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I have never written a post like this before and to be honest… I’m a little scared. I’m about to say a few things that most bloggers never would.
I’ve been blogging for over 10 years (!) and in that time I’ve been asked thousands of questions and have received a lot of comments about baking and recipes.
The most frustrating question I get is definitely about baking substitutions: swapping out ingredients, techniques, or equipment.

It’s even more frustrating when the comment isn’t posed as a question but instead goes a little something like this:
“I made this recipe and followed it to a T except [insert substitution here] and it didn’t turn out. Disappointed.”
Granted, this is more rare. Luckily the amount of positive comments I receive far outweighs these ones.
But I’ve refrained from speaking my true feelings on this subject for fear of offending someone. Or fear of bringing even a hint of negativity to my usually joyful corner of the internet.
But as my audience grows (which I’m eternally grateful for) this theme has become increasingly common.
So I want to say once and for all…
I HATE BAKING SUBSTITUTIONS.
They drive me crazy.
They simply won’t achieve the same taste and texture as the original ingredient, equipment, or technique called for in the recipe 90% of the time. They basically just waste YOUR time, money, and food!
DISCLAIMER: I realize some of you are working with serious food allergies and I understand that substitutions can’t be avoided in those cases. For those of you dealing with that, you probably know what will work, what won’t, and how the results will be different than the original. You don’t expect identical results without using identical ingredients unless you undergo rigorous testing with trial & error.
I feel the need to underscore something because it’s a question I get asked often: I don’t publish allergen-free recipes. I don’t publish diet recipes.
Why?
Because right now at this time in my career I don’t want to. I only publish recipes and content I’m actually passionate about and excited to share.
I don’t have much experience with these other topics. There are PLENTY of bloggers and publishers online who do and have far more expertise and their advice would be much better for you than my educated guesses.
But I also simply can’t accommodate every recipe for every allergen or diet.
One – because I simply don’t have the resources.
Two – because I know baking is a science. And swapping out even one ingredient can completely alter the chemistry of the recipe, often with less than stellar results. Just check out my infamous Guide to Chocolate Chip Cookies.
This is something I address specifically and in depth in my Magic of Baking online class. Take a peek at a few baking substitutions side by side below:

(Learn more about Cake Flour here, and why the DIY sub doesn’t really work.)

(From my Ultimate Muffin Guide.)
Once you understand how baking ingredients work you’ll understand that something as simple as reducing the sugar in a recipe, for example, doesn’t just reduce the sweetness or calories.
Sugar can also contribute moisture, tenderness, lightness, and is involved in complex chemical reactions that give us flavors and textures that are essential to some sweets.
Occasionally you can reduce the sugar (typically by no more than 20%), but sometimes even a small reduction will completely compromise the integrity of the recipe.
Often someone comes along and reduces the sugar then complains the cake turned out dry and doesn’t understand the connection. Which of course is frustrating for both of us! This is just one example.
I’ll say it again: Baking is a science. The more you understand that the more you can customize recipes and tweak them with success.
But when you come to me asking about subtitutions, it’s disheartening.
I work tirelessly on developing my recipes. I have a whole process that involves a lot of time and effort to make sure I’m creating recipes that will be successful for my readers.

