The Ultimate Guide to Dairy-Free Baking

Dairy-free baking is an absolute breeze as long as you know which guidelines to follow.

27/01/2020

Are you trying to cut down on the amount of dairy that you consume? It could be because you are lactose intolerant. Or, perhaps, you are simply trying to avoid all those additional substances typically found in cow’s milk.

Regardless of the reason, a greater number of people are going dairy-free than ever before. While this is certainly a good move on your part, it can bring up a couple of complications, particularly when you are baking. After all, a number of recipes call for the use of milk.

Well, fortunately for you, there’s no need to fret at all. Dairy-free baking is an absolute breeze as long as you know which guidelines to follow. So, if this is something you want to get right, here are the top tips to keep in mind:

Make It Easy – Look for Dairy-Free Recipes

As mentioned, more and more people are cutting dairy out of their diets. Due to this, dairy-free recipes are rising in popularity. These recipes tell you which dairy alternative to include. Best of all, they will let you know the proper amount to use as well. As you can imagine, this takes quite a bit of the effort out of the baking for you. Instead, all you need to do is to follow the instructions exactly.

Of course, you shouldn’t jump at the first dairy-free recipe that you come across. Make sure to collect a few and take a look at the ingredients and the method. You should also pay attention to reviews or comments that people have placed alongside these recipes. This will give you a better idea of which ones are superior.

Know Your Milks

If you are looking for a milk substitute, you are spoilt for choice. Your options will range from soy milk and coconut milk, all the way to hemp milk and oat milk. The problem, though, is that not all of these milks can be automatically used in a recipe that calls for dairy.

See, when it comes to baking, details such as fat content suddenly become important. If you want a particular treat to turn out with a similar consistency to cow’s milk, then you are going to need to pick the right option.

Let’s consider the fat contents of various milks. Whole cow’s milk can contain up to 8g of fat. However, when you look at types such as almond, soy, and rice milk, you will discover that they fall behind.

Coconut milk, on the other hand, has a fat content that can compete. Thus, it would make the most sense to use in recipes that have this requirement. To learn how else you can use coconut milk in your cooking and baking, check out dedicated sites such as For the Love of Coconut for more information.

The same logic can be applied to other “features” of non-dairy milks, though. If the recipe needs a thinner milk, then something like almond will be a good option. Or, if you are looking for a milk that has “no” taste or one similar to that of dairy, then soy or oat milk will serve you well.

Look for Exact Non-Dairy Substitutions

Of course, milk is only part of the equation. Baking recipes can call for butter, sour cream, and various other dairy ingredients. So, when faced with these, what should you do?

Well, whenever possible, you should try to find exact substitutions. This is especially true when a recipe requires the use of butter. Sure, in this instance, you could use oil instead. Unfortunately, this may not provide you with the results that you were hoping for.

Why? Well, butter has a specific texture and this, in addition to its fat content produces a particular result in baking. This isn’t something that can always be replicated by oils. Dairy-free butters, on the other hand, have virtually identical textures. Thus, they will be able to play this role perfectly. If you are looking to recreate a recipe as authentically as possible, then you should use exact substitutions.

Keep It In the Family

Whenever possible, try to use the same kind of non-dairy ingredients within a recipe. For instance, let’s imagine that a particular recipe needs you to use milk, butter, and oil. In this instance, try to stick to one base for all these ingredients.
So, if you are going coconut milk as a non-dairy option, look for a coconut-based butter and coconut oil. This way, the ingredients should meld together a lot more smoothly. In turn, the final dish should look and taste a lot better too.
If you are planning on switching things up, make sure that the flavors compliment each other well. Otherwise, you will find that there are too many competing factors in your dish.

Stick to the Provided Quantities with Exact Substitutions

The good news about substituting non-dairy milks for the real deal is that it is quite simple to do. If the recipe requires one cup of cow’s milk, then you can just use one cup of a non-dairy version as well. In this sense, you don’t have to puzzle over any conversions or calculations.

The same can be said if you are using non-dairy butters, spreads, or similar substitutions. Once again, you can just follow the instructions as they have been written out.

Naturally, you will have to do some research if you are using oils instead of butters or want to swap out water for milk. In this case, you may need to use less or more of a particular ingredient. So, make sure you always know exactly how much to use. Otherwise, you will be quite disappointed with the end result.

So, there you have it – how to bake using non-dairy ingredients. As you can see, it isn’t all that difficult. You just need to know the right tips and tricks. Once you have figured these out, it is all smooth sailing from here. On this note, all that’s left for you to do is to put the above advice to good practice.