Whether you're vegan or just enjoy non-dairy milk, you probably find yourself wondering at times if it's okay to do a 1:1 swap — non-dairy milk for milk — in any baking recipe. Do you want that lemon cake be as gentle? Will you milk bread still get up?
The simple answer is yes, you can safely substitute non-dairy milk for milk in most baking recipes. But there are a few things you should know first.
Breaking down milk: Which ingredients matter most in baking?
Dairy milk is between 89% and 90% water, but the remaining 10% includes elements that can be critical to the success of a recipe. The protein, fat, and sugar in milk can affect the texture, mouthfeel, flavor, and color of the baked product—sometimes subtly, but other times in a big way.
There are significant differences in the key nutritional components of the non-dairy milk you'll find in your supermarket. Most have only a minimal amount of protein, which can play an important role in the texture of your baked goods. Fortunately, there is a common non-dairy milk that equals the protein level of cow's milk: soy.
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
Soy milk is the best non-dairy milk for baking
Soy milk is equal to dairy milk in protein (8 grams of protein per 8 ounces)—an area in which most other vegan milks are very low. Soy milk also closely matches whole milk in terms of viscosity, which can be an important consideration in baking as well: How thick or thin your dough or batter is can make a difference in the rise and texture of the dough. baked products.
What about other non-dairy milks?
If you're not a fan of soy milk, don't despair; whatever non-dairy milk you prefer can work almost as well as soy in most recipes, from your favorites sandwich bread for an ornament birthday cake. Let's look at some basic recipe categories and what you can expect if you replace regular cow's milk with almond, oat, or other dairy-free favorites.
Each of the recipes below contains a significant amount of milk, so you can better identify any differences between non-dairy milk. The recipes were tested with the following vegan milk:
- Soy
- Pea protein (eg, Ripple brand)
- Almonds
- oat
- Coconut (from the milk carton, not canned)
- cashew
The results were evaluated in terms of growth, texture, mouthfeel (richness), aroma and color.
PJ Hamel
Best non-dairy milk for yeast bread: Soy
Recipe: English Muffin Toast
Results: All milks performed well, with soy giving a bread more similar to that made with dairy milk. Other non-dairy milks produced bread that rose higher, due to their dough being significantly slower and therefore rising faster. But those loaves were also prone to crumbing, especially if they were over-risen; the lack of protein has contributed to their less stable structure.
All loaves were equal in mouthfeel, flavor and browning.
PJ Hamel
Best non-dairy milk for quick breads, muffins and povers: Any
Recipe: Basic Muffins made with fresh strawberries
Results: All vegan milk proved a problem-free substitute. The rise, texture, mouthfeel, flavor and coloring were the same.
PJ Hamel
Best non-dairy milk for cupcakes: Any
Recipe: Chef Zeb's Hot Milk Cake
Results: Because milk plays such an important role in hot milk cake (hence the name), you can expect to see a big difference between the milk and non-milk versions. However, all of the milks performed similarly: the pea and soy milks produced a cake with a slightly thinner texture than the other vegan milks, and the oat milk cake browned slightly more. But in terms of growth, mouthfeel and flavor, there was no significant difference between the milks.
Tip: Can you use non-dairy milk in cream, frosting or glaze? Yes, although you will want to consider its viscosity. Because it's usually thinner, you'll probably need less non-dairy milk than milk, so use a light hand when following a recipe that calls for “enough milk to make the cream spreadable.”
Best non-dairy milk for cream pie fillings and pastry cream: Soy (although oat works too)
Recipe: Cream pie AND Pastry cream
We tested non-dairy milk in two highly milk-rich pie fillings: custard and custard. We quickly discovered that most non-dairy milks cannot easily be substituted into egg creams or flour and/or cornmeal fillings (eg. chocolate cream pie filling or pastry cream).
The only exception? Soy milk.
We tested non-dairy milk in baked cream (thickened only with eggs) and pastry cream (aka crème pâtissière, thickened with cornstarch and flour). The results ranged from thick and sliced soup, soft and pudding-like to absolute soup. Some vegan curds thickened nicely as they cooked, then crumbled as they cooled (coconut). Some have not thickened at all (tonsils).
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
Soy milk alone yielded a custard or cream that was almost (though not quite) as thick and sliceable as the original milk version. Oat milk was a worthy runner-up: Although the result isn't cut-and-dried, both custard and custard made with oat milk hold their shape on your spoon or fork.
If you are forced and determined to use non-dairy milk other than soy or oat for egg and milk-based cream or pastry cream, here are two things you can try:
- If the recipe calls for flour or cornstarch as a thickener, double the amount.
- If the recipe does not include any thickening agents other than eggs, cook or bake for a longer time, until the mixture thickens; it should harden and stay firm as it cools.
Finally, if you're just looking for a failed vegan cream pie recipe, you're in for a treat No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Pie.
Anne Mientka
What about non-dairy milk in cookies, crackers and cookies?
Bakes and cookies rarely require milk, relying on milk or cream for their liquid. You can make your own “sour milk” to replace buttermilk: Mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of non-dairy milk (just pick your favorite, any kind will work). Let it rest for about 15 minutes before using. You may notice that non-dairy sour milk doesn't thicken as much, but the result in your baking will be the same.
And if your recipe calls for heavy cream? Substitute full-fat canned coconut milk (not “lite”) or unsweetened canned coconut cream. You'd be surprised how well one of these mimics heavy cream. In the case of coconut cream, you can also whip it to stiff peaks to use as a filling, just like milk cream.
As for cookies, most recipes don't call for milk. And if they do, it's a relatively small amount. Any non-dairy milk should work well in your favorite cookie recipes.
How do non-dairy milks compare to dairy milk (and each other) in terms of consistency? Find out here: What is the most environmentally friendly plant-based milk to bake with?
Cover photo and food styling by Liz Neily.
