Baking Powder vs Baking Soda: Which to Use, With a Fluffy Whole Wheat Yogurt Biscuit Recipe

Quick answer: Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate and needs an acid, such as yogurt, to make bubbles. Baking powder already contains baking soda plus a dry acid, so it only needs liquid. Soda is 3 to 4 times stronger: swap 1 teaspoon of soda for 3 of powder. The whole wheat yogurt biscuits below use both.

Two white powders, one shelf, two different jobs. Let's sort out baking powder vs baking soda once and for all, then use both in a batch of fluffy whole wheat yogurt biscuits, so you see exactly what each one does.

Baking powder vs baking soda at a glance

	Baking soda	Baking powder
What it is	Pure sodium bicarbonate	Baking soda plus a dry acid and a starch
Needs an acid in the recipe?	Yes	No, it brings its own
When it reacts	Right away, once wet and mixed with an acid	In stages: when wet, then again with heat (double acting)
Strength	About 3 to 4 times stronger	Milder
Typical amount	About 1/4 tsp per 1 cup of flour	About 1 tsp per 1 cup of flour
Sodium in 1 teaspoon	1259 mg	488 mg
Often found in	Cookies, muffins, soda bread	Cakes, pancakes, biscuits, scones

The amounts are rules of thumb: your recipe's numbers always win. The sodium figures are USDA FoodData Central values for 1 level teaspoon (4.6 g) of each; brands of baking powder differ, so read your label.

What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder?

Both are chemical leaveners. They release carbon dioxide, and those bubbles, trapped in the batter, make baked goods rise and turn light and soft. The difference is the acid.

Baking soda is one ingredient, sodium bicarbonate, a base. It makes bubbles only when it meets moisture and an acid. Common acids are buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, molasses, brown sugar and natural cocoa. The reaction starts immediately, so a batter with baking soda should go in the oven without waiting around.

Baking powder is a ready-made mix: baking soda, one or more dry acids and usually a starch such as cornstarch that keeps it dry. The acid is already inside, so it needs only liquid. Most baking powder sold today is double acting. It releases some gas when it gets wet in the bowl and more when it heats up in the oven, which extends the rise. NC State University explains that one of its acids stays quiet until the batter is both wet and hot.

When to use baking powder vs baking soda

The rule that makes it simple: look at what else is in the recipe.

• There is an acid (buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, honey, molasses, brown sugar, applesauce, natural cocoa): baking soda has something to react with, and it also helps baked goods brown.
• There is no acid (a plain sugar cookie, scones, a vanilla cake): baking powder, because it carries its own acid.
• Cakes: many use baking powder, since the batter often has no acid. Some use both.
• Both are listed: this is normal. The soda neutralizes the acid and gives the first lift, and the powder adds more lift so the recipe does not rely on the acid alone. Using both also lets the yogurt or buttermilk keep some of its tang, instead of having all the acid neutralized.

That last case is the biscuit recipe below. The same logic runs our Greek yogurt pancakes, which also explain how to test whether your baking soda has gone bad.

Baking soda vs baking powder in cookies

Cookies are the classic place for baking soda, because many cookie doughs have brown sugar, honey or molasses, which are mildly acidic. Soda also gives a deeper golden color. Sugar cookies, which have no extra acid in the dough, are a typical case for baking powder. Whichever your recipe lists, measure it level: too much baking soda with too little acid leaves a metallic, soapy aftertaste.

Can you substitute baking powder for baking soda, or the reverse?

You can swap them, but never one for one. Baking soda is much more powerful than baking powder.

If the recipe calls for	Use instead	Notes
1 tsp baking soda	3 tsp baking powder	No extra acid needed. Expect a milder, slightly different result
1 tsp baking powder	1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar	The most direct substitute
1 tsp baking powder	1/4 tsp baking soda + 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar	May slightly change the taste

Swapping powder in for soda is the easier direction. Swapping soda in for powder only works if you add an acid: with no acid, soda leaves the bake flat and bitter. Both substitutions are approximate, so expect a small change in rise and flavor.

In the biscuits below, if you have no baking soda, leave it out and use 2 3/4 teaspoons of baking powder in total. The yogurt then stays tangier and the biscuits brown a little less.

What happens if you use the wrong one?

• Baking soda instead of baking powder, without an acid: the bake may not rise properly and can taste bitter or soapy.
• Too much baking soda for the acid: the same metallic, soapy taste, and sometimes too much browning.
• Baking powder instead of baking soda: it usually still rises, but less, with a denser crumb and sometimes a slightly metallic taste.
• Old leavener: a flat, dense bake, even with the right ingredient.

How to check that yours still works

Both lose power over time, and some bakers replace them about 3 months after opening. A quick check takes a minute:

• Baking powder: stir 1/2 teaspoon into 3 tablespoons of warm water. It should fizz moderately.
• Baking soda: stir 1/2 teaspoon into 3 tablespoons of white vinegar. It should bubble quickly.

If nothing happens, replace it. Keep both in a cool, dry place with the lid closed.

Whole wheat yogurt biscuits: both leaveners at work

A biscuit is a good place to see the difference, because the dough has few ingredients and the rise is the whole point. This recipe uses 2 teaspoons of baking powder and a small 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda for 2 cups of flour.

