Quick answer
What can I use instead of milk and cream?
Plant milk (oat, almond, coconut), plant cream for cooking, or lactose-free milk and yogurt. In desserts and sauces you'll barely notice the difference.
Lactose-free recipes – full flavour without dairy
Lactose-free recipes swap milk and cream for plant-based or lactose-free versions — without giving up the creaminess or the taste. Find creamy soups, pastas, desserts, and baking you can enjoy with no aftermath. Pick one and cook with an easy stomach.
Best recipes
Apple strudel with puff pastry
Homemade oven-baked plum butter
Matcha with coconut water and silky foam
Homemade mint chocolate marshmallows
Homemade watermelon marshmallows
Homemade mango marshmallows
Homemade cherry marshmallows
Royal icing for cookies: the foundation for perfect decorating
Gingerbread spice: the best fragrant homemade recipe
Homemade sugar eyes for decorating desserts
Homemade plum sorbet with cardamom and brandy
Jasmine cold brew with pear and thyme
Cold-steeped watermelon syrup
Light and airy génoise sponge cake
Blueberry matcha latte
Refreshing hibiscus iced tea with lime
Homemade rose mocktail with ginger and rose petals
Pita bread with meatballs and vegetables
Pumpkin spice – fragrant pumpkin spice blend
Cherry jam with tonka bean
Sesame-crusted salmon with fragrant coriander
Gravlax
Vegetable curry with cashews
Quinoa buddha bowl with egg, chickpeas and vegetables
Frequently asked questions
Is lactose-free the same as dairy-free?
Not quite. Lactose-free products still contain milk protein, minus the lactose. If you need a dish completely without milk, reach for plant-based alternatives.
Which dairy products are naturally almost lactose-free?
Long-aged hard cheeses — Parmesan, mature cheddar, or aged gouda — carry only traces of lactose, and so do butter and ghee. Fermented products like yogurt break down part of the lactose on their own, too.
Can I still have dessert?
Of course. Creamy cups, cheesecake, or panna cotta are easy to make with coconut milk or lactose-free cream, and they taste great.