Baking Dairy Free: Tips and Tricks

Any baker will tell you that baking is a science. It can be tricky to get the ingredient ratios right to produce the perfect results. It’s not surprising that baking dairy free presents its own set of challenges. Whether your customers have an intolerance or refrain from dairy ingredients for ethical reasons, it can be very valuable to master dairy free baking if you're opening a new bakery.

Top Dairy Substitutes for Baking

You don’t have to operate a dairy free bakery to try some changes in your recipes. Recent food trends show customers turning away from dairy for a variety of reasons. Be sure to appropriately label your baked goods, as not all non-dairy recipes work for a vegan lifestyle if other animal byproducts are present. Below, we’ve included some of the most common non-dairy baking substitutes.

Lactose-Free vs Non-dairy vs Dairy-Free

When it comes to dairy substitutes, it's important to clarify the distinction between the terms dairy-free, non-dairy, and lactose-free. Dairy free products do not contain any dairy ingredients, like milk, cheese, yogurt, lactose-free milk, or whey, and they are considered vegan. Lactose-free products do not contain lactose, which is a type of sugar in dairy products that can make them hard to digest for those with lactose intolerance. They are not vegan or suitable for those with a dairy allergy. Non-dairy items may still contain whey and casein, which are milk derivatives, and would not make the product vegan or dairy-free.

Dairy Free Substitute for Milk

Milk Substitute

One of the most common ingredients you’ll need to substitute if you’re looking to bake dairy free is milk. Try the following milk substitutes in baking to make your menu accessible for all of your customers.

Lactose Free Milk

The first question to address is if your customers need dairy-free or lactose-free substitutions. If your patrons have an intolerance to dairy ingredients, lactose-free milk can be a simple replacement for milk when you’re baking. Lactose-free milk can be used as a 1:1 replacement in baking recipes and shouldn’t alter the final results. It is important to note that lactose-free milk is still an animal byproduct and would not make your baked goods vegan.

Seed and Nut Milk

Use non-dairy milk alternatives like nut milk and seed milk in your baking to accommodate alternative diets. Swap out whole milk with cashew milk and skim to 2% milk with a thinner option like almond milk. Many store-bought nut milk varieties are flavored or sweetened, so be sure to reach for unsweetened versions or adjust your recipe accordingly.

You can even make your own nut milk by soaking the nuts or seeds of your choice in water overnight. Strain the nuts and put them in cheesecloth before pressing the contents into a bowl. Soft nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, and cashews are great options for nut milk. You’ll want to make sure you clearly state which alternative you used in case any of your patrons have a nut allergy.

Grain Milk

If you’re looking for non-dairy baking substitutions that also avoid nut allergies, grain milk varieties could be good options for your recipes. Oat milk and rice milk are popular milk alternatives in baking. Because of its thickness, oat milk is great at providing a creamy, full-bodied texture, while the thinness of rice milk is best for replacing skim or 1% milk.

Shop All Non-Dairy & Dairy-Free Milk

Dairy Free Substitute for Butter

Butter Substitute

Most baked goods call for the addition of butter, from moist cakes to flaky French pastries. Swapping butter out in non-dairy recipes may sound intimidating but we have some alternatives that will help you render similar results with your delicious treats.

Vegan Butter

The simplest butter substitute for baking is vegan butter. Made with vegetable oils, vegan butter can be used as a 1:1 substitute without altering your recipes. Vegan butter is available in salted and unsalted varieties so you can find the best option for the baked goods you plan to serve in your shop.

