What Is Milk, skim, (non fat) powder and How Can I Use It?

If milk, skim, (non fat) powder has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 413 recipes to try it in.

What is milk, skim, (non fat) powder?

Skim milk powder is milk with both the water and the fat removed: what is left is milk protein and lactose in a shelf-stable dust. Removing the fat is what makes it keep for years, since milkfat is the part that goes rancid.

More than 400 recipes here call for it, mostly breads and dry baking mixes.

Reconstituted, ⅓ cup of powder whisked into 1 cup of water stands in for a cup of skim milk. Its better career, though, is as a dry ingredient in its own right.

What it does in a dough

Milk powder is a baker's amplifier.

The extra lactose and protein feed browning, so loaves and rolls bake up golden instead of pale, and the crumb stays softer for longer. That is why it earns its place in enriched breads like Classic Sticky Buns and Best Raisin Bread.

In yeast breads, add the powder with the flour and the water separately. It blends in cleaner than pre-mixing, and you can push a little past the recipe for a milkier, softer crumb.

The sleeper technique is toasting it. Spread a few tablespoons in a dry skillet or low oven until it turns deep gold, and it becomes a nutty, malty powder for cookie doughs and ice cream bases.

Beyond bread

A spoonful enriches without thinning. It adds body to smoothies and firms up custards, and it lends silkiness to a frozen base like Honey Gelato, where extra milk solids fight iciness.

Home yogurt makers know it as the cheapest route to a thicker set; a few tablespoons stirred into a quart of milk firms the yogurt noticeably.

It is also the backbone of homemade hot cocoa mix and dry baking blends like Wheat Mix. Anywhere a mix needs to taste of milk without holding water, this is the ingredient doing the work.

Swapping it

Instant and non-instant (regular) milk powder are the same food at different densities. Instant dissolves on contact but measures fluffier, so go by weight when switching between them, or expect to use more instant by volume.

Whole milk powder swaps in with a richer result and a much shorter shelf life. The fat that makes it taste better is also its expiry clock.

Powdered coffee creamer is not a substitute. It is mostly corn syrup solids and oil, and it brings sweetness and off-flavors that have no business in bread.

Buying and keeping it

Buy plain nonfat dry milk with one ingredient on the label. Instant is easier to find and fine for everything; bakeries lean toward non-instant mostly out of habit and density.

Keep it sealed against moisture in a cool cabinet, where it holds for about two years. Humidity is the main enemy. Clumped powder still works, but powder that smells sour or soapy is done.

For truly long storage, an airtight container in the freezer keeps it usable for years past the printed date.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find milk, skim, (non fat) powder: Milk, skim, (non fat) powder is usually found in the baking supplies section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Milk, skim, (non fat) powder is a member of the Dairy and Egg Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

奶，脱脂，（非脂肪）粉末

British (UK) term

Milk, skim, (non fat) powder

en français

lait écrémé en poudre

en español

sin grasa leche en polvo

How much does milk, skim, (non fat) powder weigh?

Related

Dairy and Egg Products

Recipes using milk, skim, (non fat) powder

There are 413 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Frosted Rich Brownies

Frosted rich brownies: low-fat brownies built on evaporated and powdered skim milk instead of butter, then crowned with a coffee-spiked cocoa frosting. Deeply chocolate without the heaviness.

Basic Yummy White Bread

Ultra-simple bread machine white bread using just 7 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep. This minimalist formula produces a soft, tender loaf with a hint of sweetness, perfect for toast, sandwiches, or dunking in soup.

Nonfat Holiday Hot Chocolate

Nonfat hot chocolate mix made with skim milk powder, unsweetened cocoa, sugar substitute, and a hit of cinnamon for warm holiday spice. Mix once, store for weeks, and scoop into a mug whenever cravings hit.

Mini-Hot dog buns - Sliders

Cocktail sausage/frankfurter sized buns for making mini hot dog sliders. You can't find mini-buns in stores so make them from scratch at home.

Very Creamy Corn-Potato Soup

Creamy corn-potato soup pureed thick with skim milk, dry milk powder, mustard, garlic, and a touch of honey. Low-fat vegetarian chowder that tastes richer than its calorie count suggests.

Savory White Bread Abm

Savory white bread for ABM (bread machine): customizable white loaf with dried onion, garlic, sun-dried tomato, or herbs. Set-and-forget yeast bread that adapts to your pantry.