When you want to change something to a creation that I’ve worked so hard on, and when I know the result likely won’t be as good, it’s hard not to get disappointed.
Especially since it’s a challenge to keep up with the amount of comments and questions I get on ALL the platforms at all hours every day.
That’s why I’m enacting a NO SUBSTITUTION POLICY.
Moving forward, if I know a substitution will work because I have personal experience with it, I will include that information in the recipe post.
However, if I haven’t personally tested that substitution then I can’t in good conscience give an answer to your question because I can’t guarantee it will be accurate.
It would simply be my educated guess and would likely require you to trial and error your way through it which takes time and ingredients.
So when I say “no subs” I simply mean I won’t be making it a habit of attempting to answer questions on this topic.
You, of course, are free to bake my recipes any way you want and use Google as your tool to get possible answers to your specific questions!
It would be impossible for me to test every recipe to see if it would work without eggs, gluten, or dairy, or to try out a vegan, keto, or other dietary version.
Luckily I have a few seasoned readers in my community who like to share the results of their allergen-free or special dietary baking. Join my Facebook group if you’d like to see their tips and posts.
However, as I mentioned, I can’t guarantee any substitution will work as well as the original ingredient.
Little details are what make the difference between average desserts and stellar desserts. That’s what the experts know. So when you don’t want to go back to the store to get an ingredient in the recipe and try to make something else work instead, just keep that in mind.
You can also search the comments of a recipe to see if anyone has reported success using a substitution.
TIP: use Control+F, or Command+F on a Mac to bring up the Find feature so you can pinpoint any mention of “gluten free” or whatever you’re looking for on the page.
If that’s a problem for you, I’m sorry. There are PLENTY of bloggers focused on creating content that might be a better fit for you.
My hope is that enacting this policy will allow us to continue to cultivate a positive and joyful community of people who love traditional baking.
LOVE YOU!
Tessa
First image by Constance Mariena. Portraits by Lauren Hansen.
Tessa, you’re the greatest! That was very well said. I personally follow a “Whole Foods Plan Based” diet. That basically makes me vegan for the most part and rules out white flour (oh no!). That’s completely my problem and like you said, although I can still make and enjoy baked goods, they’ll never be as good as your unadulterated recipes (which, like you, are the greatest!). Don’t apologize for a single second. You do your thing and we, if we must, will do ours ;-). Keep it up!
BAKING IS A SCIENCE . . .can you say it a few thousand times more for those who were too slow to understand it the first hundred times? There is nothing more incredible than an artist that stands FIRMLY with their beliefs and doesn’t let ‘popular’ influences change who they are are what they do. You are a creative genuis and should NEVER HAVE TO apologize for anything on YOUR BLOG, EVER! Keep baking and know those of us who appreciate you, do so more now than ever!
Hi Tessa! I have been following you for many years now and I just love you! Your insight and expertise to baking is invaluable! Thank you!!
I totally agree with you on this subject. It unnerves me to no end when people change a recipe or comment on how it could be better if you add this or add that. Just leave it alone! If the ingredients suit you then make it as is, if not find a different recipe! I have dietary issues myself, but I would NEVER comment to an author of a recipe my advice on how to make it dietary issue specific! I look for ingredients in a recipe that work for me, if not I will either make it for my family to enjoy or I will keep looking and find a recipe that will work for me!
You keep doing you Tessa, we true followers love you and will always support you! Thank you so much!!
What a wonderful, thoughtful article on No Substitutions. I agree wholeheartedly that you make substitutions at your own risk. I appreciate the hard work you put into these recipes and I love your handy guides to chocolate chip cookies, muffins, etc.
Baking is a science and I appreciate the lessons.
I agree Tessa! Whenever I have to make substitutions, it usually doesn’t turn out as well as I would like. The finished product is only as good as the ingredients used to make it! Thanks for all of your tips and wonderful recipes!
I totally get it friend, no worries. I come here to get the best of the best of the baking recipes and yours do not disappoint. I needed brownies last week and tried your easy brownie recipe and didn’t have the pan you recommended, I baked them in a ceramic pie plate and while they were delicious, they weren’t stellar, and I do not hold you accountable for that 🙂 Keep up the good work!
Dearest Tessa,
Rather than comment on each of your points, I will simply say, BRAVO! One of the reasons I started following you is BECAUSE you made a point of emphasizing that baking is a science. I have not been disappointed by anything you have posted. Thank you.
John Nelson
Knoxville, TN
Excellent post! About time someone put it out there in plain & simple terms about substitutions.
I substitute ingredients all the time in my own recipes to change it up, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t but it is never the fault of the original recipe. Like you said, every substitution CHANGES the recipe and CHANGES the end result. If a few of your followers don’t understand that then they should find a blogger more suited to their style of baking. Keep up the great work!
Hi Tessa. Great post. I can so relate. I used to bring some of my ‘new creations’ to work. My co-workers loved it Except this one person who’d ALWAYS say “You know what I would use instead? I would use or add [fill in the blank].” It became so bad, another co-worker actually asked me to STOP bringing baked goods to work because she was tired of listening to that one. 🙁
You have a great blog and amazing recipes. Don’t change a thing.
Blessings
Renee-Ann
THANK YOU for posting this! Its my biggest pet peeve when I read the comment sections of blogs or recipe sites like Allrecipes, and people complain that their recipe didn’t turn out when they veered from the directions as printed. Recipes are in many ways like medication prescriptions, and I can’t imagine the poor outcomes when you try to outsmart doctors with home remedies!
Amen, sister. You go girl!!! Love your recipes and will continue to bake them. YOU’RE THE BEST!!!
Amen, sister. You go girl!!! Love your recipes and will continue to bake. YOU’RE THE BEST!!!