We here at ONK have been talking a lot about baking the last few days. We will continue making cookies until Yoda Santa comes down the chimney (Scientist overdoes the holiday prep, we know). But we also know sometimes you want to bake but you forgot to put your butter out or your cream cheese isn’t to room temp. So what do you do?

Here are a list of some shortcuts and substitutions you can use in a pinch.

Softening butter and cream cheese: In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter or cream cheese in 10 second intervals until soft but NOT MELTED. Only do 10 seconds at a time. Longer, you run the risk of melting the butter or cream cheese.

No buttermilk: Out of buttermilk, Add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of milk, mix, and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

No baking powder: Mix one part baking soda into two parts cream of tartar.

No brown sugar: Mix 1 cup sugar with 1 1/2 Tablespoons molasses for light or 3 Tablespoons molasses for dark

No baking chocolate: Use 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder and 1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil. Add 1 teaspoon sugar for semisweet.

No allspice: 2 parts cinnamon, 1 part ginger, 1 part cloves

No lemon or orange zest: replace with 1/2 the volume of extract.

No corn syrup: in most baking corn syrup can be replaced with honey (do not use honey in marshmallows)

Sour cream and unsweetened yogurt can be used interchangeably.

If you are out of something else and need help or if you have another substitution or shortcut leave it in the comments we are always excited for new ideas!