Plant-Base Oil

If you’re looking to swap out butter for a non-dairy option, you can use a plant-based oil that may already be in your kitchen. Olive oil, canola oil, and coconut oil make great dairy free butter substitutes for your baked goods with some ratio adjustments. Use the following conversions in your recipes:

  • Olive Oil - 3/4:1 ratio. This means 1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons) can be replaced with 6 tablespoons of olive oil. You’ll want to use regular olive oil instead of virgin or extra virgin olive oil since the flavor is milder in comparison.
  • Canola Oil - 3/4:1 ratio. Use 6 tablespoons of canola oil for every stick of butter you’re replacing.
  • Coconut Oil - 1:1 ratio. Coconut oil hardens and melts like butter giving the two similar consistencies and textures. This is the best option for flaky pastries as it can be worked into dough in the same way as butter.

Ghee

Also known as clarified butter, ghee is often used as a lactose-free alternative to butter, though it is still considered a dairy product. Ghee is butter that has been simmered and strained to remove its milk solids. It can be used as a 1:1 replacement for butter in lactose-free baked goods. Because it is derived from butter, it is still an animal byproduct and is not suitable as a vegan alternative.

Dairy Free Substitute for Heavy Cream

Heavy Cream Substitute

Cream is a key ingredient in decadent desserts like some puddings, mousses, pies, and many types of frosting. There are some options you can try for a dairy free alternative to heavy cream.

Coconut Milk

When a recipe calls for heavy cream, full-fat milk, or half-and-half, you may want to reach for canned coconut milk or coconut cream as a non-dairy alternative. The texture and sweetness are perfect for frostings and filling while adding that desired richness that full-fat milk offers. To thicken the coconut milk, place the container in the refrigerator overnight to separate. The dense coconut cream that separates from the coconut water can then be scooped out and used in place of heavy cream. You can use canned coconut cream if you do not have time to wait for the separation. Just be sure to choose canned coconut milk and not the boxed variations, as the two are processed differently and won't produce the desired results.

Non-dairy Milk and Oil

If you have dairy free milk on hand, you can combine it with vegetable oil to create a heavy cream substitute for your non-dairy recipes. To yield one cup of your heavy cream alternative, just blend 2/3 cup of the non-dairy milk with 1/3 of oil. It is important to keep in mind that this will not whip up so it would not be a suitable option for dairy free whipped cream.

Non-dairy Milk and Silken Tofu

Achieve a rich dairy free heavy cream alternative by adding your favorite non-dairy milk to silken tofu. Add 1 cup of the dairy free milk of your choice and 1 cup of plain to a blender and mix until creamy. This is best for recipes with pudding textures like cheesecake or mousse pie.

Dairy Free Substitute for Condensed Milk

Condensed Milk Substitute

For sweet and creamy desserts, you may need to swap out your condensed milk for a non-dairy alternative. Give the following dairy free condensed milk substitutes a try. It is important to note that honey is not a sustainable sweetener option if you are planning to make your recipe vegan.

Coconut Milk and Sweetener

To achieve that rich taste of condensed milk in a vegan recipe, combine 1 can of full-fat coconut milk with 1/3 cup of a sweetener like maple syrup. After the mixture boils, let it simmer for 45 minutes. Allow this vegan condensed milk substitute to cool fully before using it in your recipes. It can be stored in the refrigerator for about 10 days.

Cashews and Nut Milk

Create a creamy and sweet mixture to replace your condensed milk by blending cashews with milk and sweetener. Start by soaking the cashews overnight or using a high-speed blender to process the nuts. Blend 1 cup of cashews with 1/2 cup of your nut milk of choice. Add in a 1/2 cup of maple syrup or other sweeteners.

Dairy Free Substitute for Cheese

Though not often used in baking, some savory treats like cheesy scones might call for the addition of cheese. Here are non-dairy substitutions for cheese to try in your baked goods.

Vegan Cheese

Keep your cheese substitutions simple by reaching for vegan cheese options. There are various types of vegan cheese to match the needs of your recipe. It is important to note that vegan cheese doesn’t always melt and stretch the way dairy-based cheeses do, so check the instructions on the packaging to achieve the best results.

