Ran Out of Powdered Milk? Use These Handy Smart Substitutes

Did you just run out of powdered milk for your cake recipe? Don’t worry, there are many other ingredients available which you can use as powdered milk substitutes. One only needs to keep in mind the proportions of the items used in the recipe to get perfect results.

Powdered or dry milk is a great substitute for regular milk. It has a very long shelf life and can be stored at room temperature. Its low moisture content alleviates the need for refrigeration. It is also very convenient to use and does not compromise with the flavor of the recipe. However, there are times, when you simply run out of your stock. If you depend upon this ingredient for most of your recipes, then it can be a tricky situation for you, more so, if you don’t have the time to make a trip to the supermarket. Fortunately, there are some ingredients in your kitchen itself, that can make for great powdered milk substitutes.

Regular Milk

Since, you use powdered milk as a substitute for regular milk, the original one can do the same for powdered milk. Thus, this should be your first choice when you are looking for a substitution for dry milk. However, you have to be extra careful about the proportion you use. Also, this can be a feasible option for only those recipes that demand water as well. The recommended ratio of regular milk and dry milk powder (d.m.p) is as given below.
1 cup d.m.p + 4 cup water = 4 cup milk
½ cup d.m.p + 2 cup water = 2 cup milk
¼ cup d.m.p + 1 cup water = 1 cup milk
1 tbsp d.m.p + ¾ cup water= ¾ cup milk (as the recipe only calls for water to make milk)

Coconut Milk Powder

Coconut milk is often substituted for regular milk in many recipes. Likewise, you can also use it instead of dry milk. However, do not mistake this product with desiccated coconut, which is very different. Coconut milk powder is made by spray-drying coconut milk or coconut cream. It is best suited for baked recipes, meat, or fish recipes. Coconut milk forms an indispensable ingredient of many South Asian recipes. Coconut powder works just as fine for any of these recipes. The proportion that you are going to use as a substitute, should be equal to that of dry milk.

Coconut Milk

If you find it difficult to lay your hands on coconut milk powder, you can use fresh coconut milk instead, as it is also a good alternative. The method of making fresh coconut milk or cream is pretty simple. Soak finely grated coconut flesh in warm water. Squeeze the flesh and then strain the solution. When you refrigerate this, the two layers of coconut cream and water separate. You can extract the creamy layer and use it for recipes demanding cream. Or you can mix it well to get thick coconut milk and use it for recipes that work best with regular milk. Alternatively, you may also use the canned version, which readily has two separate layers.

Soy Powder and Rice Milk Powder

These ingredients are a little harder to find, however, they too can be used as a great alternative for dry milk. They have to be substitued to the same amount as the dry milk required in the recipe.

If you have spent a substantial amount of time in the kitchen, you would agree that there isn’t any ingredient that cannot be substituted. Of course, at times you may not get the same taste and flavor as the original ingredient, nonetheless, these alternative options do their jobs pretty well during a crisis.

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