Mixers

Whole Milk

Cow’s milk, used in our drinks as whole milk, which UK law sets at no less than 3.5% fat. That fat carries vanilla, nutmeg and spirit without the weight of cream, so a milk drink stays drinkable by the glass. Our recipes use it cold in the Brandy Milk Punch and Eggnog and steamed in the Tom and Jerry.

Quick Facts

Legal categoryFood

Flavour Strengthmild

SeasonYear-round

Our keeping timeChilled, by the use-by date; once opened, within the days the bottle states.

Storage

Refrigerated, capped, in the body of the fridge rather than the door if space allows.

Allergens

Contains: milk.

The ingredient

About Whole Milk

Flavour Profile

Primary Flavours

DairyLight SweetClean

Tasting Notes

Round, light dairy sweetness: the canvas the punch tradition painted on for three centuries.

Whole milk is the working grade

Drinking milk in the UK is defined by fat: whole milk at least 3.5%, semi-skimmed 1.5 to 1.8%, and skimmed no more than 0.5%. Whole milk has enough fat to carry flavour and a little froth without becoming rich, which is why milk punches and nogs are built on it rather than on cream.

Milk against cream in a drink

Skimmed milk

Fat: 0.5% or less
Body in a drink: Thin
Where we use it: Not in our recipes

Semi-skimmed milk

Fat: 1.5 to 1.8%
Body in a drink: Light
Where we use it: A lighter swap

Whole milk

Fat: 3.5% or more
Body in a drink: Smooth, drinkable by the glass
Where we use it: Brandy Milk Punch, Eggnog, Tom and Jerry

Single cream

Fat: 18% or more
Body in a drink: Silky, a short drink
Where we use it: Alexander, White Russian

Dairy	Fat	Body in a drink	Where we use it
Skimmed milk	0.5% or less	Thin	Not in our recipes
Semi-skimmed milk	1.5 to 1.8%	Light	A lighter swap
Whole milk	3.5% or more	Smooth, drinkable by the glass	Brandy Milk Punch, Eggnog, Tom and Jerry
Single cream	18% or more	Silky, a short drink	Alexander, White Russian

Cold, it makes a milk punch

The Brandy Milk Punch shakes 90ml of cold whole milk with brandy, simple syrup and vanilla, hard for 10 to 12 seconds, and is drunk at once. The Eggnog uses 60ml with cream and a whole egg for a richer version of the same idea.

Hot, it lifts a batter

In the Tom and Jerry, 120ml of milk is heated until it steams, never boiled, and poured slowly over the egg batter so it rises into foam. Boiled milk forms a skin and tastes cooked, and it would scald the drink. Older recipes use hot water, which gives a lighter drink.

Clarified, it disappears

Clarified milk punch curdles hot milk with citrus and spirit, then strains the curds out through cloth, leaving a clear, smooth drink. It depends on dairy proteins, so plant milks do not work. Treat a clarified punch as containing milk for anyone allergic: straining removes the curds, not all of the dairy.

Using it

Using Whole Milk

Usage

Shake 60 to 90ml of cold whole milk hard with ice for 10 to 12 seconds, as in the Brandy Milk Punch, or heat 120ml until it steams for a Tom and Jerry, never letting it boil.

Pro Tip

For a lighter Tom and Jerry, pour the milk in two stages: half to loosen the batter, then the rest slowly so the foam rises.

Top Tips

Use whole milk. Skimmed gives a thin, watery drink.
Heat milk until it steams and take it off before it bubbles. Boiled milk forms a skin and tastes cooked.
Shake milk drinks hard and serve at once, before they separate.
Pour from a bottle opened recently. Milk on the turn splits in the shaker.

Possible Substitutions

Cream: half milk, half cream: the richer punch reading

History & Context

The earliest recorded recipe for milk punch is in a 1711 cookbook, and Benjamin Franklin wrote down a clarified version in 1763, curdling hot milk with brandy and lemon. Brandy or bourbon milk punch remains a Christmas and brunch drink in New Orleans and across the American South.

Go further

More to explore

Common Questions

Why do cocktails use whole milk?

Fat carries flavour and body. Whole milk has at least 3.5% fat by law, against no more than 0.5% for skimmed, and that fat holds the vanilla, nutmeg and spirit across a mouthful. Skimmed milk makes a thinner drink; cream at 18% or more makes a heavier one.

Can I use semi-skimmed milk?

It works, with a lighter result. Semi-skimmed carries 1.5 to 1.8% fat, roughly half of whole milk, so a Brandy Milk Punch shaken with it tastes thinner and holds less froth. For the Tom and Jerry it steams fine but gives a less rich foam.

What drinks use milk?

Three of ours. The Brandy Milk Punch shakes 90ml with brandy, syrup and vanilla; the Eggnog adds 60ml alongside cream and egg; and the Tom and Jerry pours 120ml of hot milk over its egg batter. Coquito uses tinned milks instead, on their own pages.

How hot should milk be for a hot cocktail?

Hot enough to steam, never boiled. Heat it gently and take it off as wisps rise from the surface and small bubbles appear at the edge. Boiling forms a skin and gives a cooked taste, and it makes a hot drink too hot to sip.

What is clarified milk punch?

A punch in which citrus and spirit curdle hot milk on purpose, and the curds are strained out through cloth. What passes through is clear and smooth. Franklin wrote down a version in 1763. It takes hours of straining, so make it ahead.

Can I use oat or another plant milk?

In a shaken or steamed drink, yes, and no dairy remains in the glass. Choose an unsweetened barista-style milk for froth. It will not work for clarified milk punch, which depends on dairy proteins curdling, and some oat milks contain gluten: check the carton.

How long does milk keep once opened?

For the days the bottle states once opened, and not past its use-by date. Keep it capped in a fridge running at 5°C or colder. Milk that has started to sour splits against spirit or citrus in the shaker, so smell it before you pour.

Make something

Made with Whole Milk

Featured In These Cocktails

Brandy Milk Punch Eggnog Tom and Jerry

Often Used With

Updated 11 October 2026

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