Nuts and Nutritional Yeast

You can make your own dairy free cheese substitute by combining nuts and nutritional yeast. This is best for recipes that call for soft cheeses to impart a similar flavor profile. Blend two parts nuts to one part nutritional yeast in a food processor until combined into a fine crumble. Almonds and cashews work best when baking savory muffins or bread.

Dairy free baking has become a popular and healthful alternative to traditional baked goods. With a bit of creativity and experimentation, you can make delicious treats that are both dairy-free and delicious. By incorporating these substitutions, you can make sure that all of your customers can enjoy the same delicious treats.

Posted in: Bakeries|By Janine Jones
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This service will deliver packages between 1 and 3 business days. Depending on where you’re shipping to, it may only cost $3 or $4 per package. However, First Class Package doesn’t provide USPS insurance, so we recommend purchasing shipping insurance in case something goes wrong. Packages Over One Pound - USPS Priority Mail Cubic prices shipping fees based on a package’s outer dimensions, not its total weight. This allows you to ship fully loaded packages for the same price as lightly loaded packages. USPS Priority Mail Cubic offers 1-3 business day delivery and comes with insurance up to $100. The fine print: the package’s total weight must not exceed 20 pounds and its total volume must be under 0.5 cubic feet. 4. Ship Baked Goods at the Beginning of the Week The best time to ship baked goods is early in the week. Sweets shipped on Fridays often get stuck in sorting facilities over the weekend. The likelihood of delays goes up later in the week, increasing the chances that your customers will receive stale loaves of bread, or worse, sweets that have fallen into the food safety temperature danger zone. Tips for Maintaining Freshness in Shipped Baked Goods While shipping your baked goods early in the week and avoiding Friday shipments will help them arrive on time, there are other practical shipping strategies for maintaining product freshness. Discover the top bakery shipping tips below: Create a shipping timeline. Map out exactly how long it will take you to get your cooled baked goods into your customers' hands. If you can’t get frosted or cream-filled items to your customers quickly, you’ll have to cut these items from your bakery's shipment order offerings. Set order cut-off times. Setting a cut-off time will keep you, your customers, and your shipping carrier on the same schedule. If you're worried about losing clientele, you can always offer a rush delivery service for an additional fee. Offer custom tracking. Use a post-purchase platform like parcelLab to create a customized tracking page. Provide food storage instructions, serving suggestions, and coffee pairing ideas on your custom page. Communicate shipping fees early. State shipping options and fees early in the ordering process. Perishable items require additional packaging and rushed timelines, leading to higher shipping costs than nonperishables. You don’t want customers to make it all the way to check out and then abandon their order because of false shipping cost expectations. Consider including shipping in the sales price. Providing "free shipping" presents an accurate picture of the total expense of ordering your sweets from the start. Adding “shipping included” in the product description helps prevent failed conversion because of shipping fees. Bake with invert sugar. 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You don’t want to leave room for the plastic container to knock around during transit. Slide ice packs around the macaron container. This keeps them fresh and safe to consume. Use packing materials. This keeps the macarons in place during the shipping process. Choose next-day shipping. Work with a carrier you trust. Back to Top How to Ship Bread Homemade bread is time-consuming to make but delicious. Many would rather order bread from a premium bakery than try to make it themselves. However, not all loaves of bread ship as well as others. The best type of bread to ship is quick bread leavened with baking powder or soda such as pumpkin, zucchini, and banana bread. Unyeasted, "quick bread" is heartier and has a longer shelf life than yeast-risen dough. Your next best choice is bread leavened with sourdough. Yeast-leavened bread has the shortest shelf life and is the most fickle, making it the most challenging type of bread to ship. Steps to Ship Bread Bake