Easy Goat Milk Soap Recipe
This is a very simple goat milk soap recipe. You can make it using ingredients that are easy to find. You can even purchase sodium hydroxide (lye) over at Amazon by clicking on this purchase lye link. You can also use canned goat’s milk, powdered goats milk or fresh, in the fridge section of your grocery store if you don’t have access to raw goat’s milk from your own goats or a friend who is willing to share.
Goat Milk Soap Recipe
18 oz slushy raw goat milk
6 oz water
6 oz lye (sodium hydroxide)
9 oz olive oil
10 oz coconut oil
24 oz vegetable shortening or lard
Heat the sold oils until they are almost melted. Swirl the oil until they melt the rest of the way. Add in the olive oil. Set aside to cool down to 100 degrees.
Mix the lye and water. Mix the lye into the water (this is important to control how fast the reaction happens). It will heat up so I like to use a tall container like a plastic pitcher even though there isn’t a whole lot of liquid in the bottom. I also like to put the pitcher in a basin of ice water while I am mixing the lye into the water and getting the mixture to cool down to 100 degrees. Not being a patient person myself, if you want to speed up the cooling of the lye/water mixture you can slip a few ice cubes down the side of the pitcher. When everything is 100 degrees mix the lye/water into the oils, give it a quick stir with a wooden or plastic long handled spoon then add in the raw goat milk.
Mix with your stick blender until trace. Your soap mixture should look like thick vanilla pudding. At this point add in a few drops of what ever flavor you wish and what ever extra pieces of stuff. Give it another swirl or two. Now you pour your mixture into soap molds or card board soup trays (even ramine boxes work) lined with wax paper. Cover with towels and let sit overnight. After about 24 hours dump out your soap, cut, then let stand on end for several weeks to dry out. Enjoy!
Of course if you want to use goat milk soap much faster, you can always order it at HartNana’s store.
This is a short video I made about why I love goats milk soap and why you will want to use it too!
I would love to know how much soap this makes in pounds. Thanks!
It makes about 3.5 pounds give or take a few ounces.
Thank you so much! I have made this several times and I really like the recipe!
It is so forgiving and easy..I really love it too!
I’ve never made goats milk soap before. It looks easy. Would it be ok if I only put 5oz of lye instead of 6? I am very new to making soap so I would also like to know if I can brake it down and make half the recipe instead of the full recipe?
Thanks
Bertha
Biloxi Ms
Bertha, You can cut the recipe in half, it will work great. You do need to use the whole 6 oz of lye not 5 as you will need that much lye to react with all of the oils in the recipe. Making soap is chemistry…you have so much of each ingredient and all of the ingredients are measured out so that when the reaction is complete you have a specific substance at the end.
Thanks Nana
I am going to cut it in half. I have one last question? Can I replace some of the coconut oil with shea butter?
Bertha,
You can change the recipe, but I am not sure what the measurements would be..you can go here http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/resources/creator.asp plug in the percentages of the other ingredients and your shea butter and they will tell you how much of each to include. It is not a good idea to just start mixing and matching as you can end up not using up all of the lye in the process and have an end product that is not balanced enough to use without causing burns.
Wow!! thanks Nana. I really appreciate all your help.
The site you gave me was very helpful.
I’m assuming these amounts are all in weight, not fluid measurement?
Yes Pam, weight not fluid
What of you don’t have a stick blended??
You can stir with a wooden or plastic spoon, or even use a hand blender (we used to call them beaters), however it will take a lonnnngggg time to get it to trace. Read my latest post for my experience without a stick blender LOL. Anyway you can get them for like, $15 at wally world, or you could order one from Amazon through the link in the upper left hand side and have it delivered to your door. It does make a huge difference.
Ok thanks! I’m new to this so what do you mean by letting the lye mix cool like do you heat the water or does it heat up itself? Sorry just new…
Kelly, the lye will heat the water up. I like to put an ice bath beneath my lye/water solution to cool it down faster as I am really impatient LOL. Your questions are totally awesome, most people don’t think to ask them before. I had lots of problems in the beginning because I didn’t let both mixtures (the lye/water and the oil) get to the same temperature. It does make a difference
So I made soap last night and today it wont come out of the molds. They are still a little soft and idk what. I did wrong. Are they ok? Will they harden?
Just leave them alone in the mold for a while longer (maybe 12 -24 hours). I’m not sure what type of mold you chose. I like to use cardboard boxes – like the trays that ramin noodle soup comes in, or campbells soup (not that I particularly like to eat that stuff), I then line the trays with wax paper. When you go to dump the soap out to cut it is easier. You then just need to peel the wax paper off. I am off to write an article about molds that I was thinking about writing, but see that I really need to address this issue.
I really like this recipe also, however, my last few batches are quite oily on the outside of the bars. Will that absorb as it cure or have I messed up somehow?
Elizabeth, oily might be a result of one of two things, the first is that the batch has really traced. Over mixing seems to be better than under mixing. The second thing that might be causing the problem is any essential oil you are mixing in might not be fully incorporating, or you might be putting in a dash too much, and also if you are adding the essential oil after the initial trace, you need to mix like crazy some more to make sure that what ever oil you have added is causing the mixture to at least start to thicken. Hope this helps.
When is the best time to put in the essential oils and how much would you use? Are there certain essential oils that you shouldn’t use?
Hey Janet,
I put in essential oils just after the trace, mix um up real good with the stick blender again. I use about 1 -2 oz of oils. Some EO will make you’re soap firm up more quickly than others and adding more of an EO can cause your soap to “seize”. Because this recipe has so much water in it (and milk) the chances of seizing are relatively low. I will do a video and blog post about this tomorrow topic and link it here.
