New to powdered milk and not sure how to use it? Here’s a guide about how to get the right ratio of milk powder to water, preventing clumping and also using milk powder in baked goods, coffee and more.
You may also want to read:
- How to store dried milk
- How to make your own dried milk powder
- Tips for freezing milk
- Best emergency food brands
What Is the Ratio of Powdered Milk to Water?
With most brands of nonfat powdered milk, the ratio is approximately 4 Tbsp. of powdered milk to 1 cup of water (or 1 cup of powdered milk per quart of water).
The following table will work as a general guide (we get into specific brands below)
| Milk | Water | Powdered Milk |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cup | 1 Cup | 4 Tablespoons |
| 3/4 Cup | 3/4 Cup | 3 Tablespoons |
| 2/3 Cup | 2/3 Cup | 2 -1\2 Tablespoons |
| 1/2 Cup | 1/2 Cup | 2 Tablespoons |
| 1/3 Cup | 1/3 Cup | 1 -1\4 Tablespoons |
| 1/4 Cup | 1/4 Cup | 1 Tablespoons |
Ratios can vary drastically between brands, especially if you are using whole-fat powdered milk or non-dairy milk powder.
Below I’ve included a chart of milk powder to water ratios for the most popular brands of powdered milk.
Tip: You don’t have to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when mixing powdered milk! Add more milk powder for creamier milk or add less for a thinner texture.
| Brand | Water | Powdered Milk |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Food Storage (Nonfat) | 1 Cup | 4 Tablespoons |
| Legacy Food Storage (Nonfat) | 1 Cup | 3 Tablespoons |
| Augason Farms (Nonfat) | 1 Cup | 5 Tablespoons |
| Kesler Foods (Nonfat) | 1 Cup | 4 Tablespoons |
| Bob’s Red Mill (Nonfat) | 1 Cup | 2 -1\3 Tablespoons |
| NOW (nonfat) | 1 Cup | 3 Tablespoons |
| Anthony’s (whole milk) | 1 Cup | 4.8 Tablespoons |
| Hoosier (whole milk) | 1 Cup | 4.8 Tablespoons |
| Judee’s (whole milk) | 1 Cup | 5 - 8 Tablespoons |
| Anthony’s Coconut Milk Powder | 1 Cup | 8 Tablespoons |
| NOW Organic Soy Milk Powder | 1 Cup | 4 Tablespoons |
| Better than Milk Soy Milk Powder | 1 Cup | 2 Tablespoons |
| JOI Almond Milk Powder | 1 Cup | 1 - 2 Tablespoons |
Powdered Milk Is Clumping
It is best to mix the powdered milk and water in a blender. This should create a nice, lump-free texture.
If you don’t have a blender, then use this method to prevent clumping:
- Mix the milk powder with a small amount of hot water
- Mix it until you’ve got a nice smooth paste
- Add the remaining water (which can be hot or cold).
Baking with Milk Powder
When baking with powdered milk, you don’t have to pre-mix the milk. Instead, just add the milk powder to the dry ingredients. Then add the water to the wet ingredients.
Using Nonfat Milk Powder Instead of Whole Milk
To use nonfat milk powder instead of whole milk, just add 1 Tbsp. of neutral-tasting oil per 1 cup of mixed milk. This will replace the fat that was removed from the nonfat milk before drying.
Making Coffee Creamer with Powdered Milk
To make liquid coffee creamer out of powdered milk, just use ½ the amount of water when mixing. You can also just add the powdered milk directly into your coffee.
To prevent clumping, put the powdered milk into the cup first and then add a small amount of hot coffee. Stir into a paste and then add the rest of the coffee to the cup.
If you use nonfat milk powder to make your creamer, you might want to add a small dash of coconut oil to the coffee to get a creamier texture.
Making Evaporated Milk from Powdered Milk
Evaporated milk is just milk that has had half of its water removed from it. So, to make evaporated milk from powdered milk, you just need to use double the amount of powder when mixing. For example, to make 1 cup of evaporated milk, you’d use 8 Tbsp of milk powder instead of 4 Tbsp.
Greetings!
In my area I was able to purchase powered Saco Pantry Cultured Buttermilk. I’m wondering if with any brand of powdered butter, would the assumption be that I could use the same general powder to water ratio?
As a teenager I was sent to a wilderness survival program where powdered milk was part of our provisions. It was the only sweet thing we had on our menu so we used it to sweeten oatmeal and also made milk ball candy by adding a fewdrops of water to a bag of powder then letting it dry.
Good Goat powdered milk available on Amazon instantly dissolves in coffee, has cream in it, tastes better than anything I have ever tried. ONE breed of goat produces this milk. Product is from New Zealand. Goat milk is more digestible: It is the universal milk replacer for mammals whose mothers are dry: I operated an elk and deer sanctary.
Great to know. Thanks for the post.
Thanks for that tip. I haven’t tried powdered goat milk yet. It’s definitely easier to digest.
I have used only whole powdered milk, much better than skim or low percentage.
I use Nedo brand, buy at WalMart number 10 can and smaller.
How much milk will a #10 can make?