• The baking powder does the main lifting. It works with liquid alone and keeps releasing gas in the oven heat, so the biscuits keep rising as they bake.
• The baking soda has a job of its own: the Greek yogurt. Yogurt is an acid, so the soda neutralizes part of it, adds a first burst of lift and helps the tops turn golden.
• Why a small amount of soda: more than the yogurt can neutralize would leave a bitter, soapy taste. A quarter teaspoon is enough for this much acid.

It is also the healthy angle of the recipe: half whole wheat flour for fiber, Greek yogurt and milk in place of a lot of butter, and just 4 tablespoons of butter for 8 biscuits.

Per biscuit: calories, protein and sodium

USDA FoodData Central values give the numbers below. One biscuit has about 177 calories, 6 g of protein, 24 g of carbohydrate and 7 g of fat, with about 320 mg of sodium. Of that sodium, the baking powder and baking soda together bring about 161 mg; the salt and the other ingredients bring the rest. The values are estimates: the cup weights are documented assumptions, and your brand of yogurt and baking powder will move the numbers a little. This is not a promise of any health effect.

What the evidence says

Nothing in the research compares baking powder and baking soda as leaveners: that is kitchen chemistry, and we found no trial on it. What medicine has studied is sodium, which both powders contain, so here is what PubMed holds on total dietary sodium.

• A 2021 dose-response meta-analysis in Circulation (PMID 33586450) pooled clinical trials of sodium reduction. The authors found an approximately linear relationship between sodium intake and blood pressure, across the whole range of intakes, and a larger effect in people who started with higher blood pressure.
• The DASH-Sodium trial in the New England Journal of Medicine (PMID 11136953, 2001) reported that cutting sodium below the recommendation of that time, and the DASH eating pattern, each lowered blood pressure substantially, with a greater effect when combined.

These studies are about the sodium of a whole diet, not about leaveners, and a result in a group is not a result for you. We make no promise about blood pressure. What we can do is give you the numbers: a teaspoon of baking soda has more than twice the sodium of a teaspoon of baking powder by USDA data, and a recipe uses less of the first. If you follow a low-sodium plan, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian how baked goods fit into it.

Tips and common mistakes

• Measure level. A heaping spoon is much more than you think, especially with baking soda.
• Do not guess by color. Both are white powders: label the jars.
• Mix the dry ingredients first so the leavener is spread evenly, then add the wet.
• Bake quickly after mixing when the recipe uses baking soda and an acid.
• Weigh it if you scale up. One level teaspoon of either is about 4.6 g by USDA data.
• Keep the butter cold in the biscuits: small pieces melt in the oven and leave little pockets that help the rise.
• Read the label if you avoid aluminum. Some baking powders contain an aluminum-based acid and some do not; the ingredients list tells you.

If you came here from the viral drink, that is a different question: our guide on whether you can drink baking soda gives the safe limits, and our article on the baking soda recipe for weight loss covers what it does and who should skip it. For another loaf that uses both powders, try our pumpkin bread recipe.

Variations and substitutions

• Flour: use all all-purpose flour for a paler, softer biscuit, or all whole wheat for a denser, nuttier one (add a tablespoon of milk if the dough is dry).
• Dairy: buttermilk is a classic acid for biscuits. If you use 1 cup of it in place of the yogurt and milk, the baking soda still has an acid to react with.
• Savory: fold in a handful of chopped chives or a spoonful of grated hard cheese before adding the liquid.
• Gluten-free: a 1 to 1 gluten-free baking flour is the usual swap. Check the label.
• Wrong leavener on hand: see the substitution table above.

These biscuits asked for a bit more work than a quick bake, Emma says, but stayed manageable. Made exactly as written, they were delicious with a great texture, and Emma would make them again.

Serving suggestions

Split them warm with a thin spread of butter or a spoonful of jam, or serve them next to scrambled eggs. They also make a small, sturdy base for a savory breakfast sandwich. With the rest of the tub of yogurt, a Greek yogurt parfait is an easy next breakfast.

Storage and freezing

Cool the biscuits completely and keep them in a covered container at room temperature for a day, or in the refrigerator for a few days. To freeze, lay them on a baking sheet until hard, then move them to an airtight bag. We found no official shelf life for homemade biscuits, so use your judgment. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 8 minutes, until warm.

Safety first: allergies and baking soda

This recipe contains wheat (gluten), dairy (butter, milk and yogurt). Check the labels if you or your family have an allergy or an intolerance. Watching your blood pressure? This recipe is not dietary advice, so ask your doctor or a registered dietitian first. Baking soda and baking powder are used here in small amounts for baking only.

If you have a health condition or take medication, check with your healthcare professional before using baking soda for anything other than baking.

Nutrition values are estimates.

Sources and numbers

• Baking powder, baking soda and freshness: ratios, substitutions and freshness tests are rules of thumb from manufacturer and university sources (Arm & Hammer, Bob's Red Mill and NC State University News). They are rules of thumb: your recipe's measurements come first.
• Studies: the two sodium studies above were found on PubMed.
• Nutrition and sodium: values come from USDA FoodData Central for each ingredient; the cup weights are documented assumptions, so the totals stay estimates.