The Simple 1:1 Substitutions to Make Any Baked Good Dairy-Free

You’re on dessert duty, and you know your tried-and-true favorite cake recipe (or chocolate-chip cookies) will wow everyone. But wait: You just remembered that your best friend’s boyfriend has a dairy allergy/intolerance (facepalm). 

Luckily, if you follow a couple of rules, it’s pretty darn easy to make most recipes dairy-free.

1. If your recipe calls for milk or buttermilk: Substitute equal parts coconut milk (mixed well). You can also use soy, almond or rice milk—but, surprisingly, the fat content in the former makes for the most tender crumb. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to mimic buttermilk’s tang.

2. If it calls for yogurt or sour cream: Easy. Swap in a dairy-free yogurt (and add a teaspoon of lemon juice for sour cream).

3. Instead of butter: Opt for vegan margarine (like Earth Balance).

The only instance when you might want to start with a dairy-free or vegan recipe instead of converting? Cheesecake. Luckily, we’ve totally got you covered with our Dairy-Free Cheesecake Recipe and Vegan Golden Mylk Cheesecake