your bread on the same day you ship it. Make sure the loaf is completely cool before packaging it. Then, follow these steps: Wrap the bread. According to USPS, there are unique methods for wrapping different types of bread. You should double-wrap soft bread in plastic wrap before wrapping it in either a plastic bag or foil. Wrap your stiff, yeast-leavened bread in foil before wrapping it in plastic or adding it to a bread bag. You should wrap crusty bread in plastic wrap or put it in a plastic bag to preserve its moisture before shipping it. While the crust will inevitably soften, this is still preferable to stale bread. Package your bread in a sturdy box. A padded envelope will not provide enough protection for your bread. Choose a box that can house your bread without smashing it. Fill empty spaces in the box with packing supplies. Bubble packaging is an excellent choice for cushioning shipped bread. Seal the box with carton sealing tape. Make sure there aren’t any openings. An airtight box will help keep the bread fresh. Consider Par Baking Your Bread for Shipping Par baking stands for “partially baking”. To par-bake bread, bake the dough 80% of the way and then freeze the loaf. Quick freezing with a blast chiller kills the yeast’s future power and creates a stable inside without browning the crust. The customer can finish the bread by baking it for an additional 10-15 minutes when it arrives. This allows the customer to enjoy a truly fresh, perfectly browned, and warm loaf of bread. How to Ship Banana Bread We explain how to wrap, package, and ship banana bread. You can use this method for other moist, quick loaves such as pumpkin, zucchini, and glazed lemon bread. Lay the plastic wrap on a flat surface. You can use a baking sheet, cutting board, or cleared countertop. Place the loaf on top of the plastic wrap. Leave enough plastic wrap on the left-hand side to fold over the banana bread. Cut a piece of wax paper the size of your loaf. Lay it on top of your bread to preserve its moisture. Wrap the banana bread in your sheet of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap to the left of your banana bread over the loaf. Then, roll the bread down the length of the plastic wrap. Tuck the plastic wrap at the top and bottom of your loaf into the roll as you turn the bread. Freeze the banana bread. Freezing the banana bread before shipping will help keep it fresh. Lay down a sheet of aluminum foil. Not only will aluminum foil protect your loaf, but it will also shield your banana bread from flavor-altering odors. Remove the banana bread from the freezer and place it on the foil. Place the foil on the left side of the banana bread over it, then roll your loaf in the aluminum foil, tucking the top and bottom pieces of foil into your roll as you go. Place your loaf in a sturdy bakery box, tin, or container. Choose a container that fits your loaf snugly. Add packing materials to any empty spaces. Load your container into a similar-sized shipping box. Fill any gaps with packing supplies to secure the container. Seal the box with carton sealing tape. Make sure there aren’t any openings. An airtight box will help keep the banana bread fresh. Ship the banana bread. Work with a carrier you trust and choose either overnight or two-day shipping to ensure product freshness. Back to Top How to Ship a Cake Unfrosted cakes, coffee cakes, Bundt cakes, and pound cakes are the best candidates for shipping. These cakes freeze and defrost well, so shipping them frozen is a great way to preserve product freshness. Frosted cakes are harder to ship than other baked goods, but it is possible with the right tools and techniques. How to Package Cakes for Shipping If you’re wondering how to ship a cake with frosting, this is the best way to package frosted cakes for shipping: Use a cake shipping box. A fitted Styrofoam mailer prevents the cake from jostling in transit. Keep the cake cool. Remove frozen cool packs from the freezer and insert them around the cake. Insert the mailer into a box. You want a mailer that fits the box perfectly and leaves no room on the sides. Seal the box. Tape all its seams and smooth them down. Use stickers to mark the outside of your box. Show where the top of the box is so transporters don’t tip your cake upside down. Mark it as perishable and fragile. Your cake is ready to be shipped. Choose overnight shipping and work with a carrier you have a good relationship with. How to Ship Pound Cake Pound cakes ship best in their disposable aluminum pans. Use wax paper or plastic wrap to cover the pound cake in its