What Are Dairy Free Alternatives?

"Almost all of our delicious recipes, as well as being completely gluten free, can be easily adjusted to become dairy free too. The trick lies in swapping out dairy ingredients, but what for? Read on for our guide on which dairy free milks and butters can be swapped into which recipes...

 

Substituting Milk for Dairy Free Alternatives

Soya milk

Soya milk is fantastic in savoury dishes and most baking recipes. It comes both sweetened and unsweetened - so bear in mind which variety might work best for the recipe you're using. We love unsweetened soya milk in Yorkshire puds - delicious!

Almond milk

Almond milk, like soya milk, is available both sweetened and unsweetened. It has a mild, nutty flavour, which shouldn't alter the taste of your recipes if used in baking - but adds a wonderful dimension to porridge!

Coconut milk

This works well in sweet recipes, on cereal or in dishes with particularly sharp flavours. Choose light coconut milk as a substitute for milk or single cream in recipes, while double cream can be replaced with full-fat coconut milk.

Rice milk

This is delicious as a milk substitute in light and delicate dishes. What's more, it's super easy to make your own! Simply soak 100g of our Gluten and Dairy Free Rice Flake Porridge in 700ml of water overnight, or pop it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes before straining. Why not also try using rice milk in our fabulously decadent Gluten and Dairy Free Chocolate Brownie Milkshake?

Oat milk

Using oat milk as a dairy free substitute gives a lovely creamy texture to bakes - and just like rice milk, it's very easy to make. Soak 100g of Gluten and Dairy Free Oats in 700ml of water overnight and strain for a delicious, safe dairy alternative! For all of the above, use the same amount of dairy-free alternative as the amount of milk stated in the recipe. Did you know? Soya, rice and nut-based milks tend to be lower in calories, fats and cholesterol than cow's milk!

Substituting Butter for Dairy Free Alternatives

Dairy free margarine

This works great as a butter replacement in all sorts of baking and cooking recipes. Use 1 part margarine for 1 part butter - though some recipes allow for the amount of margarine to be reduced by ¼. We love using Pure Sunflower Spread in our recipes for deliciously rich bakes!

Cooking oils

In some recipes, butter can be substituted for cooking oils to achieve a moist texture in bakes, and for roasting meats. Use ¾ the amount of oil as the amount of butter stated in the recipe.

Coconut oil

We love coconut oil! It's one of the most versatile ingredients out there - as well as a great dairy substitute, it makes a deliciously nourishing hair mask, and you can use it to cleanse your skin! In baking, simply substitute one part butter with one part coconut oil!    

Buying and using dairy free products

Almost every UK supermarket will now sell dairy free versions of milk, butter and sometimes cheese, which means that no recipe should be off limits for you anymore!   The ratios for substitutes are guides more than precise measures, and usually require a little trial and error to reach perfection. Always follow your baking instincts!"