Dairy Substitutions (Recipes and Favorite Brands)
on this page:
Substituting Milk
Substituting Butter
Substituting Cream or Creamer
Substituting Cream Cheese and Sour Cream
Recipe for "Cream Of" Soups
Dairy-free Chocolate Chips
Ice cream
Cocoa powder
"Cheese"
Substituting MILK in recipes
rice milk, one of the many options!
The lovely thing about substituting milk in a recipe is you can easily use any of the many kinds of milk substitutes available. I encourage you to try them and see what kinds and flavors you prefer. You will quickly have your own favorites!
There is SOY milk, RICE milk, COCONUT milk, ALMOND milk, and even OAT and HEMP milk. Each of these kinds come in different flavors, as well as sweetened or unsweetened.
Just a few of the Brands to look for:
So Delicious (the company website)
Silk (the company website)
Rice Dream (the company website)
Pacific (the company website)
Many people like to keep a variety of kinds for different uses. For example: RICE milk is nice in baking recipes because it is flavorless and thin (much like skim milk), but many people prefer a SOY or ALMOND in cereal or to drink plain, or even a rich can of COCONUT milk for gravy or other thicker items on the menu. What do I use? Well, Costco carries SOY and RICE milk in bulk, and Whole Foods sells cans of COCONUT milk in bulk, so I usually keep those around because I like buying in bulk! The wonderful thing about non-dairy milk is you don't need to refrigerate it (until opened), so you won't be one of those crazy people running to the store before a storm!
There is SOY milk, RICE milk, COCONUT milk, ALMOND milk, and even OAT and HEMP milk. Each of these kinds come in different flavors, as well as sweetened or unsweetened.
Just a few of the Brands to look for:
So Delicious (the company website)
Silk (the company website)
Rice Dream (the company website)
Pacific (the company website)
Many people like to keep a variety of kinds for different uses. For example: RICE milk is nice in baking recipes because it is flavorless and thin (much like skim milk), but many people prefer a SOY or ALMOND in cereal or to drink plain, or even a rich can of COCONUT milk for gravy or other thicker items on the menu. What do I use? Well, Costco carries SOY and RICE milk in bulk, and Whole Foods sells cans of COCONUT milk in bulk, so I usually keep those around because I like buying in bulk! The wonderful thing about non-dairy milk is you don't need to refrigerate it (until opened), so you won't be one of those crazy people running to the store before a storm!
Substituting BUTTER in recipes
Unlike milk alternatives, with seemingly endless options, there are just a few options for dairy-free "butter".
What do I use? For baking, I like to use EARTH BLANCE "butter" (because it comes in stick-form for easy measurement) or COCONUT OIL (because it is delicious).
I like to use SMART BALANCE LIGHT** for spreading on bread or topping on mashed potatoes. It spreads nicely and my grandfather used it on his bread so I've come to associate that buttery taste with memories of him :)
Both of store bought blends contain some soy, but Earth Balance makes a soy-free stick version if you have a soy allergy. Coconut oil is of course soy-free.
What do I use? For baking, I like to use EARTH BLANCE "butter" (because it comes in stick-form for easy measurement) or COCONUT OIL (because it is delicious).
I like to use SMART BALANCE LIGHT** for spreading on bread or topping on mashed potatoes. It spreads nicely and my grandfather used it on his bread so I've come to associate that buttery taste with memories of him :)
Both of store bought blends contain some soy, but Earth Balance makes a soy-free stick version if you have a soy allergy. Coconut oil is of course soy-free.
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**A word of CAUTION: most and I repeat MOST margarines contain some form of dairy in them!!!!!!! Many add "whey" or "casein".
Check those labels!
If they are Kosher (in this case it has a "U" on the container) then they will either 1. have a little D next to the U meaning it has dairy (or was made on the same equipment as something with dairy) OR 2. say "parve" next to the U which simplified means it does NOT have dairy, nor was it in contact with dairy at any time. U Parve is a great thing to look for.
If you want more information on Kosher labeling, here are two sites that explain it a little more:
from About.com
from GoDairyFree.org
Check those labels!
If they are Kosher (in this case it has a "U" on the container) then they will either 1. have a little D next to the U meaning it has dairy (or was made on the same equipment as something with dairy) OR 2. say "parve" next to the U which simplified means it does NOT have dairy, nor was it in contact with dairy at any time. U Parve is a great thing to look for.
