How To Thicken Milk? 9 Ways To Become A Pro Home Cook

Milk is a versatile product that appears in many recipes. Yet, there might be a time when you cannot consume milk in conventional ways.

It is when your recipes require thickened milk!If you’re getting stuck with it, don’t give up the game! Let’s follow our article to learn how to thicken milk.

When Should You Thicken Milk?

There is more than one reason why people need to thicken the milk, but most of the time, the primary purpose is to reach a desired texture and consistency.

For example, you will need thickened milk to make flan, custard, or ice cream.

In some cases, you may want to make a thick, creamy milk-based sauce, but the sauce seems too thin and runny. Rather than going back to the beginning, learning how to thicken milk based sauce can save your recipe!

You may have to thicken milk if you’re making a reduction, which is commonly found in Eastern recipes. If your family member has dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing), you will need to alter your recipe so that they can easily consume it without choking.

If you’re facing one of those situations, you may try purchasing a milk alternative to save time and effort. But what if that ingredient is a bit expensive and you rarely use it in daily meals? 

There’s no way better than learning how to make milk thicker and apply them!

How To Thicken Milk?

This section will walk you through some easy methods to thicken milk so that you can use them for different purposes.

1. Reduce The Milk

If you’re looking for a way to thicken milk-based soups, it’s best to reduce the milk by simmering it over low heat. This way, the water content in your milk will evaporate, and the milk will thereby thicken naturally.

Make sure you stir it frequently to avoid burning the milk. Once it reaches the desired consistency, you can remove it from the heat.

This method will take much longer than a thickening agent, which we will introduce later!

2. Add Cornstarch

Using cornstarch is also a common way to thicken the soup.

You will first heat the milk on the stove. Then mix the cornstarch and cold water to a slurry consistency. For each cup of milk, you’ll need one tablespoon of cornstarch.

Once you finish your slurry, add it into your heated milk and boil the mixture for a few minutes. Don’t forget to stir it frequently, or your milk will end up burning!

3. Use Other Thickening Agents

Besides cornstarch, you can use gelatin, potato starch, arrowroot flour, tapioca flour, and rice flour, among other thickening agents.

Dissolve your thickener in water, add the slurry to the boiling milk and wait for a few minutes!

4. Use Xanthan Gum

If you’re going to thicken milk for someone who has dysphagia, you should use xanthan gum rather than starch or heat.

Slowly add xanthan gum to your milk, then stir it until you’re satisfied with the thickness.

This method also works with cold milk. The best part? It does not change the flavor!

5. Make A Roux

If you want to thicken milk-based sauces, you can try making a roux. A roux is made from butter and flour in equal ratios.

You will need to melt the butter over a gentle, then stir in the flour when the butter is sizzling.

Cook until the mixture turns light brown. Finally, stir the hot milk into the roux. It’s best to use two ounces of roux for each cup of liquid.

6. Mix In Egg Yolks

If you’re making custards or ice cream base, this is what you’re looking for.

You will need to separate the yolks from the whites and use only the yolks. Beat the yolks until creamy.

Now add a cup of milk to the yolks and stir it. This way, you can prevent the eggs from blending in the milk. Lastly, whisk the milk and egg mixture with the remaining milk.

7. Add Other Dairy Products

If your recipe calls for a creamy tart sauce, you can try adding some cream cheese or sour cream to the milk sauce. These dairy products will thicken the sauce while bringing a tart zing for the sauce.

As for cheese sauce, you can thicken it by adding cheddar cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, or any cheese that melts quickly to the milk.

8. Froth Milk

This method works best for thickening milk for coffee. You can use a dedicated milk frother or simply a saucepan on your stove. When you heat milk, it thickens and gets richer, which is perfect for making coffee.

9. Use Microwave

You may wonder how to thicken milk without flour or even without using any ingredient? Why not use your microwave?

Pour your milk in a microwave-safe bowl halfway and heat for 6 minutes on high mode. Then stop and stir it after about 3 minutes – depending on the power of your microwave.

Pro Tip: The methods mentioned above work best for full-fat milk due to its high-fat content. So, how to thicken coconut milk? How to thicken almond milk?

Well, these substitutes like almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk also thicken if using those methods, yet they require more time to work!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Isn’t My Milk Thickening?

There are a few reasons why your milk is not thickening. Most of the time, you do not add enough thickening agents (flour or cornstarch) or do not heat the milk long enough (it’s best to cook and stir it until bubby).

What To Do If Milk Curdles While Boiling?

Many of you may have experienced curdling milk when it is boiling. It often happens if you cook for too long or at a very high temperature. Sometimes, the main cause is the milk has expired.

If that was the case, you could make some cottage cheese following our method!

Heat the curdled milk until it boils. As soon as it starts to bubble, add some vinegar or lime juice. Then remove it from the heat and stir it constantly so that the mixture can curdle more quickly.

Does Boiling Milk Make It Sour?

The answer is no. As a result of the Maillard process, boiling milk has a darker color and a slightly different flavor than regular milk.

Compared to steamed milk, boiled milk is slightly dull and has a basic texture without creaminess.

If you use your boiling milk in cooking or flavor it, the changes in color and taste may not be noticeable. But if you drink it straight, you may taste it a bit different after being cooked.

Conclusion

Making the milk consistent is critical for many soups and baking recipes, so it’s never too late to learn this cooking skill!

This article has provided you with nine ways on how to thicken milk so that you can quickly deal with it in your kitchen.

Regardless of the method you use, make sure you add the right amount of thickeners and cook the milk at the right time, so you don’t have to do it over and over again! Good luck!