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Homemade Baking Powder with Just 3 Simple Ingredients

Posted by Kelly Bread, Real Food, Real Food Issues and Guides, Sauces, Dressings, Dips, and Broths 46 comments
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Yes! A Homemade Baking Powder Recipe! Did you know you can make baking powder yourself?  “Why would I?” you may ask. Well, simply said…

  1. It’s a lifesaver when you are in the middle of a recipe and find yourself without baking powder.
  2. You will gain some extra knowledge on how to do something yourself.
  3. It only has 3 ingredients!
  4. AND you stay away from baking powders with aluminum.

4 great reasons right off the bat, or right off the shelf I should say.

Homemade Baking Powder

What are the 3 Ingredients?

  1. Baking Soda
  2. Cream of Tartar
  3. Arrowroot Powder (or organic cornstarch)

Cream of Tarter

What is it and is it ok to use in my Homemade Baking Powder Recipe?

Cream of Tarter is potassium bitartrate – or tartaric acid that has chemically reacted with potassium hydroxide.  Kind of like how oil is busted open and transformed into soap through a chemical reaction with sodium hydroxide,  tartaric acid is transformed into a type of  salt when combined with potassium hydroxide.

Crazy enough, it is found naturally in wine barrels after fermentation, or at the bottom of wine bottles over time.

Commercial Cream of Tartar is scraped off the barrels, heated, and then pulverized and processed.  As far as I can tell in my research, what is used to process it is a type of sodium and then carbon.  It seems as though it has been kept pure without any bleaching and other harsh agents. Thumbs up!

In your grocery store, Cream of Tartar can be expensive, thus eliminating the frugal part of making baking powder yourself.  But if you want to make your own baking powder in bulk and store it for use indefinitely, then buy Cream of Tartar online or at a local store that sells it in bulk.

Don’t buy the small container of expensive cream of tartar. Look up potassium bitartrate instead and buy online or from a baking store with bulk items.

Why Arrowroot Powder?

Arrowroot powder is a natural alternative to today’s GMO cornstarch.  If you don’t have Organic Corn Starch, then grab some Arrowroot Powder.  Use in your baking powder, gravies, and any recipe that calls for cornstarch.

You do not need to add the arrowroot powder if you are making a small batch to use right away.  The arrowroot powder works to absorb moisture so that you can keep your baking powder in an airtight jar and store on the shelf.

Homemade Baking Powder

Homemade Baking Powder Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

Instructions:

  • Combine all 3 ingredients and store in an air tight jar.
  • This keeps indefinitely when kept clean and dry.

Here is the recipe in printable form.

Note that I’ve added a recipe for baking powder in bulk. Remember to purchase potassium bitartrate in bulk so that it’s still a very frugal recipe.

Homemade Baking Powder
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5 from 8 votes

Homemade Baking Powder Recipe

homemade baking powder made with just 3 fresh ingredients
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Total Time5 minutes mins
Servings: 4 tsp to 1lb
Author: Kelly – Simple Life Mom

Equipment

  • 1 large glass bowl
  • 1 large spoon
  • 1 measuring spoons
  • 1 measuring cups

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

Larger Batch (Makes 2 cups or 16oz)

  • ½ cup baking soda
  • 1 cup cream of tartar
  • ½ cup arrowroot powder

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients and store in an air tight jar in your cupboard.
    1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

It’s really that simple.

Remember that you can purchase the three ingredients in bulk and make baking powder that is aluminum free and cheaper than buying baking soda.

Plus, you’ll have all three ingredients to use for other purposes like tooth brushing powder.

Save


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46 comments

About Kelly

Kelly is the author of number one best seller The Natural Soap Making Book for Beginners and Easy Soap Making. She's also written multiple ebooks on herbal remedies and natural bath and body DIYs.Her journey toward better health has inspired her to make things in and around the home from scratch, start a homestead, and become more resourceful when it comes to health and home.She shares her recipes and DIYs here on Simple Life Mom and has a shop where she sells products for those who would rather buy than make (SimpleLifeMom.com/shop).

