Is There Milk in Cookies?

Written by: Kelly Donovan

Avoiding milk and other dairy products is necessary for some and a dietary choice for others. If you’re a fan of cookies, in particular, and have wondered whether they contain milk, you’re not alone.

Most types of cookies are made with milk and other types of dairy. From whole milk to butter, cream cheese, and creams, cookies aren’t usually lactose-free. There are exceptions since you can substitute milk and dairy ingredients for non-dairy milk and other products. 

Keep reading to learn more about the cookies commonly containing milk and dairy ingredients.

You’ll also learn how to avoid using milk and dairy in your cookie recipes, so let’s get into the specifics! 

Is There Milk In Cookies?

Most cookie recipes you find online or in cookbooks call for whole milk.

If not, they’ll at least call for butter, buttermilk, cream cheese, evaporated milk, or cream of some kind.

When it comes to baking sweets, milk is often a requirement as it helps to moisten ingredients.

The rising process and other chemical reactions also benefit from dairy. 

chocolate chip cookies on wooden plate

Types Of Cookies With Milk

Any type of cookie that calls for milk chocolate is going to contain some milk product in it. 

Further, certain cookie recipes call for a small amount of whole milk - not as much as you need to make a fluffy cake, though. 

Some cookie recipes even call for milk in place of eggs. For example, chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies contain milk in most cases. 

Is There Dairy In Cookies?

Milk is a dairy product, so cookies containing milk naturally contain dairy.

Otherwise, cookie recipes often contain other dairy products, like butter, buttermilk, cream cheese, cream, or condensed milk. 

The frostings used to coat cookies also contain dairy, especially buttercream frostings and cream cheese frostings. 

Types of Cookies Without Dairy/Milk

If you want a batch of cookies without any milk or other dairy ingredients, you can.

Production of non-dairy milk products is increasingly common these days. 

You can go to a grocery store and buy anything from rice milk to coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk.

And since these are all liquids of a similar consistency to dairy milk, you can use them as substitutes for milk in cookie recipes. 

Further, you can buy non-dairy substitutes for butter, such as vegan butter. You can also use non-dairy alternatives to cream and other dairy ingredients in cookies.

If you want to maintain a similar level of nutrients found in dairy, though, you’re better off using soy milk.

Final Thoughts

So, is there milk in cookies? Most cookie recipes call for a small amount of milk, or they at least require the use of butter or another type of dairy. 

However, you can always substitute milk and dairy with non-dairy milk like soy, coconut, almond, and cashew milk, as well as vegan products.

About the Author

Kelly Donovan is a freelance writer. She enjoys helping people reach their wellness goals by educating them about how food plays a role in their health.