This secret ingredient makes legend-dairy holiday cookies
Roll up your sleeves and get ready to make the most delicious cookies. You will impress your family and friends, as well as Santa, by incorporating this secret ingredient — nonfat dry milk. This dairy pantry staple delivers the flavor and protein of milk without the extra liquid.
When incorporated into cookie dough, nonfat dry milk boosts the overall flavor of the other ingredients. Nonfat dry milk, in particular, intensifies the flavor of chocolate. The dry milk also contributes protein to cookie dough. This protein enhances the texture and chewiness of the cookies.
“Nonfat dry milk is an economical baking ingredient that heightens the flavors of all the other ingredients,” said Monica Nyman, senior nutrition educator and registered dietitian with St. Louis District Dairy Council. “A tablespoon or two of nonfat dry milk will turn an ordinary cookie recipe into an extraordinary one. It is an essential baking ingredient.”
What is nonfat dry milk?
Nonfat dry milk is simply milk with the moisture and fat removed. Any type of milk can be dried, including whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, fat-free and buttermilk. However, the most common dry milk is nonfat dry milk, which has the lowest fat content. Like fluid milk, dry milk is also fortified with vitamin A and vitamin D.
Nonfat dry milk is the most shelf stable due to its lack of fat. Nonfat dry milk will keep for about one year when kept in a cool, dry storage area. When baking, a recipe may call for either the powdered form of dry milk or the reconstituted version. To reconstitute dry milk, simply add cold water. This pantry staple can save the day if you unexpectedly run out of fluid milk and do not have time to go to the store.
Nonfat dry milk boosts nutrition of baked goods
Because nonfat dry milk is made from fluid milk, it offers the same nutrition. A ¼ cup of dry milk is equal to 1 cup of fluid milk. This serving size of dry milk delivers the same 13 essential nutrients as fluid milk. Notably, dry milk is a source of protein, calcium, vitamin D, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin B12. Nonfat dry milk works well in baking and batter recipes, as well as in oatmeal, creamy casseroles and soups.
“Nonfat dry milk is a recipe addition that you can feel good about,” Nyman said. “Dry milk increases the nutrition profile of anything it is added to. It is an easy way to add more calcium, potassium and vitamin D to foods. Most Americans do not consume enough of these three nutrients on a regular basis.”
Milk: The perfect cookie accompaniment
Of course, once the cookies are baked and ready to eat, you need the perfect drink. Choose a glass of cold milk to pair with these tender cookies, or, even better, consider warming up chocolate milk in place of traditional hot cocoa.
“When you choose milk of any kind to accompany your cookies, you are choosing a nutritious drink that provides body-building nutrients,” Nyman said.
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