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46 comments

Leave your reply.
  • Linda
    · Reply

    March 13, 2015 at 7:32 AM

    I’m going to make this! It is so easy! Thanks!
    Why do some recipes call for both baking powder and baking soda?

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      March 13, 2015 at 10:05 PM

      Extra baking soda adds to the texture of what you are baking. For example, in cookies, baking soda helps them brown and makes them more crunchy.

  • Joy @ Joy Love Food
    · Reply

    March 13, 2015 at 8:27 AM

    I’ve never made my own baking powder, pinning to try!

  • Umm Natural
    · Reply

    March 13, 2015 at 8:39 AM

    5 stars
    Excellent! Will be giving this a try real soon. Thank you SimpleLifeMom

  • Kyra
    · Reply

    March 17, 2015 at 7:12 AM

    This post has come at the perfect time for me – I forgot to buy baking powder on my last grocery shop and I’m nearly out! I’m so glad I have cream of tartar, arrowroot powder and baking soda in my pantry – definitely going to be making my own!! Thanks so much for this recipe 😀

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      March 17, 2015 at 8:51 AM

      Ah ha! Great day!! 🙂

  • Teresa
    · Reply

    March 17, 2015 at 7:23 AM

    How long will this stay fresh?

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      March 17, 2015 at 8:49 AM

      With the added arrowroot powder or organic cornstarch it will keep indefinitely in a sealed container.

  • Akaleistar
    · Reply

    March 17, 2015 at 5:39 PM

    I didn’t know you could make your own baking powder. What a great idea!

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      March 17, 2015 at 6:13 PM

      I know. I love learning how to make everything possible myself!

  • Marly
    · Reply

    March 17, 2015 at 7:56 PM

    Does it work well in baking?

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      March 17, 2015 at 8:07 PM

      Yes. It’s just like what you buy in the store.

    • jane white
      · Reply

      March 4, 2020 at 7:25 AM

      Super IDEA of making baking powder naturally.. thank you

  • Melissa French, The More With Less Mom
    · Reply

    March 17, 2015 at 9:05 PM

    I would like to see a cost comparison. Thanks for posting. Hello from Mostly Homemade Mondays.

  • Victoria K.
    · Reply

    March 18, 2015 at 12:34 PM

    How long is the shelf life for arrowroot powder, after its been opened? How do you prolong the shelf life?

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      March 18, 2015 at 6:34 PM

      Arrowroot is similar to cornstarch in that it lasts indefinitely. Seal in an airtight container and use as needed.

  • Raia
    · Reply

    April 10, 2015 at 10:30 AM

    I love making kitchen staples like this from scratch. It saves money and I don’t have to worry about questionable ingredients. 🙂

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      April 10, 2015 at 8:16 PM

      I agree. And it’s easy to keep stocked on what you use the most.

  • Gwen
    · Reply

    June 5, 2015 at 3:47 AM

    5 stars
    That was a really interesting comment about baking soda being in a recipe to give a different texture such as crunchiness- I had always wondered why you would need to add both. Thank you for sharing your recipe 🙂

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      June 6, 2015 at 8:31 PM

      You’re welcome Gwen. I’m glad you stopped by.

  • Gentle Joy Photography
    · Reply

    August 2, 2017 at 11:13 AM

    I have done this in small amounts when baking and out of baking powder, but I really need to make it in larger amounts and store it. Thank you for the reminder. 🙂

  • Miz Helen
    · Reply

    August 12, 2017 at 11:33 AM

    5 stars
    I love homemade mixes this will be awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your post with us at Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
    Miz Helen

  • Char
    · Reply

    January 25, 2019 at 8:17 PM

    5 stars
    Made it. Super simple. Works great. Thanks for sharing.

  • Charlie
    · Reply

    January 29, 2019 at 8:39 PM

    5 stars
    Made it. Could not believe the difference in rise and texture. Tried oatmeal scones first and could not believe the tenderness and rise. Thought maybe it was a fluke so tried coconut oil biscuits, talk about melt in your mouth?. Wow what a difference, will never go back to store bought. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.

