Grain-Free Paleo Baking Powder Recipe | Wicked Spatula (2024)

When you dive into the paleo lifestyle, you start finding crummy ingredients everywhere. (Cough cough, is your baking powder paleo?) Sometimes that means finding a suitable grain-free baking powder replacement, and sometimes that means it’s time to make it yourself! Homemade paleo baking powder is an essential ingredient in many of my dessert and baked good recipes, because obviously I wasn’t about to give up those!

Read below to learn how to make baking powder at home. Hint: IT’S EASY! If you have a paleo-stocked pantry, you probably have everything you need already. If not, the ingredients in this gluten free baking powder recipe are easy to find.

How To Make Paleo Baking Powder

We’re going to make baking powder without cornstarch! And wait until you see how easy it is make your own baking powder. You’ll wonder why you’ve been buying it or using versions with corn or wheat because all it takes is just three ingredients and two minutes.

Ok, are you ready?

Step one: measure your ingredients. We’re using cream of tartar, baking soda, and arrowroot powder. The ratio is:

• 2 parts cream of tartar
• 1 part baking soda
• 1 part arrowroot powder

Step two: whisk your ingredients together.

Step three: store in an airtight container. (My favorite glass jars are linked below.)

Step four: you are ready to start baking!

PRO TIP: Once you’ve got your grain-free baking powder, make a batch of Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can thank me later for that tip. 😉

Is Baking Powder Paleo?

No, baking powder is not paleo. Most commercial baking powder brands contain either wheat or corn starch to prevent clumping. Some baking powders are gluten free if they are made with corn starch and not wheat starch, but they still are not paleo, or suitable for anyone who has a corn allergy or intolerance.

What Is Paleo Baking Powder?

Paleo baking powder is a leavening agent that’s made without wheat or corn starches. This grain-free baking powder is necessary in most paleo baked goods, so it’s a great one to keep in the cupboards.

What About Keto Baking Powder?

This homemade baking powder recipe is keto friendly. Even though it contains arrowroot powder, the amount in recipes ends up being tiny and it’s a resistant starch to begin with.

However, if you want to be very strict, you can omit the arrowroot powder in the recipe. That would make it a stricter keto baking powder, but it would lose its potency a lot more quickly.

Is Arrowroot Powder The Same As Baking Powder?

No, arrowroot powder is not the same thing as baking powder. Arrowroot powder (sometimes called arrowroot starch or arrowroot flour) is simply a starch derived from various tropical plants. It’s paleo-friendly, gluten-free, and vegan and can be used as a replacement for cornstarch, which is how we’re using it in this corn free baking powder recipe.

It’s an ingredient in this homemade baking powder recipe, but it won’t work as baking powder all on its own.

How Does A Homemade Baking Powder Subsitute Work?

This homemade baking powder substitute works the same way that regular baking powder does. The two main components baking soda (which is alkaline) and cream of tartar (which is acidic). When they react, they produce CO2 and have a leavening effect.

The key to making baking powder at home is to keep the baking soda and cream of tartar from reacting before you are ready. They start to react when they come in contact with moisture, so we keep them dry by including a starch (arrowroot in this case). Commercial baking powders use cornstarch or wheat starch to achieve the same thing.

NOTE: This paleo baking powder substitute is single acting, not double acting. Commercial double-acting baking powder reacts (releases gas) once when it’s mixed with liquid, and then again a second time when heated (such as during baking). Homemade baking powder only reacts at the first step, which means your baked goods can go flat if you don’t use the batter immediately.

How To Store Grain-Free Baking Powder

You can store the baking powder recipe in an airtight container at room temperature. I prefer to store mine in a glass jar.

The recipe below makes about one cup of baking powder, but if you think that will take you too long to go through, you can always cut all of the ingredients in half.

TIP: Replace your homemade paleo baking powder every 6 months, because it loses potency over time.

Baking Recipes That Use Grain-Free Baking Powder

Now that you’ve made your own homemade baking powder, it’s time to bake, bake, bake! This baking powder substitute can be used anywhere that baking powder is used, with a one-to-one ratio.

• Chocolate Paleo Mug Cake
• Paleo Blueberry Chocolate Scones
• Paleo Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
• Single Serve Paleo Brownie