can substitute yeast with equal parts lemon juice and baking soda. So if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of yeast, you can use half a teaspoon of lemon juice and half a teaspoon of baking soda. Keep in mind that the bread will not need the typical proofing time and the dough will begin rising right away.

What happens if you don't use yeast in baking? ›

Some differences could be that your bread will not rise as tall as you're used to, the flavor is a little different, or the texture may not be exactly the same. However, if you're out of yeast or don't have the time to wait for your bread to rise, these substitutes will undoubtedly get the job done.

What is the natural yeast for baking? ›

A natural yeast start is made by combining and fermenting these yeasts (found on grapes, berries, apples, wheat, etc) with water and flour, and then keeping them fed and alive to use in baking. A start is a wet substance, not a powder.

What can I use in place of fresh yeast? ›

To convert from fresh yeast to active dry yeast, multiply the fresh quantity by 0.4. Active dry yeast must be hydrated in warm water before being incorporated into a dough. To convert from fresh yeast to instant dry yeast, multiply the fresh quantity by 0.33.

How do you fix dough without enough yeast? ›

Increasing the temperature and moisture can help activate the yeast in the dough so it rises. You can also try adding more yeast. Open a new packet of yeast and mix 1 teaspoon (3 g) of it with 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water and 1 tablespoon (13 g) of sugar. Let the yeast mixture proof for 10 minutes.

Can all-purpose flour rise without yeast? ›

To make quick bread dough without yeast, start by whisking together all-purpose flour, white sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Next, in a separate bowl, melt some unsalted butter, then add buttermilk and an egg. Whisk your wet ingredients together until they're fully incorporated.

How to make yeast at home? ›

How to Grow Baker's Yeast
  1. Step 1: Combine Equal Parts Flour and Water. Measure ingredients by weight! ...
  2. Step 2: Mix Well. Stir everything together until there are no more clumps of dried flour. ...
  3. Step 3: Let Sit. Let sit for 24 hours at 70°F. ...
  4. Step 4: Feed Your Starter. ...
  5. Step 5: Switch to 12 Hour Feedings.

How was yeast made in the old days? ›

It is generally assumed that the earliest forms of leavening were likely very similar to modern sourdough; the leavening action of yeast would have been discovered from its action on flatbread doughs and would have been either cultivated separately or transferred from batch to batch by means of previously mixed ("old") ...

Do I really need yeast? ›

If you don't use yeast or other leavening in your bread dough, the bread will be dense and will not rise. As others have said, there may well be a subtle taste difference since yeast forms carbon dioxide gas and alcohol. There are many breads that are unleavened and most are flatbreads.

Can you use too much yeast in baking? ›

General amounts of yeast are around 1 - 2 % of the flour, by weight. Too much yeast could cause the dough to go flat by releasing gas before the flour is ready to expand.

Can I use baking powder instead of yeast for? ›

Can I Use Baking Powder Instead of Yeast? Let's get straight to the point. Don't use those two things interchangeably unless you don't want your baking to turn out as intended. Both these ingredients are included in different types of recipes for good reasons.

Can you use vinegar instead of yeast? ›

Vinegar, milk and baking soda mixed together helps the bread rise. Use one teaspoon of baking soda, half a teaspoon of vinegar and half a teaspoon of milk to replace two teaspoons of yeast. Lighter batters may have a slightly different texture, but you will still get a rise from the dough.

How do you make homemade yeast for baking? ›

Combine flour and spring water in a medium bowl; stir well. Cover loosely with a cloth and let sit on a kitchen counter for 2 to 3 days, or until bubbly. To use and feed your starter; take out the amount needed for your recipe and then replace that amount with equal parts flour and spring water.

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