pan. Place the wrapped pan in a plastic bag and add it to a cushioned food box. How to Ship Cupcakes Once you've baked and decorated your cupcakes as desired, chill them in the fridge or freeze them for a few hours before packaging them for shipping. This will help preserve their flavor during transport. Because cupcakes are delicate and perishable treats, you need to follow a strict packing process to ensure they arrive intact and safe to consume. To ship cupcakes, you must purchase a cupcake container. Choose between a plastic cupcake box with individual compartments or cupcake bakery box inserts. Either option will shield your cupcakes’ frosting and prevent them from knocking into each other. Protect the cupcakes by placing candy sticks in the center of each cupcake and trimming the sticks so they hit the lid of the cupcake box. This anchors the cupcakes in place and prevents their frosting from smashing into the lid. Cupcake Shipping Supplies List Cupcake box and/or cupcake inserts Candy sticks Ice packs Shipping Box Tape Back to Top How to Ship a Pie Shipping a pie requires two boxes for double protection and plenty of cushioning materials. We explain how to ship a pie below: Make your pie. We suggest sticking to fruit-filled or nut pies and avoiding dairy-laden or meringue-topped options. Freeze your pie. Pies freeze and defrost well. Frozen pies stay fresher and stiffer, helping retain structural integrity in transit. Gather your shipping materials. You’ll need bubble packaging, a pie box, a corrugated cardboard box, and carton sealing tape. Add your frozen pie to the pie box. Pie boxes are specifically designed to prevent structural damage to pies, and some even offer security features such as locking corners. Decorate the pie box. Wrapping the pie box in branded gift paper, adding a handwritten note, or providing pairing/serving suggestions boosts brand loyalty. Wrap the pie box in air bubble packaging. Once you pad it, place the pie in the center of a corrugated cardboard box. Surround the pie with ice packs to keep it cool. Cushioned ice packs serve the dual functions of protecting the pie's food safety and structural integrity. Fill in any gaps. Add packing materials to prevent the inner box from sliding around during transit. Seal the pie box with carton sealing tape. Make sure there aren’t any openings. An airtight box will help keep the pie fresh. Ship your pie overnight. Pies are perishable and need to arrive fast and fresh. How to Ship Brownies Brownies are one of the best baked goods to ship. We explain how to package brownies for shipping so your customers receive fudgy, fresh, and fantastic brownies in the mail. Cut brownies into small squares. Small brownies have less circumference to break down in transit. Wrap brownies individually. If you’re shipping your brownies to a humid environment, wrap each brownie in foil to protect them from humidity. If you’re shipping your brownies to an arid environment, wrap each brownie in plastic wrap to protect them from dry heat. Place the tightly wrapped brownies in the freezer. Frozen brownies are firmer and hold their form in transit, and they stay fresher during transport. Box the brownies. Place the individually wrapped brownies inside a box, tin, or plastic container for protection. Slip the box of brownies into a shipping box. Stuff packing materials around the brownies so they remain fixed during transit. Seal the box with carton sealing tape. Make sure there aren’t any openings. An airtight box will help keep the brownies fresh. Shipping Brownies Tips Wondering how to mail brownies so they arrive as perfect, fudgy squares? We provide the top tips for shipping brownies below: For the freshest results: Ship an entire tray of brownies. Uncut brownies stay freshest, so this is the best shipping option. Lay aluminum foil down in your baking dish before adding the brownie batter so you can easily remove the brownies from the pan after they're baked. Use a large enough piece of aluminum foil to fold over the top of the brownies, and it will double as packaging. For bulk orders: If you want to package a few brownies together, lay parchment paper down at the bottom of their container. Add a layer of brownies and cover them with parchment paper. Repeat until your container is full. For moisture: Adding chocolate chips to the batter helps keep the brownies moist. For food safety: Subbing vegetable oil for butter in the brownie recipe helps them stay safe to consume after transit. Back to Top Shipping Baked Goods FAQ Now you know how to start a shipping service for your