Out of Milk, one case

Milk substitute for frosting

5 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 5 options

Use Heavy cream or half and half

1 tbsp for every 1 tbsp of milk

In buttercream and powdered sugar frosting, milk is only there to thin it, so replace it tablespoon for tablespoon with heavy cream, half and half, any plant milk or water. Cream makes the frosting richer and fluffier; water works and tastes a little flatter. Add the liquid 1 teaspoon at a time, because frosting goes from stiff to runny quickly.

Verdict —: Works
Best for —: American buttercream

One casethe full milk card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Milk substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 tbsp milk	Verdict
1	Heavy cream or half and halfAmerican buttercream	1 tbspWorks	Works
2	Waterpowdered sugar glaze and icing for cookies	1 tbspTweak it	Tweak it
3	Plant milkvegan buttercream	1 tbspWorks	Works
4	Lemon or orange juiceglaze for pound cake, scones and cinnamon rolls	1 tbspYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
5	Brewed coffeechocolate buttercream	1 tbspYou'll taste it	You'll taste it

What changesWhat changes, option by option5 options

Heavy cream or half and half

richer and rounder

The usual upgrade: many buttercream recipes list milk or cream as the same ingredient. Use it straight. Diluting it with water, as you would to replace a cup of milk in a batter, is pointless for a few tablespoons.

Best for: American buttercream, chocolate frosting, cream cheese frosting that needs loosening
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: Nothing in a frosting that is thinned by the tablespoon. Heavy cream whips some air in, so the frosting comes out a little fluffier.

Water

slightly flatter and sweeter-tasting

Water thins frosting as well as milk does. The butter and sugar carry the flavor, so the difference is small.

Best for: powdered sugar glaze and icing for cookies, buttercream in a pinch, dairy-free frosting made with shortening or plant butter
Prep: Add a pinch of salt and a few extra drops of vanilla to make up for the flavor.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Cooked flour frosting (ermine) and pudding-style frostings, where milk is cooked into a thick base: water makes a pasty one. A glaze made with water dries more translucent than one made with milk.

Plant milk

no real difference in the small amount used

Soy, oat, almond or carton coconut milk all thin a frosting the same way milk does.

Best for: vegan buttercream, dairy-free glaze
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Nothing in a sweet frosting. Sweetened and vanilla cartons are fine here, which is the one place they are.

Lemon or orange juice

clearly citrus, and less sweet

Juice thins a frosting and flavors it. The acid cuts the sweetness of powdered sugar.

Best for: glaze for pound cake, scones and cinnamon rolls, lemon or orange buttercream
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Chocolate, peanut butter and caramel frostings, where citrus clashes.

Brewed coffee

a coffee note; in chocolate frosting it reads as more chocolate

Cooled strong coffee thins a frosting and deepens chocolate flavor.

Best for: chocolate buttercream, mocha frosting
Prep: Let the coffee cool first, or it melts the butter.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: White or vanilla frosting, which it tints tan.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeMilk

A frosting takes milk by the tablespoon, not the cup, and nothing is baked. So milk's protein, sugar and fat hardly matter: it is a thinner. The exception is a cooked frosting, where milk is the base of the recipe.

Tips for substituting milk

5 tips

Add liquid 1 teaspoon at a time and beat after each addition. A batch of buttercream usually takes 1 to 3 tablespoons in all.
Too thin: beat in powdered sugar, 2 tbsp at a time. Too stiff: add liquid, 1 tsp at a time.
Have the liquid at room temperature. Cold liquid makes the butter seize into small lumps.
With water, add a pinch of salt and a little extra vanilla.
For a glaze, start with 1 tbsp liquid per ½ cup powdered sugar and thin from there.

Questions

5 questions

Can I use water instead of milk in buttercream frosting?

Yes, tablespoon for tablespoon. Milk in buttercream is there to loosen it, and water does that equally well. The frosting tastes a touch flatter, so add a pinch of salt and a few extra drops of vanilla.

Is heavy cream better than milk in frosting?

For buttercream, usually yes. Use the same amount. The extra fat makes the frosting richer and it whips up lighter. In a thin glaze it makes little difference.

Can I make frosting with almond milk or oat milk?

Yes, in the same amount as the milk. In the tablespoon or two a frosting takes, no one can tell which milk went in. Sweetened and vanilla cartons are fine in a frosting.

What replaces milk in cooked flour frosting?

Use unsweetened soy milk in the same amount. Ermine frosting cooks milk and flour into a thick pudding, and soy milk has the protein and body to do that. Water gives a gluey paste, and almond milk a thin one.

Can I use milk in place of cream in ganache or whipped frosting?

No. Ganache and whipped cream frosting are built on the fat in heavy cream, 36 to 40 percent against 3.25 percent in whole milk. With milk the ganache does not set and nothing whips.