If you want more information on Kosher labeling, here are two sites that explain it a little more:
from About.com
from GoDairyFree.org
Substituting Cream or Creamer
There are several brands of diary-free creamer available (I have seen at least soy or coconut milk). The only one I have tired is and liked is So Delicious brand. It is nice and thick and creamy and does NOT have that strong coconut flavor, so it mixes well with things! I make my "creamy alfredo" sauce with it and it would go well in coffee or tea.
Substituting Sour Cream or Cream Cheese
Tofutti brand makes both a sour cream AND a cream cheese that are worth checking out. That brand has been around a long time and really perfected the flavor and texture of both. I recommend both.
These products do contain some soy, so again, soy-allergy people will need to look into other options.
These products do contain some soy, so again, soy-allergy people will need to look into other options.
Substitute Recipe for "Cream Of" Soups
We all have those favorite creamy casserole and soup recipes. The ones that call for 1 or 2 cans of cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, or cream of celery soup....so I combined many recipes and suggestions I found online and came up with my own substitute for "cream of".
Warning: I have never measured the exact amounts of seasoning I put in this recipe, so those who like to follow recipes exactly will be intimidated or frustrated (sorry!) and those who like to use recipes as "guide lines" to alter and "wing" will be fine.
Warning: I have never measured the exact amounts of seasoning I put in this recipe, so those who like to follow recipes exactly will be intimidated or frustrated (sorry!) and those who like to use recipes as "guide lines" to alter and "wing" will be fine.
for 1 "can"
4 TBs Earth Balance "butter" 1/3 cup flour 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth few shakes of black pepper (maybe 1/2 tsp?) few shakes of dried onion flakes (maybe 1 Tbs?) few shakes of garlic powder (maybe 1 tsp?) |
for 2 "cans" (double the recipe)
8 TBs (or 1 stick) of Earth Balance "butter" 2/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth 4 cups (or 1 carton) of chicken or vegetable broth black pepper dried onion flakes garlic powder |
Chocolate Chips
Dairy-free chocolate chips were a comfort when I started out being dairy-free and my list of recommendations would not be compete without them. They are a bit pricey (especially compared to buying regular chocolate chips in bulk), but if you love chocolate chips, you can't put a price on the necessity of them! These are GREAT and I think they taste better than "regular" chocolate chips. Have I mentioned I love these things??
I find them at Martins, Kroger, and Whole Foods, but you can also order them online from the company or even from Amazon if you can't find them in your area.
I buy 4 or 5 packs of them at a time and keep them in a large glass jar for easy scooping.
AND...they are soy-free and nut-free too!
I find them at Martins, Kroger, and Whole Foods, but you can also order them online from the company or even from Amazon if you can't find them in your area.
I buy 4 or 5 packs of them at a time and keep them in a large glass jar for easy scooping.
AND...they are soy-free and nut-free too!
Ice Cream
picture from sodelicious.com
A number of brands make DF ice cream. One of the leading brands is So Delicious. They have a huge selection of flavors. The are either SOY MILK based or COCONUT MILK based It is nice to have these options if you have multiple allergies! Both are good, but you might find you have a preference to one or the other.
Check out their website to see all the flavors available.
Check out their website to see all the flavors available.
Cocoa Powder
A word of caution. Some people with extreme dairy allergies or sensitivities might not be able to use Hershey brand cocoa powder. Even though it is "dairy-free" in the ingredients, I am suspicious it was contaminated in the factory because my child has reactions to it.
I was happy to find that the Martin's brand (pictured to the left) is Kosher certified, so it is safe!!
I was happy to find that the Martin's brand (pictured to the left) is Kosher certified, so it is safe!!
"Cheese"
As I mentioned in on the "getting started" page, try to avoid recipes that rely on cheese for their MAIN source of flavor. Dairy-free cheese add a nice creamy texture to some dishes, but are pretty bland due to not having the rich cow fat flavor. Most DF and Vegan people agree that by far the best brand is Daiya. They are also gluten-free and soy-free. I have the cheddar, mozzarella, and pepper jack "shreds", but they sell even more options that I have not tired. My family doesn't really care for the flavor in large amounts, so I tend to use other recipes and ingredients to make things creamy. I only have a few recipes I use this "cheese" in, but check it out, it is not bad and you might find you love it!