Elizebeth's Cheese Biscuits

Three-cheese biscuits made with sharp cheddar, mozzarella, and Swiss Emmentaler folded into a flaky butter dough. Wheat germ and powdered milk add nutty depth. Ready in 35 minutes.

Pigs in a Blanket Reuben

These Reuben-inspired Pigs in a Blanket feature grown-up flavors of sauerkraut and Swiss cheese with a crispy topping wrapped in a warm, soft dinner roll blanket.

Bread Machine Pepperoni, Olive, & Oregano Pizza Bread

Discover the ultimate fusion of flavors with our Bread Machine Pepperoni, Olive, and Oregano Pizza Bread recipe. Effortlessly bake a savory delight that combines the zest of pepperoni, the briny touch of olives, and the aromatic essence of oregano into one irresistible loaf.

Sunday Morning Sourdough Pancakes

Sourdough pancakes from an active whole wheat starter, with baking soda stirred in for tang and a tall, fluffy rise. The weekend way to put your bubbling starter to good use.

Breakfast Apple Orange Spice Muffins

Spiced apple-orange muffins with grated fresh fruit and warm spices. Light texture from folded egg whites. Optional raisins for extra sweetness.

Best Applesauce Pancakes

Love these applesauce pancakes. Moist and delicious. Serve them with maple syrup and fresh berries. Yum!

Peter's Cream of Pumpkin Soup

Cream of pumpkin soup with fresh or canned pumpkin pureed with onions, celery, garlic, and thyme, finished with cottage cheese for silky body. Lighter take on a Thanksgiving classic.

Healthy Oat Granola

Wholesome oat granola with oat bran, sunflower seeds, banana chips, raisins, and a hint of orange zest. Honey-baked and naturally sweetened for a fiber-rich breakfast or snack.

Yummy Cornmeal Pancakes

Cornmeal pancakes for two: half cornmeal, half flour, with instant powdered milk built into the dry mix. A small-batch breakfast that uses pantry staples and skips fresh dairy.

Honey Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Rolls

Honey and whole wheat flour give these yummy pumpkin rolls extra goodness.

Light Whole Wheat Bread - Pan-1

Light whole wheat bread for the bread machine, blending whole wheat with bread flour for a soft sandwich loaf with molasses sweetness. A no-knead loaf using the wheat cycle.

Easy Bread Machine Rye Bread

Easy bread machine rye bread with a touch of rye flour and bread flour base. Light, tender deli-style rye perfect for sandwiches without the dense pumpernickel weight.

Five Grain Sourdough Bread

Five grain sourdough bread for the bread machine blends bread flour, amaranth, whole-wheat, soy and rolled oats with a tangy sourdough starter. Hearty crumb, nutty crust, high-fiber loaf.

Five Grain Sourdough Bread

Five grain sourdough bread for the bread machine blends bread flour, amaranth, whole-wheat, soy and rolled oats with a tangy sourdough starter. Hearty crumb, nutty crust, high-fiber loaf.

American Biscuits (Mix)

Prepare your own biscuit mix for quick and easy biscuits anytime.

Basic Muffins & Biscuits

Basic biscuit baking mix is a homemade Bisquick-style staple with flour, baking powder, dry milk, salt, and shortening. Makes 90 biscuits over 6 weeks of pantry storage. Just add water.

Basic Muffins & Biscuits

Basic biscuit baking mix is a homemade Bisquick-style staple with flour, baking powder, dry milk, salt, and shortening. Makes 90 biscuits over 6 weeks of pantry storage. Just add water.

Whole Wheat Soft Pretzel Bread

Chewy, golden whole wheat pretzel bread with a hint of molasses sweetness, topped with sesame seeds and coarse salt. Just toss everything in the bread machine and let it work its magic!

Easy Hot Chocolate Mix

Big-batch homemade hot chocolate mix. Cocoa powder, powdered milk, creamer and sugar whisked together. Store in jars and scoop ⅓ cup per mug for cold-weather sipping.

Desperately Healthy Pancakes

High-fiber pancakes packed with soy flour, whole wheat, wheat germ, and bran, lifted with whipped egg whites and brightened with orange juice. A wholesome breakfast that doesn't taste like cardboard.

High-Protien Blueberry Muffins

Power breakfast blueberry muffins that have a protein and fiber boost.

Banana-Brownies - Lo-Cal

Low-calorie banana brownies made fat-free with mashed banana, cocoa powder, egg whites, and buttermilk. A guilt-free chocolate fix that skips butter and yolks entirely.

Apple Orange Spice Muffins (Ww)

Apple orange spice muffins lightened the Weight Watchers way with whipped egg whites for lift, chopped apples for natural sweetness, and bright orange zest. Warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove perfume every bite.

Sourdough White Bread

Sourdough white bread baked in the bread machine using an active starter, bread flour, milk powder, applesauce, and a small boost of commercial yeast. Tangy sourdough flavor without hand-shaping or long proofing.

Cranberry Applesauce Muffins

Cranberries make this low-fat, healthy muffins a treat.

Medium White Bread

Bread machine medium white bread with bread flour, milk powder, and butter. Soft, neutral sandwich loaf perfect for everyday use, makes 1 medium loaf.

Whole Wheat Bread (Grandpa B's)

My grandfather's whole wheat bread with oatmeal and cracked wheat for a bit more wholesome texture.

Delicious Croissants

Bread machine croissants made easy with machine-mixed dough, then hand-laminated with butter for authentic flaky layers and crescent shape in less time.

Aunt's Portuguese Sweet Bread

Portuguese sweet bread (pao doce) made easy in the bread machine: an egg-and-butter enriched loaf with a soft, golden crumb and gentle sweetness. A breakfast and Easter classic.

Sun-Dried Tomato & Asiago Cheese Bread

Really enjoyed this bread machine recipe. I did double the amount of sun-dried tomatoes and cheese, and I loved it. I ate half of it directly without anything else, it was that good!

Raspberry Creme Brulee

Light custard made with skim milk and egg substitute bakes over fresh raspberries in custard cups, then gets topped with caramelized sugar for a low-fat crème brûlée.

Sweetish Hill's Blueberry Muffins

Sweetish Hill bakery-style blueberry muffins: a tender cake-flour-and-AP-blend batter loaded with three full cups of fresh blueberries. Tall, golden-domed, bakery-quality muffins from a beloved Austin bakery.

DIY Basic White Bread

Bread machine white bread that doubles as a hand-shaped recipe: dump everything in, hit start, or pull the dough out after the second knead and bake two small loaves in the oven. Seven pantry ingredients.

Best Sourdough Whole Wheat Bread

Sourdough whole wheat bread blends an active starter with stone-ground wheat flour, wheat germ and molasses for a hearty, high-fiber sandwich loaf. Tangy, nutty and bakes in a standard loaf pan.

Alfie & Archie'S Dog Biscuits

These scrumptious snacks are made with whole wheat flour and meat drippings.

Homemade Yogurt-Srilanka

Make creamy homemade yogurt without a yogurt maker, just milk, a spoonful of live yogurt as a starter, and your oven with the light on as a cozy incubator. Lightly sweetened with vanilla, set in hours.

Moist Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread

Fiber-rich bread machine loaf with whole wheat flour, oats, and wheat germ. Moist crumb from applesauce and egg substitute for guilt-free sandwich bread.

Bread Machine Classic White Bread

Bread machine classic white bread is a soft, sliceable sandwich loaf with tender crumb and golden crust. Bread flour, butter, and nonfat dry milk give it bakery-style structure and flavor.

Fluffy Bran Pancakes or Waffle Mix

Fluffy bran pancake and waffle mix combines whole wheat, millet, and rice flours with bran for a high-fiber, make-ahead batter base. Whisk in eggs, milk, and honey for breakfast in minutes.

Homemade Two-Tone Beetroot Bread

Vibrant pink beetroot dough swirls through pale yeast dough in this stunning two-tone loaf. Natural beet juice creates the vivid color while butter enrichment keeps the crumb soft and tender.

Homemade Two-Tone Beetroot Bread

Vibrant pink beetroot dough swirls through pale yeast dough in this stunning two-tone loaf. Natural beet juice creates the vivid color while butter enrichment keeps the crumb soft and tender.

Irish Cream Frozen Yogurt

A touch of Irish Cream teams up with chocolate for a mouth-watering change of pace.

Amazing Wholesome Brownies

Wholesome oat brownies with rolled oats, wheat germ, and walnuts swapped in for most of the flour. A flourless-style brownie with extra protein, fiber, and chew alongside the chocolate.

Best Raisin Bread

This bread machine raisin bread is so easy and we love setting the timer on our bread maker and waking up to fresh baked bread in the morning.

All 413 recipes