  • Jeanne
    · Reply

    June 13, 2019 at 5:07 PM

    Didn’t know cornstarch had an in definite shelflife and I just threw out two boxes that were out of date. WHY is the shelf life so long? Thanks for the info. Next time will buy organic. Makes perfect sense.

  • Diana Dsouza Udani
    · Reply

    December 12, 2019 at 8:14 AM

    5 stars
    Hello Kelly,

    It is good to know we can make our own baking powder, and it is so simple.

    Would you please let me know the ingredient quantities in grams, as cup measurements are not always accurate.

    Thank you so much.

    Regards,
    Diana

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      December 20, 2019 at 8:01 PM

      You can do an internet search for the equivalent.

    • Denise Spencer
      · Reply

      March 21, 2020 at 11:26 AM

      Substitute the word parts for teaspoons and you will be able to convert to any measurement you need.
      1 part baking soda
      2 parts cream of tartar
      1 part arrowroot starch

      1 teaspoon ~ 4.26 grams

      • Kelly
        · Reply

        Author
        March 22, 2020 at 2:51 PM

        Thanks for breaking it down Denise.

  • Billie Shannon
    · Reply

    January 25, 2020 at 1:08 PM

    What is the sodium content.?

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      January 25, 2020 at 8:03 PM

      There is around 315mg/teaspoon

  • Kathleen Krantz
    · Reply

    March 24, 2020 at 7:40 PM

    I was delighted to see this! I HATE the taste of commercial baking powder. I started buy baking powder which contained no aluminum, and that was an improvement. This recipe has none of the chemicals that cause that nasty taste. I am eager to try it!
    Kathleen

  • Barbara Saddoris
    · Reply

    April 22, 2020 at 1:11 PM

    How long does this keep for?

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      April 23, 2020 at 5:14 PM

      I would think indefinitely if kept clean, cool, and sealed.

  • Ms
    · Reply

    May 10, 2020 at 1:28 PM

    Can I use potato starch instead of cornstarch?

  • Jane Neathey
    · Reply

    June 27, 2020 at 8:37 AM

    I’m going to add some baking soda to my non-soda cookie recipe to test the difference in crunch – will keep you posted ????????????

  • Lola Purvis
    · Reply

    January 27, 2021 at 1:06 AM

    Where can you find larger amounts of Cream of Tartar?

  • Andrea
    · Reply

    February 7, 2021 at 4:49 PM

    5 stars
    I love making home made (baked) crispy chicken wings. Normally rub the chicken down with I aluminum free baking powder mixed with spices. This gives the chicken a super crispy exterior without all the oil from deep frying.
    I was out of aluminum free baking powder and it was game day.. I needed it for my wings! So I made the homemade version, added my spice mix and baked as usual…. They came out better then perfect!! I dint know if it was due to the corn starch drying out the skin a little better or what but they were my best wings EVER! I will continue to use the homemade version for my wings from now on.
    Thanks so much for this great kitchen tip.

  • ann
    · Reply

    July 20, 2022 at 11:13 AM

    is this recipe for toothpaste?

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      July 24, 2022 at 8:24 PM

      No, it’s formulated for baking. You wouldn’t need two of the ingredients and you would need others if using for teeth. Here’s a toothpaste recipe: https://simplelifemom.com/remineralizing-toothpaste-recipe/

  • Michele
    · Reply

    July 21, 2022 at 6:45 AM

    Wow, I didn’t know!

  • Carmen Lindsey
    · Reply

    September 8, 2026 at 9:54 AM

    5 stars
    The cream of tartar explanation is the part I did not expect — knowing it gets scraped out of wine barrels after fermentation makes an ordinary pantry tin much more interesting. Making baking powder yourself also sidesteps the aluminium question entirely. Three ingredients is hard to argue with. How long does a homemade batch stay active?

    • Kelly
      · Reply

      Author
      September 8, 2026 at 11:06 AM

      If kept airtight, it can be kept for many years.

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