Understanding Common Abbreviations Used for Ingredients in Recipes

Introduction

When following recipes, you may come across a list of ingredients that contain abbreviations or shorthand terms that you might not be familiar with. Many of these abbreviations are commonly used in the culinary world and can save time and space when writing recipes. In this article, we will explore some of the most common ingredient abbreviations and what they stand for.

Common Abbreviations for Baking Ingredients

Baking, unlike cooking, is a precise science that requires accurate measurements of ingredients. To save space and time, many baking recipes use abbreviations for ingredients such as flour, sugar, and butter. Here are some of the most common baking ingredient abbreviations:

Flour

AP Flour – All-Purpose Flour

Pastry Flour – Finely Milled Flour

Bread Flour – High Gluten Flour

Sugar

Granulated Sugar – White Sugar

Confectioners’ Sugar – Powedered Sugar

Brown Sugar – A Mixture of White Sugar and Molasses

Butter

Unsalted Butter – Butter without Added Salt

Salted Butter – Butter with Added Salt

Margarine – A Butter Substitute

Common Abbreviations for Cooking Ingredients

Cooking is often more forgiving than baking when it comes to measurements, which is why many recipes use abbreviations for cooking ingredients. Here are some of the most common cooking ingredient abbreviations:

Liquid Ingredients

Tbsp – Tablespoon

tsp – Teaspoon

fl oz – Fluid Ounce

Dry Ingredients

oz – Ounce

lb – Pound

pkg – Package

Common Abbreviations for Special Dietary Requirements

With more and more people following special dietary requirements, different kinds of ingredient substitutes have become popular. Here are some common abbreviations for special dietary requirements:

Gluten-Free

GF – Gluten-Free

Xanthan Gum – Gluten Substitute

Dairy-Free

DF – Dairy-Free

Almond Milk – A Non-Dairy Milk Substitute

Vegan

V – Vegan

Tofu – A Popular Protein Substitute in Vegan Diets

Conclusion

Learning ingredient abbreviations can be helpful when you are working on a recipe or trying to understand a recipe written in shorthand. While this list covers some of the most common abbreviations, there are many more out there, and you may encounter new ones as you continue to explore recipes. The good news is, once you get the hang of them, following recipes becomes a breeze.