How To Easily Make Homemade Milk (With No Cow Milking Required)

If you drink dairy milk, you may have never considered making it at home, especially if you don't live on a farm with your very own dairy cow. It turns out that making milk is as easy as combining water with milk powder. To make a delicious glass of standard milk, milk powder is combined with water, stirred until it dissolves, and then cooled in the fridge. While the milk can be made with cold water, some people suggest using a little hot water at first as it helps dissolve the powder. Just like regular whole milk, you'll want to shake the container thoroughly before pouring yourself a glass.

Milk powder is exactly what it sounds like; milk whose liquid has evaporated, leaving only the powdered milk proteins and milk sugars. The variety of milk powders is nearly as vast as options for dairy milk, with nonfat, skim, whole, and buttermilk being among the options. If you have a cow dairy intolerance, some stores even sell goat milk powder. Milk powder is often found in the baking aisle since it does not need to be refrigerated. While the milk powder may be near powdered creamer, the two are not interchangeable. Powdered cream may not contain dairy, and shouldn't even be added to your cup of coffee.

Since milk powder is shelf stable, it doesn't have to be used as quickly as dairy milk. A package that makes about 3 quarts of milk costs around $3.50 and is divided up into individual packages, meaning you don't have to use it all at once. But how does it taste? Just like regular milk, with the same smooth creamy texture, especially if it's served cold. It's important to leave the reconstituted milk in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to allow the flavor and texture time to develop and turn recognizably milky. Some people add a little sugar or vanilla to improve the taste (just as you could do with regular dairy milk). And a pinch of salt can enhance the milky flavor without making it salty.

We all know that milk powder offers a boost to different recipes in its dried version. You should be using milk powder in your baking to give some extra rise and oomph to your cakes and cookies. Reconstituted powdered milk can be useful in recipes, too. Once you've made the milk, you can use it in any recipe that calls for liquid milk, including homemade yogurt or ice cream, smoothies, or soups. Milk powder can be a lifesaver in places where there's no refrigeration. If you are going camping and need milk for coffee, hot cocoa, or cereal, simply bring your powdered milk, add water, and stir.