# What to Substitute for Milk in Mac n Cheese

URL: https://tastessence.com/substitutes/substitute-for-milk-in-mac-n-cheese
Category: Substitutes
Published: 2021-01-10T10:00:13
Updated: 2021-01-23T18:58:32
You might not think that it’s possible to make a **creamy and delicious pot of macaroni and cheese** without milk, but in reality, it’s surprisingly easy to do. **But what exactly can you substitute for milk in mac n cheese?** As it turns out, there are **quite a few ingredients that you can use in place of milk** when you’re making this tasty dish. In this post, we’ll highlight several of the best options that you can use as a substitute for milk in mac and cheese -- **without sacrificing the taste or texture of this classic comfort food.**

## Sour cream

**Thanks to its rich and creamy taste,** [sour cream](https://tastessence.com/substitutes/sour-cream-substitute) serves as a good substitute for milk in mac and cheese. When you use sour cream instead of milk, **your dish will taste tangier and creamier** -- which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, [some mac and cheese recipes](https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/creamy-macaroni-and-cheese/) even call for sour cream in addition to milk. However, **if you’re watching your health,** you might not want to use sour cream as your substitute for milk in mac and cheese. **It’s high in fat and calories,** which isn’t ideal if you’re trying to lose weight.

## Heavy or whipping cream

If you’ve got a **spare carton of [heavy cream](https://tastessence.com/substitutes/heavy-cream-substitute) in your refrigerator,** you can easily add it to your mac and cheese without noticing much of a difference in the final result. You’ll end up with **a dish that’s super-rich and creamy** but not as thick as mac and cheese with sour cream. But like sour cream, **these other types of cream are also packed with calories.** Adding heavy or whipping cream to your mac and cheese will quickly up the caloric value of your meal, **so keep that in mind before turning to this milk substitute.**

## Butter

**When you’re making Kraft macaroni and cheese out of the box,** you’ll notice that the recipe requires you to add both milk and butter. But if you’re out of milk, you can **skip that step and simply double up on the amount of butter** (and a bit of water) to make up for the difference. Again, like the other options on this list, **butter isn’t the most nutritionally friendly food.** But when you’re making mac and cheese, you really need a creamy element to make the dish as tasty as possible.

## Non-dairy milk substitutes

**If you’re lactose intolerant or vegan,** you might be interested in using a non-dairy milk substitute in place of milk. Soy milk, cashew milk, and oat milk are all viable options in this situation. Of course, if you’re trying to make a vegan mac and cheese, **you should also make sure that the cheese you’re using is dairy-free as well.** With one of these simple alternatives, **you can easily find a substitute for milk in mac n cheese.** Although the end product might taste or look a bit different, **these swaps can get you through in a pinch.** For more recipe ideas and substitute suggestions, **[check out the Tastessence blog](https://tastessence.com/).**