Milk Substitutes

Out of milk? These are the swaps that actually work, with conversion ratios for any recipe size and notes on how each one changes the result.

Need to convert milk between cups, grams, or ounces first? Open the milk converter.

What to use instead of milk

  • Soy Milk

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup milk = 1 cup soy milk (1:1 by volume)

    Closest dairy-free swap. Soy milk's 3% protein curdles and foams like dairy milk, so it bakes, custards, and froths the same way. Close in weight (245 g vs 258 g per cup).

    See soy milk substitutes →

  • Almond Milk

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup milk = 1 cup almond milk (1:1 by volume)

    Lighter and lower in fat than dairy milk (245 g vs 258 g per cup). Works in pancakes, cocoa, and cake batters; expect a slightly less rich crumb and a faint nutty note.

    See almond milk substitutes →

  • Oat Milk

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup milk = 1 cup oat milk (1:1 by volume)

    Creamier mouthfeel than dairy milk but lower in fat. Sweeter and starchier, so reduce sugar by a touch in delicate bakes. Close in weight (245 g vs 258 g per cup).

    See oat milk substitutes →

  • Evaporated milk + water

    DIY mix

    1 cup milk = 1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water

    Reverses the evaporation. Yields a close stand-in for whole milk in custards, sauces, and bakes when only the tin is in the pantry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for milk?
There are 4 workable substitutes for milk, depending on what you have on hand and which property of milk matters most for your recipe. The closest swap is usually 1 cup milk = 1 cup soy milk (1:1 by volume). Each option below lists the conversion ratio for any recipe size, plus notes on how the swap changes the texture, flavour, rise, or browning.
Will substituting milk change how my recipe turns out?
Yes, every swap trades one property for another: fat content, moisture, acidity, or protein. The notes on each substitute describe what changes in texture, flavour, rise, or browning, so you can choose the swap that matters least for your recipe. Open the milk converter
How do I measure milk accurately?
Weighing in grams is more reliable than scooping cups, especially when a substitute has a different density from what the recipe expects. The milk converter on this site converts between cups, grams, ounces, millilitres, fluid ounces, tablespoons, and teaspoons, so you can scale a recipe up or down without losing the ratio. Open the milk converter

Other ingredient and produce substitutes

Find what to use instead of: