What Is Whole milk and How Can I Use It?
If whole milk 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 46 recipes to try it in.
Key Points
- Whole milk carries about 3.25% milkfat, the baseline every leaner grade is measured against.
- Its fat gives the richest body, the best foam, and the smoothest sauces and custards.
- It is the safe default whenever a recipe just says milk and richness matters.
- Even whole milk scorches if pushed; keep heat moderate and stir a hot pot.
- Store near 38°F (3°C); it freezes about 3 months but separates more on thawing.
What is whole milk?
Whole milk is cow's milk with its natural fat left in, about 3.25% milkfat by weight. That is the baseline the dairy case is measured against; every leaner grade is just whole milk with some cream taken out.
The fat is what you taste and what you cook with. Whole milk pours with body, looks opaque white, and brings a roundness that the lower-fat grades cannot quite match.
For most cooking it is the default, and for good reason.
Cooking With Whole Milk
When a recipe says milk and means business, whole milk is the right call. The fat gives sauces a smooth, coating body, so a béchamel or a cheese sauce sets up rich instead of thin and watery.
It is the steady choice for custards and puddings, where the fat helps the mixture set silky rather than lean. A slow crockpot rice pudding leans on it for exactly that, and it rounds out a pot of basic creamed corn.
Whole milk also foams best of the fresh milks. The fat and protein together trap and hold the bubbles, which is why it steams into a thick, stable cap for coffee drinks and blends into a fuller mango milk shake.
The one caution: even whole milk scorches if you push it. Keep the heat moderate and stir, since the milk solids still catch and brown on the bottom of a hot pot.
Substitutes
Low-fat 2% or 1% swaps in one-to-one and is the closest match, just with thinner sauces and lighter custards. Skim goes leaner still and will not give body or foam.
To push the richness up instead, stir a spoon of cream or melted butter into low-fat milk. Half-and-half thinned with a little water also lands near whole milk for cooking.
Unsweetened plant milks like soy match the pourable texture and work in many dishes, though they foam and brown differently and carry their own flavor.
Buying and Storing
Cartons are labeled by fat, and whole milk reads whole or 3.25%. Buy by the date and give it a sniff when you open it, since milk can turn before the printed day.
Keep it near 38°F (3°C) at the back of the fridge, not in the door where it warms each time you open it. Opened, use it within about a week and trust your nose over the label.
Whole milk freezes for up to about 3 months but separates more than leaner milk as it thaws, since there is more fat to break out. Shake it hard and save thawed milk for cooking rather than a cold glass.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cup (244g)Quick facts
Where to find whole milk: Whole milk is usually found in the asian section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group: Milk, whole is a member of the Dairy and Egg Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 牛奶，全脂
- British (UK) term
- Milk, whole
- en français
- lait, entier
- en español
- leche, entera
How much does whole milk weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 244 grams |
| 1 tbsp | 15 grams |
| 1 fl oz | 30 grams |
| 1 quart | 976 grams |
Related
Dairy and Egg Products
Recipes using whole milk
There are 46 recipes that contain this ingredient.
All purpose Ice-cream
A basic ice-cream recipe that is so delicious on its own, but can be modified to make literally all kinds of flavors and ice-cream ideas!
Mango Milk Shake
Indian mango milkshake (mango lassi-style) blended with canned mango pulp, whole milk, sugar, and ice. Thick, creamy, and tropical in 5 minutes flat.
Heavenly Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Homemade butter pecan ice cream: a rich browned-butter and brown-sugar custard churned silky-smooth and folded with toasted pecans. The browned butter gives it a deep, nutty butterscotch flavor no store version matches.
Nona's Meatballs
This recipe is over 100 years old. I add a twist to the recipe (and a little sweetness) by adding some golden raisins, like my favorite restaurant in Provincetown, Mass., does.
Toll House Bundt Cake
Toll House bundt cake: a brown sugar pound cake studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips, baked over a buttery nut topping that becomes the cake's crown when inverted. Old-school showstopper.
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
I have seen numerous recipes on the net that say they are clones but this one is the best with the closest taste to the original Reb Lobster version.
Holiday Polish White Bread
My wife has an excellent recipe for White Bread brought to this country from her grandmother who was originally from Poland. Makes 5 loaves. Typically, this style of bread would be served with baked ham. However it can go with almost anything. Stale leftovers can make excellent French toast.
Crockpot Rice Pudding
Dust off your crockpot and try making this scrumptious rice pudding that everyone will enjoy!
Christmas Morning Wife Saver
Perfect make ahead breakfast casserole for Christmas morning. Make it ahead the day before and pop in the oven in the morning for a great breakfast that can feed a crowd.
Basic Creamed Corn
Creamy, sweet and delicious. It's worth making your own creamed corn instead of getting it from a can.
Gold Room Scones
Gold Room scones with honey-brushed golden tops, plump raisins, and a tender egg-rich crumb. Tearoom-style drop scones served warm with butter, jam, and whipped cream.
Apple-Cheddar Omelet
Microwave omelet filled with creamy cheddar sauce, crisp bacon, and chopped apples. Cooked in a pie plate for easy folding, then topped with bubbly cheese sauce and bacon bits.
Cream Chicken Soup
Cream chicken soup with rivels and rice in a rich broth of whole milk, heavy cream, and chicken stock. An old-fashioned Pennsylvania Dutch-style comfort bowl.
Sauteed Trout with Lime
Sauteed trout with lime, brown butter, and mushrooms. Milk-dipped, flour-coated fillets cook to a golden crust, then get topped with browned mushrooms and fresh lime wedges.
Lemon-Strawberry Pie
Lemon custard pie with a press-in oil crust, topped with fresh sliced strawberries glazed in melted jam. A make-ahead dessert with a light, soufflé-like lemon filling.
Lemon-Strawberry Pie
Lemon custard pie with a press-in oil crust, topped with fresh sliced strawberries glazed in melted jam. A make-ahead dessert with a light, soufflé-like lemon filling.
Peanut Chops
Peanut chops made from rye bread strips spread with peanut butter, dipped in seasoned egg wash, coated in cracker crumbs, and baked until golden. A creative vegetarian main.
Poke
Poke is a Pacific Islands banana and arrowroot pudding baked in squares and soaked in fresh coconut milk. Naturally gluten-free, lightly sweet, with a chewy-silky texture.
Rhubarb Cobbler
Upside-down rhubarb cobbler with the biscuit batter on the bottom, sugared rhubarb piled on top, and a buttery streusel crown. The cake rises up through the fruit during baking.
Rasgoola
Rasgulla, the classic Bengali cheese ball dessert of spongy homemade chenna simmered in light sugar syrup until pillowy and sweet. Four ingredients, big payoff.
Matar Paneer (Fresh Cheese)
Paneer is a fresh cheese with plenty of texture and protein. In this traditional northern Indian dish, Paneer is combined with green peas in a spicy tomato-ginger sauce. Fresh Paneer is quite crumbly, so it is generally cut into cubes and sauteed until golden before combining with other ingredients. For variety, try adding some finely minced fresh cilantro and a little freshly ground black pepper to the mixture before cubing and frying. If you do have any left over, serve it warm in whole wheat pita bread topped with sliced tomaotes and crunchy red onions.
Vicki's Noggin-Knockin' Eggnog
Triple-spirit eggnog spiked with dark rum, brandy, and bourbon, folded with whipped cream and fluffy egg whites. Topped with fresh nutmeg for the holidays.
Tejleves (Milk Soup)
Tejleves is a classic Hungarian milk soup with noodles simmered in sweetened whole milk. This simple, comforting 25-minute recipe is a staple of Hungarian home cooking, loved as a light meal or warming starter.
Salsify or Vegetable Oyster Soup
Salsify soup, also called vegetable oyster soup, made with just salsify root, milk, butter, and seasoning. A creamy, old-fashioned root vegetable soup with a subtle oyster-like flavor.
Bay Scallop Stew
Creamy bay scallop stew with shallots, white wine, heavy cream, whole milk, and snipped chives. A velvety, New England-style seafood stew that's pure coastal comfort in 30 minutes.
Sweet Cream Base for Ice Cream
Here is a classic sweet cream base for making a variety of ice creams. Nice a rich with eggs, great for a french vanilla ice cream.
Roma's Rich White Chocolate Bread Pudding
Roma's white chocolate bread pudding: rich custard-soaked French bread baked into silky pudding, finished with warm white chocolate sauce and dark chocolate shavings. Restaurant-style indulgence.
Fish Pate
Indulge in this creamy homemade trout pate terrine recipe with a rich crab sauce, ideal for beginners seeking "easy seafood appetizers for parties," "French-inspired fish terrine at home," or "gourmet trout mousse with crab reduction."
Chicken, Broccoli, & Penne Casserole
Always a favorite for our family and great when company is coming. The chicken remains moist and the broccoli perfectly tender-crisp and everyone loves the cheesy sauce. Using a bechamel sauce instead of cream keeps it light.
Arpagyongy Kremleves (Cream of Pearl Barley Soup)
Traditional Hungarian cream of pearl barley soup made with pork and veal broth, a light roux, and finished with egg yolk and cream. Velvety and soul-warming.
Ultimate Chocolate Blackout Cake
Made popular back in the 1960's by a bakery in Brooklyn. Chocoholics of all ages love this rich chocolate layer cake that uses a thick pudding instead of icing.
Napolean Cake
For as far as I can remember my Aunt made this custard filled cake that has what seemed like 100's of layers. Unbelievably good.
Baked Indian Pudding with Maple Syrup
Baked Indian pudding with maple syrup is a colonial New England cornmeal dessert sweetened with maple, molasses, and brown sugar, spiced with ginger and cinnamon, baked low and slow into a quivering custard. Serve warm with ice cream.
Baked Indian Pudding with Maple Syrup
Baked Indian pudding with maple syrup is a colonial New England cornmeal dessert sweetened with maple, molasses, and brown sugar, spiced with ginger and cinnamon, baked low and slow into a quivering custard. Serve warm with ice cream.
Baked Ling Cod with Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce
Have you ever seen a ling cod? They are almost primeval looking - huge, gaping mouths with very sharp teeth. As with any fish, the most important factor for how good it tastes is its freshness. I picked up this fillet at my local fish market where they told me that the ling cod had just come in that morning. With the lemon-garlic butter sauce it was divine.
McCall's French Apple Pie
I got this recipe out of McCall’s magazine about 35 – 40 yrs ago from the pages of the McCall’s Cooking School and have made it a number of times since.
Kolatki (Ukrainian Christmas Cookies
Add a European touch to your Christmas baking skills with these scrumptious snacks made with cream cheese, walnuts and dark rum.
Medisterkaker
Savor the comforting taste of Medisterkaker, traditional Norwegian pork meatballs seasoned with warm spices and simmered to perfection. This hearty dish combines ground pork, potato starch, and a touch of milk for a tender texture, making it an ideal cozy meal for any occasion.