bakery and how to package each of your baked goods for shipping. But you still have some questions, and we’re way ahead of you. From a list of baked goods that ship well to a bakery shipping supplies list, we outline the nitty-gritty details of shipping baked goods in this FAQs section. Best Baked Goods to Ship The best baked goods to ship are sturdy and aren’t prone to melting. Whole baked goods stay fresher than cut baked goods, so shipping a pie vs. a slice of pie is always best. Ideally, you want to ship baked goods you can wrap individually. We provide a list of the best baked goods to send in the mail with examples by their type below: Bread - Quick bread such as banana bread, pumpkin bread, and zucchini bread does great in the mail. Cakes - Unfrosted cakes such as pound cakes, Bundt cakes, and coffee cakes arrive intact and fresh after shipping. Pies - Fruit/nut pies like cherry, apple, blackberry, and pecan are perfect for mail-ordered sweets. Cookies - Most cookies with eggs in their recipe ship well. Cookies without sticky mix-ins such as oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, and chocolate chip ship best. Bars - Brownies, blondies, and magic bars are some of the best baked goods to ship. List of Baked Goods That Don’t Ship Well Just like certain baked goods hold up well in the mail, others lose their form and flavor. Dairy-rich treats require low temperatures for safe consumption, so they make poor shipping candidates. Items with delicate toppings often arrive smashed and ruined. Sticky sweets, like caramel and toffee, cling to packaging and other baked goods, ruining their presentation. This doesn't mean you can't successfully ship these items with the proper packaging, but it will be more expensive. You will also run a greater risk of product loss and customer dissatisfaction. Discover the riskiest baked goods to ship by their type below: Bread - Yeast-leavened and crusty bread (baguettes, boules, pan Cubano) don't ship well. Frosted Cake - All frostings are poor shipping candidates. Whipped cream and cream cheese frosting are the worst for shipping since they must be refrigerated, making carrot cake, strawberry shortcake, and icebox cake the hardest cakes to ship. Pies - French silk pie, lemon meringue pie, and key lime pie are very hard to ship. Cookies - While they're still relatively shipping-friendly, cookies with sticky ingredients like caramel, frosted cookies, and eggless cookies like shortbread are harder to ship. Bars - Ooey gooey butter bars, chess bars, and caramel bars require careful packaging. Cheesecake - Since cheesecake must maintain a low internal temperature, it is not an easy item to ship. Bakery Shipping Supplies Whether you’re selling baked goods on an e-commerce platform or filling nationwide shipping orders, here are the bakery shipping supplies you’ll need: Aluminum Foil Pans - cake pans, pie pans, tart pans, and Danish pans Bakery Boxes - cake boxes, cookie boxes, box insert kits, pastry boxes Cupcake/Muffin Takeout Containers - cupcake boxes, hinged cupcake containers, cupcake inserts Disposable Baking Pans - disposable paper and plastic bakeware, disposable loaf pans Disposable Baking Tools - cake pop sticks, bun rack covers, piping bags, pipettes Insulated Shipping Supplies - round cake/pie shipping boxes, insulated bubble packaging, food pan shippers, box liners, multi-depth shippers Cardboard Shipping/Mailing Boxes - stock up on a variety of cardboard shipping box sizes Mailing/Shipping Labels - shipping tags, mailings tags, handling labels Cold Packs - gel cold packs, thermal cold packs, flexible ice mats, foam cold packs, ice packs Packing Paper - stock up on wholesale rolls and sheets of packing paper How to Keep Baked Goods Fresh for Shipping To keep your baked goods fresh for shipping, bake and ship your treats on the same day. Make sure your baked goods are completely cool before you package them. If you’re sending shipping-friendly treats, Priority Mail will usually get your goodies to your customers on time. However, for dairy-laden, frosted, or heat-sensitive sweets, you’ll need to select next-day delivery. Back to Top Especially around the holidays, sending baked goods in the mail is a popular way to show each other we care. Whether you're starting an online bakery, hoping to tap into remote markets, or simply want to send your loved ones a care package, reference back to this guide to ship your baked goods. With these best practices in mind, your goodies will arrive fresh, intact, and safe to consume.

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