Home » 7 Best Substitute for Yogurt in Baking (2023) – Must Check

7 Best Substitute for Yogurt in Baking (2023) – Must Check

Yogurt is a healthy dairy product. It contains calcium, phosphorus, and proteins which are essential for our body. Yogurt not only tastes good, but it is very versatile as well. You can use it in cooking or even drink it plain from a cup by choosing drinkable yogurt. In baking, there is no better way to bind baked goods together than Yogurt.

But what should you do when you planned to bake your favorite recipe and suddenly you are out of yogurt ? Well, you will be amazed to know that there are many substitutes that you can use in baking if you don’t have yogurt.

 Among all, Sour Cream is the best substitute of yogurt that makes your recipes more creamy and delicious. Compared to Yogurt, Sour Cream has a much higher fat content.

In this article, I will suggest some healthy substitutes for Yogurt in baking.

Role of Yogurt in Baking

The fermentation process in yogurt makes it acidic in nature that instantly reacts with baking soda (mostly used in all baking recipes). It helps in balancing out a nice and tangy flavor without overpowering. Hence, yogurt is considered a magical ingredient in yogurt that rises your bakery well by maintaining its overall texture. The creaminess of yogurt keeps you baked goods moist and replacing the high calorie stuffs like sour cream, mayoniese and creme frache, you can enjoy a guilt free indulgence.

But there are instances, when you are out of yogurt but that does not mean that you have to skip your baked goodie making process for that day. We have got you covered with some incredible yogurt substitutes for baking.

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What is the substitute for Yogurt in Baking?

Here are some of the best substitutes for Yogurt in Baking:

1.    Cream cheese

Cream cheese is an excellent substitute for a yogurt toast and other dishes. So whenever, you are short of yogurt, using cream cheese is the best way to make your day. The amount of greek yogurt and cream cheese remains the same when it comes to substitution.

2.    Sour Cream:

You can substitute the sour cream in equal quantities as of the required yogurt. Baked potatoes, dips and salad dressings are some of the recipes where this thumb of rule applies. It gives you same creamy and tangy flavor and texture in salads as you get from yogurt.

3.    Sour milk

Add 2-3 spoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to your regular milk and your perfect yogurt substitute is ready. Sour milk should be kept undisturbed after adding the lemon juice. Now strainout the thicken portion and your yogurt substitute is ready.

4.    Cottage Cheese

Blended cottage cheese is an excellent substitute for yogurt. The tapioca consistency of cottage cheese is coupled with high calcium, high protein and low in sugar. Topping it on toast, cheesecakes and pancakes will make your recipes mouth-watering.

5.    Mayo

Have you heard about Portillo’s Chocolate cake? While most of the cake are based on yogurt, this special cake has a secret ingredient – ol Mayo. Yes! You read it right! So, next time when you are short of Greek yogurt, add some Mayo to your recipe to get the awesome results.

The amount of mayo would remain same as much you require the Greek yogurt. And

6.    Buttermilk

Have you ever used the water that is left after the butter is churned? If not, time to use it now! The tenderness and tang texture of buttermilk helps in rising your breads and cake to make them a perfectly baked goodies. Make sure to use 1/4 less buttermilk than the required quantity of yogurt as it has lot of moisture than yogurt.

It is also a good Greek yogurt substitute due to its acidic properties.

7.    Avocado

If you are vegan, nothing could be better than substituting the yogurt with Avocado. So smash up the same amount of Avocado as much as you need Greek Yogurt to your dressings, sauces, and in baked goods. Blended Silken tofu is another excellent option as a dairy-free substitute.

As it has natural butter, it adds a good texture to your recipes. The flavor of avocado is slightly different, so make sure to add it in restricted quantities.

8. Vegan Yogurt

Another great alternative to dairy yogurt is their counterparts – vegan or plant-based yogurt. Yogurt varieties such as coconut, almond, and cashew are great substitutes for regular yogurt. Especially for desserts, plant-based yogurt can suitably replace dairy yogurt in equal proportions. 

9. Heavy Cream 

From fruit salads to baking recipes, heavy cream is an excellent replacement for yogurt. Due to its higher fat content, it adds more tenderness and richness to your recipes, making them more indulgent. YOu can suitably use it in curries, specialty drinks, naan dips, and desserts. 

10 Coconut Milk

The aroma and the creaminess of coconut milk not only make it an ideal substitute for your milk but also for your regular yogurt. From adding it to soups to smoothies, curries, and even in baking, coconut milk is an excellent replacement of yogurt in recipes with the same proportion.

11. Sour Milk

While sour cream and sour milk are both dairy products, Sour milk is the liquid form of sour cream and is quite similar in taste. On the other, sour cream has a thicker consistency. For recipes requiring creaminess, sour milk is a great addition. The tangy and creamy flavor of sour milk resembles the yogurt and thus replaces it perfectly. 

Sour Cream vs. Yogurt Cheese:

Sour cream is thicker than yogurt cheese, and it can be used to make rich, creamy frostings, dips, or serve with fruit as a dip. On the other hand, Yogurt cheese is much more versatile than sour cream because you can use it in baked goods as well, which makes for a good substitute.

Greek Yogurt

Substituting Greek Yogurt to your regular yogurt is an excellent idea. Be it dips, sauces, and other baking stuff, Greek yogurt tastes good when substituted with the ratio 1-to-1.

Greek Yogurt vs. Plain Yogurt

The difference between Greek yogurt and plain yogurt is that Greek yogurt has been strained to make it thicker, creamier, and more like sour cream inconsistency, making it perfect for creamy dips or frostings. At the same time, you can use plain Yogurt in baked goods just as you would use regular buttermilk.

Yogurt Cheese vs. Sour Cream:

Yogurt cheese is thicker than sour cream and works as a great substitute in baked goods and dips, frostings, and creamy style spreads just like sour cream does. It has the same consistency as Greek yogurt or thick sour cream, so if you can’t find any Greek yogurt in your market, you can always opt for yogurt cheese instead.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What about other dairy products like heavy cream or whole milk?

Heavy cream and whole milk can be used as a substitute for Yogurt in baking, but the end product will always be slightly on the heavier side because of the higher fat content. Whole milk has around 8% of fat, whereas heavy cream is somewhere around 35%, so if you substitute these dairy products for Yogurt, you will notice a slight difference in texture and consistency.

Can I use Buttermilk as a Substitute for Yogurt?

Yes, but make sure to check the list of ingredients because sometimes buttermilk might contain added chemicals or sweeteners. If that is the case, then you can use sour cream or plain yogurt instead.

What is the difference between Buttermilk and Yogurt?

Buttermilk is the leftover liquid after churning butter out of cultured milk (it might contain some milk fat). In contrast, plain Yogurt is made by fermenting milk with cultures like lactobacillus bulgaricus, streptococcus thermophilus, and bifidalus bulgaricus.

How can I substitute Yogurt for Baking?

Yogurt can be substituted with buttermilk or sour cream. You can also add a little lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for a few minutes, then use that in place of Yogurt in baking recipes.

Can I Substitute Milk For Yogurt in Baking?

Yes! Plain yogurt can effectively replace yogurt in savory and sweet dishes. You can use an equal amount of yogurt to substitute milk in baking recipes. If you are using Greek yogurt, you should consider adding some water first to match the consistency.

Yogurt Expert Sonia Uvezian was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. A renowned expert in Middle Eastern and Caucasian cooking and winner of a James Beard Award, she is the author of six other highly acclaimed cookbooks, such as Recipes and Remembrances From An Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen, Cooking from the Caucasus along with The Book of Yogurt.