The Subtle Swap That Adds A Boost Of Protein To Pumpkin Bread

There are so many great things about fall: The soothing colors, the cool air, and the leaves falling from the trees. But best of all, there are the pumpkins — and lots of them. Muffins, cakes, pies, you can pick your poison this time of year, but pumpkin bread is always a trusty option, especially when you give it a protein boost. One of the easiest ways to do it? Use high-protein milk instead of regular.

We're not talking about those fancy, sugar-loaded protein shakes you might see at the gym, but ultrafiltered milk, a type of fortified cow's milk with a higher level of protein. It's usually found right next to the regular milk you might be used to, most commonly under the Fairlife and Lactaid brands, but instead of having 8 grams of protein per cup, it packs a whopping 13 grams per cup. And it won't alter the flavor of your pumpkin bread recipe. In fact, it might make it creamier and richer.

Ultra-filtered milk goes through the same pasteurization and homogenization process as regular milk, but an additional filtration step is added in at the end to separate the components, like lactose, water, and milk proteins. The lactose is removed, as is some of the water, while more of the protein is left behind, resulting in a creamier, more concentrated product that's higher in protein and more suitable for those with dietary restrictions. An added bonus is that high-protein milk usually contains around 50% less sugar, so you can feel a little bit better about that decadent pumpkin bread. 

You don't need to worry about adjusting any ingredients. Simply swap high-protein milk for regular milk at a 1:1 ratio in just about any recipe. Even though there's less sugar, some find that high-protein milk tastes sweeter because of how concentrated it is, so don't worry about the sugar levels.

The only thing you may notice is a slightly thicker pumpkin bread batter, but if that happens, just add a little more milk to thin it out. People bake using high-protein milk all the time, and although some find that it has a slightly different mouthfeel when drunk on its own, it should be virtually unnoticeable when buried beneath all of that pumpkin-spiced goodness. It won't make the loaf become an instantly healthy snack, but it will slightly boost the nutritional profile, and every little bit counts, right?