It’s the holidays and we all have a little more time to spend in the kitchen. Well, at least I do. I love baking but seldom have time to indulge in kitchen therapy. When I do, I like to try new and interesting things. Some of the challenges with new recipes are finding substitutes for ingredients which are not halaal, like alcohol or ingredients which are not easily available. Below is a list I have compiled that could help substitute ingredients in your recipes. Some of them I have tried myself, others have been sourced from various articles on the net. I hope you find this useful enough to share with your foodie friends.

Amaretto – Non Alcholic Almond Extract. Substitute 2 tablespoons Amaretto with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon extract

Bacon – Spiced beef or Macon

Beer or Ale – Chicken broth, white grape juice, or ginger ale

Brandy – Raspberry extract, brandy extract. For 2 tablespoons brandy, substitute the following: 2 tablespoons water, white grape juice or apple juice. OR Unsweetened orange juice concentrate; orange zest; orange juice; or marmalade 

Champange – Ginger ale or soda water and champagne extract

Coffee Liqueur – To replace 2 tablespoons of liqueur, use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of chocolate extract mixed with 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, which has been mixed in 2 tablespoons of water. Can also substitute expresso, non-alcoholic coffee extract or coffee syrup.

Cognac – Juice from peaches, apricots or pears.

Cointreau – Orange juice or frozen orange juice concentrate.

Creme de Menthe – Mint Italian soda syrup; or non-alcoholic mint extract. or Spearmint extract or oil of spearmint diluted with a little water or grapefruit juice

Demerara sugar – Light brown sugar or turbinado sugar

Grappa – Grape juice.

Gelatin – Agar-Agar

Kahlua – Chocolate extract, 1 teaspoon per 2 tablespoon of Kahlua. Or 1 teaspoon instant express powder per 2 tablespoon of Kahlua

Lard – Butter or Margarine. 5 tablespoons of butter is equivalent to 4 tablespoons of lard.

Mirin – White grape juice mixed with lemon juice or zest.

Orange Liqueur – Orange juice concentrate, orange juice, orange zest or orange marmalade.

Peperoni – Salami

Pine Nuts – chopped walnuts for pesto and other Mediterranean-type recipes = blanched, peeled, slivered almonds

Port – Concord grape juice mixed with lime zest; or cranberry juice mixed with lemon juice

Quinoa – couscous or millet

Rum – Non-alcoholic vanilla or rum extract. OR Pineapple juice or syrup flavored with almond extract. For 2 tbsp rum , substitute the following: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon rum extract OR 2 tablespoons water, white grape juice or apple juice

Salt, Kosher – table salt (use less)

Sake – You can substitute equal parts of white grape juice with one to two teaspoons of a low acid vinegar such as rice vinegar. Fresh lemon juice

Sherry – Apple cider; non-alcoholic vanilla extract; coffee; or coffee syrup

Vodka – Water; apple cider or white grape juice mixed with lime juice

Wine Red – Note: add water, white grape juice, apple juice, or broth, if necessary, to get the specified amount of liquid called for in the recipe. OR Grape juice; vegetable stock; cranberry juice; tomato juice.

Wine White – Water, chicken broth, bullion or consommé, ginger ale, white grape juice, diluted cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, liquid from canned mushrooms.

Whiskey – Substitute one teaspoon non-alcoholic vanilla extract plus two teaspoons water

I will keep adding to this post as I learn of more substitutes. Please comment if you know of substitutes that I have not listed.