The Baking Powder Rule You Should Never Break

For some of us, baking is either done on a whim or out of boredom. No judgment. We live in a busy world where, sometimes, it is more efficient and economical to buy our baked goods, but if you are anything like us, when you do decide to pull out the KitchenAid mixer and stand and get your Martha Stewart on, you go all in. Flour, sugar, baking powder, and everything you need to make the perfect scones for tea or cookies for snacking comes out of the pantry. It might not dawn on you that these are the same ingredients you pulled out when you made Ina Garten's buttermilk cheddar biscuits for Christmas six months ago. 

But before you break out the measuring cups and spoons and start mixing things together, you may want to look at the expiration dates, particularly on your baking powder. You might not realize it but, per Insider, your baking powder can go stale from the time you open it for its first use to the time you pop off the plastic lid for a second if you are a consummately infrequent baker. We know what you are thinking. What could be the harm in using stale baking powder? Trust us when we say, you don't want to break this rule when it comes to baking powder unless you want some heavy-tasting baked goods.

In general, an unopened baking powder container only lasts for two years, and that time is trimmed down to six months once it's open. Courtney Cowan of Milk Jar Cookies told Insider, "Baking powder and soda are the agents that lead the chemical reaction of the baking process. When they are stale, they are less potent, which causes your cookies to not bake properly and end up way too dense." No one wants subpar baked goods. If you are going to go through that much effort, you want the final product to be a win. Of course, you also don't want to needlessly throw out an ingredient. So, how can you tell if your baking powder is indeed stale?

The Kitchn reveals there is an easy way to test to ensure your baking powder is still good to use so you don't throw it out prematurely. You simply need to take a small amount and put it into a glass with a bit of hot water. If it starts bubbling and fizzing, your baking powder is still good to use; however, if you do not get a reaction, it's time to put on your coat, grab your car keys, and head out to the grocery store to pick up a new container.