Impress Santa with your baking know-how

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.

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 1/4 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. 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.

For more information on dairy’s benefits, visit www.stldairycouncil.org. Follow the St. Louis District Dairy Council on Facebook and Instagram at STLDairyCouncil.

Cherry Chocolate Cookies

This holiday-worthy cookie recipe features a secret ingredient — nonfat dry milk. This ingredient is a game-changer. You will find that it makes the cookies more flavorful and chewier. This economical addition boosts both quality and nutrition.

Servings: 36 cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 package (11.5 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chunks

1 package (5 ounces) dried cherries

Procedure

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine flour, nonfat dry milk, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Slowly beat in flour mixture until well combined. Stir in chocolate chunks and dried cherries.

Drop rounded portions of dough onto the baking sheet. Each cookie should be about 2 tablespoons of dough. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.