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Skim milk substitute

Dairy, cream and fats · Checked against 3 sources · Updated November 4, 2026

Quick answer

Whisk one-third cup of instant nonfat dry milk into seven-eighths cup of water to make 1 cup of skim milk. Evaporated skim milk works too: half a cup plus half a cup of water. Reduced-fat or whole milk swap 1 for 1, with a little more richness.

How much do you need?

Fractions work: 1 1/2, ¾, 0.5. The amounts below update as you type.

Show only options that are

What to use

  1. Instant nonfat dry milk and water

    • Gluten-free
    • Nut-free
    • Egg-free
    • ⅓ cup 79 ml instant nonfat dry milk
    • ⅞ cup 205 g water
    How
    Whisk until dissolved. Follow the package if it differs.
    Best for
    Baking and cooking.
    What changes
    Same as skim.

  2. Evaporated skim milk and water

    • Gluten-free
    • Nut-free
    • Egg-free
    • ½ cup 120 ml evaporated skim milk
    • ½ cup 120 g water
    Best for
    Cooking and baking.
    What changes
    Slightly cooked flavor.

  3. 2 percent or whole milk

    • Gluten-free
    • Nut-free
    • Egg-free
    • 1 cup 245 g 2 percent or whole milk
    Best for
    Nearly everything.
    What changes
    Richer. Hardly noticeable in baking.
    Skip it when
    Recipes where you are counting fat.

Diet labels describe the ingredients as normally made. Check packages for gluten and allergens. Some refined sugar is filtered with bone char, which matters if you eat vegan.

Which swap for which job

UsePickWhy
BakingAny of the threeMilk fat makes a small difference in most baking.

Do not substitute here

  • Strict low-fat diets. Whole milk. Use dry milk or evaporated skim.

Questions

Can I use non-dairy milk?

Often yes. Extension guides say an equal amount of non-dairy milk works in some recipes, though it may change the result.

Sources

Ratios come from these sources, in our words. Where they disagree, we say so or pick the amount that matches tested results. Ratios are a starting point. Taste and adjust.