Who is this choice for?

Anyone adapting a biscuit recipe

If butter, oil or another ingredient already adds fat to your dough, you can compare milks by their fat content. When trying a different type of milk, however, keep to the liquid quantities specified in the recipe.

Parents making biscuits for the family

For biscuits intended for children, consider the recipe as a whole and the children’s ages rather than relying on the word “mild” alone. The milk used in a dough isn’t the same question as choosing the milk they drink every day.

Households looking for lactose-free milk

If someone needs to avoid lactose but can still consume milk, check that the product you choose is clearly labelled “lactose-free”. This does not mean it is free from milk proteins.

What should you check when making biscuits?

First, choose milk based on the recipe and the people who will be eating the biscuits. A description of its taste cannot replace checking the milk’s name and ingredients.

What matters What to check Who it matters to
Milk fat content Compare the milk description and fat content per 100 mL; also check what other fats are in the recipe. When my dough already contains butter or oil, I want to limit the fat added by the milk without changing the volume of liquid. Around 45% of consumers would prioritise this above all else.
Family recipe and age Check the recipe ingredients and distinguish between milk added to the biscuits and milk served as a drink. When making a batch for children, I want to take their age into account rather than rely on a “mild” taste claim. This would be the priority for around 33% of consumers.
Lactose-free Check for the “lactose-free” label, as well as the ingredients and allergen information. If I need to avoid lactose but can consume milk, I’m looking for liquid milk that works in my recipe. Around 22% of consumers would put this need first.

For milk consumed as a drink, Manger Bouger recommends whole milk before the age of 3 and says that semi-skimmed milk is suitable from the age of 4. This guidance alone isn’t enough to assess biscuits made for a child.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming skimmed milk will automatically make your biscuits milder

    The fat content of milk alone won’t tell you what the texture or taste of your biscuits will be. Replacing the milk specified in a recipe can change the result.

    Use the amount of liquid specified and try a small batch if you change the type of milk.

  • Confusing “lactose-free” with “milk-free”

    Joybuy’s Lactel Matin Léger product listing says “lactose-free”, but also states that the product contains milk. It therefore isn’t, on its own, suitable if you need to avoid milk proteins.

    If milk needs to be excluded, check the ingredients and allergen information for every product used in the recipe.

  • Applying the same guidance to milk in a recipe as to milk served as a drink

    Manger Bouger’s recommendations on children’s ages relate to milk consumed as a drink; they don’t automatically apply to a biscuit recipe.

    Consider milk served as a drink separately from all the ingredients in biscuits intended for a child.

  • Choosing a large pack without planning how to use it after opening

    Storage instructions vary by product. Lactel says its organic skimmed milk should be kept refrigerated and used within three days of opening, while the cited Candia and Auchan listings specify four days for their respective products.

    Check the storage time and temperature on the pack you buy, then choose a size that suits how quickly you’ll use it.

    Milk may go to waste if you can’t use the opened pack within the time specified by the manufacturer.

Brands and retailers to consider

These products give you options for comparing skimmed and semi-skimmed milk; not all of them meet the specific requirement for skimmed milk for biscuits.

Lactel

A brand to consider for UHT skimmed milk, with a lactose-free option under the Matin Léger name.

  • According to Lactel, its organic skimmed milk contains 0.1 g of fat per 100 mL and should be kept refrigerated for three days after opening.
  • The lactose-free Matin Léger product listed on Joybuy contains milk, so it isn’t suitable if you need to avoid milk proteins.

Candia

An option to compare if you’re considering semi-skimmed milk rather than strictly skimmed milk.

  • Candia states that GrandLait semi-skimmed milk contains 1.5% fat; its GrandLait des P'tits Nature product is also semi-skimmed and marketed for children aged 3 and over.
  • These products aren’t skimmed milk. Their presentation as suitable for children doesn’t predict how a biscuit recipe will turn out.

Carrefour

A retailer to consider when comparing the size and label of UHT skimmed milk.

  • Carrefour’s listing for La Marque du Consommateur UHT skimmed milk describes a pack of 6 × 1 L and states that it contains 0.2 g of fat per 100 mL.
  • The listing names milk as an ingredient and allergen. Check the label on the product you choose if this information is important for your recipe.

E.Leclerc / Delisse

Skimmed milk pack sizes to compare based on how much you need for your recipes.

  • E.Leclerc lists Delisse skimmed milk in 1 L cartons and packs of 6 × 1 L.
  • To compare ingredients or storage instructions after opening, check the packaging of the product you choose.

Auchan

A semi-skimmed option to consider if your recipe calls for this type of milk.

  • Auchan’s listing for 1 L UHT semi-skimmed milk states that it contains 1.6 g of fat per 100 mL and should be kept refrigerated for four days after opening.
  • This isn’t skimmed milk. Auchan advises checking the label, as the ingredients may vary depending on the product supplied or delivered.

Lidl / Envia

A retailer’s own brand to check in store if you’re looking for milk labelled “skimmed”.

  • In 2022, Lidl France described drinking milk sold under its Envia brand.
  • To choose a specific skimmed milk, check the product description, size and nutritional information on the product available.

Skimmed milk available on Joybuy

This is a lactose-free UHT skimmed milk to consider for a biscuit recipe that uses liquid milk, provided the people eating the biscuits can consume milk.

MATIN LÉGER skimmed milk, pack of 6 × 1 L

MATIN LÉGER skimmed milk, 6 × 1 L

Consider this if your recipe calls for liquid milk and someone eating the biscuits needs to avoid lactose but doesn’t need to exclude milk.

Joybuy’s listing describes a lactose-free UHT skimmed milk that contains milk and has 0.1 g of fat per 100 mL. It says to refrigerate after opening and use within three days.

The “lactose-free” label alone doesn’t make it suitable for someone with a milk protein allergy, nor does it guarantee a “mild” biscuit flavour or texture.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

What does “mild” mean when choosing skimmed milk?

The word alone won’t tell you whether the milk will work in your biscuit recipe. Instead, check whether it’s labelled “skimmed” or “semi-skimmed”, and look at the ingredients and fat content on the pack. If the result depends on the milk used, try the recipe first.

Can you use skimmed milk in biscuits for children?

Skimmed milk can be an ingredient if the recipe works with this substitution, but that alone isn’t enough to assess the biscuits as a whole. For milk drunk as a beverage, Manger Bouger recommends whole milk before the age of 3 and says semi-skimmed milk is suitable from the age of 4.

Is lactose-free milk suitable if you need to avoid milk?

No. “Lactose-free” doesn’t mean “milk-free”. Joybuy’s listing for Lactel Matin Léger says that this lactose-free skimmed milk contains milk. Check the ingredients and allergen information if milk proteins need to be avoided.

How long can you keep opened milk for your next batch?

Follow the storage time and temperature on the milk packaging. Lactel says its organic skimmed milk should be kept refrigerated for three days after opening; the listings for Candia GrandLait semi-skimmed milk and Auchan UHT semi-skimmed milk specify four days. Choose a pack size you can use within the time stated for your product.