Corn starch is often used to thicken pie fillings, gravies and puddings. It blends smoothly with cold water, has no taste and gives a shiny appearance to foods. It is also makes a thin, crispy golden coating on breaded, fried meats. Baking powder has an entirely different chemical makeup and purpose, and the two are not interchangeable.
Ingredients
Corn starch is a natural carbohydrate found in the corn kernel. It is gluten-free and is occasionally used as a flour, although its most common purpose is thickening. Corn starch can also be used to make laundry starch or to treat sunburn or rashes. Baking powder is a chemical leavener made of two acids, usually cream of tartar and sodium aluminum sulfate. Mix it with a liquid and it creates carbon dioxide, which causes bubbles to form in baked goods.
Cautions
Baking powder can stand in for baking soda in some recipes, but it doesn't have the thickening power of corn starch and should not be used as a substitute. Baking powder's chief attribute is its ability to make baked goods light and fluffy. In a pie filling or pudding, it might produce air bubbles, but it would not thicken the food properly.
Substitutions
In a pinch, substitute arrowroot, granular tapioca or flour for corn starch. Substitute an equal amount of arrowroot, but double the amount of tapioca or flour required. Keep in mind that these ingredients alter a dish slightly and may have different cooking requirements, as well. Flour, for example, does not blend as smoothly in cold water as corn starch. It is often added to butter to form a roux before adding liquids. It also has a raw flour taste if not cooked thoroughly.
Recommendations
Substitute tapioca for corn starch in puddings and unbaked pie fillings, but use flour, arrowroot or tapioca in baked pie fillings. When using corn starch, avoid over stirring it or cooking it too long, which can cause it to break down and thin out. Cook it over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Boil it for one minute and remove it from the heat.
FAQs
Cautions. Baking powder can stand in for baking soda in some recipes, but it doesn't have the thickening power of corn starch and should not be used as a substitute. Baking powder's chief attribute is its ability to make baked goods light and fluffy.
What can I use instead of cornstarch? ›
6 Cornstarch Substitutes for All Your Cooking and Baking Needs
- Potato Starch. Potato starch is the cornstarch substitute favorite of associate food editor Kendra Vaculin. ...
- Rice Flour. ...
- All-Purpose Flour. ...
- Tapioca Flour. ...
- Arrowroot Powder. ...
- Xanthan Gum.
When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier and gives it that golden brown color! (It has to do with prevention of gluten development.) The baking powder reacts with the oil and creates tiny air bubbles, which also helps form a crispy coating.
Are cornstarch and baking soda the same thing? ›
Though slightly similar, these two ingredients have significant differences. Baking soda is a leavening agent used in dough to make it rise, while cornstarch is a thickening agent ideal for soups, gravy, and sauces. It also coats fruits used in tarts, pies, or desserts and keeps them solid without a watery texture.
Can you substitute baking powder for corn flour? ›
Absolutely not. Baking powder is used to get rise in baking goods whereas corn starch is a thickening agent. They both have different properties.
Can you use baking powder instead of cornstarch? ›
Baking powder can stand in for baking soda in some recipes, but it doesn't have the thickening power of corn starch and should not be used as a substitute. Baking powder's chief attribute is its ability to make baked goods light and fluffy.
Can I skip cornstarch in baking? ›
Most likely in everyone's pantry, everyday wheat flour can make an excellent cornstarch substitute that most people will already have on hand.
Does baking powder make crispy? ›
But the baking powder is key, because it acts like a salt. It helps draw moisture to the surface, where it can evaporate. Since they have similar reactions, we typically combine baking powder and table salt to amplify this effect, resulting in extra-crispiness.
Do you use baking powder or cornstarch for crispy wings? ›
For Crispy Wings, DO THIS:
The less moisture left in the skin, the more crispy your wings will be! Use Baking Powder. Baking powder will help ensure that your wings brown nicely and it also helps create that desired crispy coating.
Can baking powder be used as a thickener? ›
According to Our Everyday Life, baking powder does do the job in a pinch, but it's not the first ingredient you should reach for. The reason is that baking powder doesn't function primarily as a thickener, it just happens to have a thickening agent in it — cornstarch.
Use kuzu starch as a 1:1 substitute for cornstarch to thicken sauces, soups, and desserts. Arrowroot powder (also arrowroot flour or arrowroot starch) delivers thickening results similar to cornstarch. Arrowroot makes a beautifully shiny sauce, and you can use the same amount of arrowroot that you would cornstarch.
What does baking powder do to fried chicken? ›
Safety Assurance: The addition of baking powder promotes the formation of a loose structure in the coating, increases surface area, facilitates heat exchange during frying, lowers frying temperatures, and reduces the generation of harmful substances, ensuring consumers can eat more safely and confidently.
What to use instead of corn starch? ›
The 11 Best Substitutes for Cornstarch
- Wheat flour. Share on Pinterest AwakenedEye/Getty Images. ...
- Arrowroot. Arrowroot is a starchy flour made from the roots of the Maranta genus of plants, which is found in the tropics. ...
- Potato starch. ...
- Tapioca. ...
- Rice flour. ...
- Ground flaxseeds. ...
- Glucomannan. ...
- Psyllium husk.
Add 4 tablespoon of baking powder to the water. Stir for 45 seconds. Add 4 tablespoon of baking soda. Continue stirring for a good 1 to 2 minutes until you see a thick consistency.
What is the difference between cornstarch and flour? ›
Because cornstarch is pure starch, it has twice the thickening power of flour, which is only part starch. Thus, twice as much flour is needed to achieve the same thickening as cornstarch. To thicken sauces, cornstarch is combined with cold water first, which is called a slurry.
Can self-raising flour replace cornstarch? ›
Self rising flour is all purpose flour with baking powder and salt added. If your recipe includes baking powder you leave it out. If your recipe doesn't include baking powder using self rising flour will change the texture of the cookies. If the recipe asks for cornstarch you still add it.
What is a substitute for corn flour when frying? ›
All-Purpose Flour
If you're like most people, you probably already have a bag of all-purpose flour sitting on the shelf in your pantry. Luckily, all-purpose flour makes a good all-around cornflour substitute for baking or cooking, but especially for breading and fried foods.
