Baking 101: Pro Bakers Say Milk Powder Can Improve Any Dessert

Most of the condiments you can make with baking usually start the same way – by mixing flour, butter, sugar, eggs,  and some other ingredients depending on the recipe. What many people don’t know is that there is an ingredient you can add that is sure to make your baking a thousand times better — every time!

Milk powder, aka powdered milk, is made by evaporating all the liquid contained in milk. This means it is basically milk in its most concentrated form.

This kind of milk is rich in fat, protein, and flavor, and it does not affect the water content in your baking. Powdered milk will add more richness to your baking, and because it has a low moisture content, it does not have to be preserved in a fridge.

According to Chef Christina Tosi, author of “Momofuku Milk Bar and Milk Bar: Kids Only,” there is virtually no dessert adding milk powder would not improve. She said:

“Milk powder has an amazing way of adding a terrific baseline flavor. It can make ice creams milkier, denser, silkier—and cookies chewier.”

She calls it a “secret weapon” that adds magic to any recipe and allows for experimenting. In general, she says it just makes everything taste better.

Ramin Ganeshram, who wrote “Sweet Hands: Island Cooking from Trinidad & Tobago,” says something similar. According to her, milk powder gives your baking a chewy texture with a slight crust and is the best when making classic chocolate cookies. 

Ganeshram is a big fan of using milk powder for baking bread because, according to her, it makes the sandwich bread rise higher and flatbreads a bit softer. This is preferable to using liquid milk because it adds more water content to the batter.

Lani Halliday, a pastry chef, is also a fan of milk powder. She believes that milk powder adds more flavor to baking. She prefers to use brown buttermilk powder, but she also agrees that it is rich and can make baking ten times better than liquid milk.

If you want to enjoy the benefits of milk without being afraid of your batter becoming too watery, powder milk is the way to go.