Out of Cornstarch, one case
Cornstarch substitute for cookies
5 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Arrowroot powder
1 tbsp for every 1 tbsp of cornstarch
In cookies, replace cornstarch with the same amount of arrowroot powder, tapioca starch or potato starch and the texture barely changes. With none of those, use the same amount of all-purpose flour, or leave out a small amount of 1 to 2 tsp altogether: the cookies come out a little chewier and less soft. Do not use baking powder or baking soda in its place.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- soft, thick chocolate chip and sugar cookies
One casethe full cornstarch card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 tbsp cornstarch | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrowroot powdersoft, thick chocolate chip and sugar cookies | 1 tbspWorks | Works |
| 2 | Potato starchshortbread and butter cookies | 1 tbspWorks | Works |
| 3 | Tapioca starchchewy chocolate chip cookies | 1 tbspTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | All-purpose flourrecipes with 1 to 2 tsp cornstarch | 1 tbspTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | White rice flour in shortbreadshortbread | 1 tbspYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| Not a swap | Baking powder or baking soda | not a swapNot for this | Not for this |
Arrowroot powder
none
A pure starch with no gluten, which is what cornstarch brings to a cookie dough. It softens the crumb the same way and has no taste.
- Best for
- soft, thick chocolate chip and sugar cookies, shortbread and melting moments, grain-free cookies
- Suits
- vegan, gluten-free
- Where it fails
- Nowhere in a cookie dough. Its limits are in dairy sauces, not in baking.
Potato starch
none
A fine white starch that keeps cookies soft and tender. It is a common part of gluten-free flour blends for that reason.
- Best for
- shortbread and butter cookies, soft sugar cookies, Passover baking
- Suits
- vegan, gluten-free
- Where it fails
- Only if potato flour is used by mistake.
Buy potato starch, not potato flour. Potato flour is ground whole potato and makes a dense, gummy cookie.
Tapioca starch
none; a little more chew
Cassava starch, also sold as tapioca flour. It softens the dough as cornstarch does and adds a slight chew.
- Best for
- chewy chocolate chip cookies, gluten-free cookie doughs
- Prep
- Bake one test cookie first; if it spreads more than you want, chill the rest of the dough 30 minutes.
- Suits
- vegan, gluten-free
- Where it fails
- Shortbread and other cookies that should be short and sandy: tapioca makes them slightly bouncy.
All-purpose flour
no change in taste; a little chewier and less tender
The swap you certainly have. In a dough the cornstarch is a dry ingredient, so it is replaced with the same amount of flour, not the double amount used for thickening a sauce.
- Best for
- recipes with 1 to 2 tsp cornstarch, chocolate chip, oatmeal and drop cookies
- Prep
- Mix only until the flour disappears and chill the dough 30 minutes, which limits spread and keeps the centers thick.
- Contains
- gluten
- Where it fails
- Shortbread, melting moments and other cookies where cornstarch is a quarter or more of the dry mix: all flour makes them firmer and less crumbly.
White rice flour in shortbread
neutral; crisper and sandier where cornstarch gives a melting crumb
The traditional alternative in Scottish shortbread, where part of the flour is swapped for rice flour or cornstarch. It has no gluten, so the cookie stays short.
- Best for
- shortbread, crisp butter cookies
- Suits
- vegan, gluten-free
- Where it fails
- Soft, thick cookies: rice flour makes them crisp and a little gritty, the opposite of what the cornstarch was for.
Baking powder or baking soda
bitter and soapy when there is too much
Leaveners, not starches. They make gas; they do not soften the crumb.
- Best for
- raising the dough, in the amount the recipe already lists
- Where it fails
- Extra leavener makes cookies puff, then collapse and spread, and leaves a metallic taste.
How it behaves in this recipe
Cornstarch is in a cookie recipe for texture, not for thickening. It has no gluten, so swapping some of the flour for it gives a softer, more tender cookie that stays thick in the middle. In shortbread it is a large part of the dry mix and gives the melting crumb. That is why the swap is measure for measure here, and why any pure starch does the job.
Tips for substituting cornstarch
4 tips- Replace cornstarch in a dough with the same amount of starch or flour. The rule of twice as much flour applies to thickening sauces, not to cookies.
- If the recipe has only 1 to 2 tsp cornstarch, you can leave it out. Chill the dough 30 minutes to make up for the slightly softer structure.
- For shortbread, use arrowroot, potato starch or white rice flour in the same amount. All flour works but gives a firmer cookie.
- Bake one test cookie before the full tray. If it spreads too far, chill the dough longer or add 1 tbsp flour.
Questions
5 questionsCan I leave cornstarch out of cookies?
Yes, when the amount is small. A recipe with 1 to 2 tsp of cornstarch bakes fine without it; the cookies are slightly less soft and may spread a little more. When cornstarch is measured in tablespoons or cups, as in shortbread, replace it so the dough is not too wet.
What does cornstarch do in cookies?
It makes them softer and thicker. Cornstarch has no gluten, so it lowers the protein of the flour it is mixed with, which gives a more tender crumb and helps the cookie hold its height.
Can I use flour instead of cornstarch in cookies?
Yes, in the same amount: 1 tbsp flour for 1 tbsp cornstarch. Do not double it as you would in a gravy. The cookies will be a little chewier, and chilling the dough 30 minutes keeps them from spreading.
Can I use baking powder instead of cornstarch in cookies?
No. Baking powder is a leavener and does a different job. Adding it in place of cornstarch makes cookies puff and spread and can leave a bitter, metallic taste. Use a starch or flour, or leave the cornstarch out.
What replaces cornstarch in royal icing or powdered sugar for decorating cookies?
Store-bought powdered sugar already contains a little cornstarch, so most icing recipes need none added. If a recipe adds a spoonful to firm up an icing, arrowroot or tapioca starch in the same amount does the same thing.