Is baking powder the same as baking soda? When baking for the holidays, both baking powder and baking soda cause batters to rise when baked. But does that mean they can be used interchangeably?
For novice and experienced bakers alike, there’s a mystery lurking amongst their cookie ingredients: What’s the difference between baking powder and baking soda?
It’s a question people often submit to the King Arthur Baking Company Baker’s Hotline, and it’s sure to be something that home cooks will fret over this winter when they realize they’ve dumped the wrong white powder into their dough.
“Baking is kind of an art,” says Lilian Were, a food scientist at Chapman University. “Sometimes just following the recipe helps, because there’s a reason why recipes have called for one and not the other.”