I used another recipe for a oatmeal and honey goats milk and when I put it in the water bath it started to seize on me. Also, I didn’t use fresh goats milk, I used the canned evaporated kind and it turned out a brown color. Is this normal? I am trying yours next after I get frew goats milk.
Danielle, Not too sure when you put “it” in the water bath, but I have had lots of experiences with goats milk turning “brown”. The water/ice bath happens as you are adding the lye to the water or milk (if you are really brave). I normally make oatmeal/honey this way. Make the normal “soap” recipe listed here. I mix the water and lye together and wait for the temp to go down to the 100 area along with the oils. Then mix the oils and lye/water, then mix in my really cold/slightly slushy milk into the mixture. After I get a trace I add the oatmeal (that has been ground up with a mixer or coffee ginder) and the honey, then mix to trace again.
The reason you are getting “brown” is because the milk solids are burning. I’ve had lots of experience with that LOL, which is the reason I mix the lye and water together first. I’m not even real sure it has to to with having fresh goats milk or canned, am leaning toward the “it doesn’t matter side”.
Should I scrap the brown one then? It turned brown on me right away. Also the recipe I used didnt call for water, just the goats milk, lye, lard, oatmeal and honey.
I hardly every just trash a soap attempt. What you could do with it is let it set up. Grate (with a cheese grater) your original batch then melt it over med heat (some people do this over really low heat or in a crock pot, but I’m just not that patient) add more milk mix it with a wooden spoon until it is all melted down, then put it back in the mold and let it harden again (should only take a day or so) If you have let the original batch cure, the new batch will be ready to use. Yes it will still be brown, but maybe not so brown. You could also add coffee to the mixture and just pretend you ment it to be that dark
I hardly ever just trash a soap attempt. What you could do with it is let it set up. Grate (with a cheese grater) your original batch then melt it over med heat (some people do this over really low heat or in a crock pot, but I’m just not that patient) add more milk mix it with a wooden spoon until it is all melted down, then put it back in the mold and let it harden again (should only take a day or so) If you have let the original batch cure, the new batch will be ready to use. Yes it will still be brown, but maybe not so brown. You could also add coffee to the mixture and just pretend you ment it to be that dark
Can I add just coffee grounds or brewed coffee? Would adding coffee affect the honey/oatmeal scent/texture. Also, do I let it set up the entire 4-6weeks or the 24-48 hrs. Sorry for the questions. Newby at this and other than having difficulties finding product in a small town I am truely enjoying it.
I have added grounds and coffee, it makes the bar pretty dark. It is supposed to be excellent for gardeners. Personally, I love it. If you have let the original soap cure for 4-6 weeks first then you can use the rebatched soap after about 24-48 hours…Love the questions so don’t apologize. When I first started making soap, I had one eye on the computer the other on the pot.
Whats your recommendation if I cannot get fresh goats milk? I’ve seen some in the cold dairy aisle. But I think it said low fat.
It doesn’t make much difference I don’t believe to use frozen, canned, powdered (and reconstituted). The big deal about fresh goats milk has to do with drinking it.
Another question. I have a rosemary plant and want to add some too my next batch. Can I use fresh herbs or do they need to be dry?
You can use fresh, you can also make tea out of the herbs and use it in place of water. They won’t keep their color but the added bulk makes a great exfoliate. The smaller the particles the better though.
I went to bed a little frustrated last night. I decided I was going to peek at my soaps. When I lifted the towel the top layer came off and stuck to the towel. It looked so awful. I keep wondering if I did something wrong or becvuase I used the disposable loaf pans filling them to the brim casued this. Is there a way I could share my picture with you?
Part of your problem is probably the disposable loaf pan – you need to use card board or plastic. I use boxes canned food comes in, but any card board box that is not much more than 20″x18″ (or smaller) will work. Line it with wax paper then pour your soap into that. The other alternative is to use plastic tupperware type containers, or soap molds. You can send me pictures to my email address by clicking on my “name” above. If you don’t mind I will make a blog post about it and post them on line?
I clicked on your name and it took me to a gavatar account but no where I could sned you an e-mail.
I took out my soap from the loaf pans today and it ate through the bottom of the pans. Lessoned learned-foil loaf pans not a good idea. Hubby is going to make a soap mold for me. Excited. Also my wax paper stuck to my soap. What fun that was. I trimmed down the top portion of the loaf where it looked horrid. Can’t wait to try my next one.
Hi Danielle, as you have found out, aluminum containers shouldn’t be used for soap making.
Stainless steel would be fine.
What about a wooden soap mold?
Wooden molds are great. You’ll want to line them with wax paper (wax side in) so the soap doesn’t stick when you remove it.
Thanks for helping out here Denise!
Is it ok to set the cut soaps on parchment paper during curing time?
Yes, just try to stand them up on end.
Does goat milk soap go through a gel phase? I am assuming it does not since that would get the soap too hot and burn the milk. Is that correct?
It does (sort of) and the milk can get burned. Sometimes if you add the milk and lye together directly your milk will burn and you end up with an orange -ish/brownish colored soap. The reason I mix the lye and water together and then add the milk after I mix the lye/water solution with the fats is to cut down on the over heating of the milk so much. I more consistently end up with a cream colored bar this way.
I purchased goat milk soap before and it is awesome. Just a few weeks ago I made my first attempt at cold process and it turned out great. Now I’m ready to make goat milk soap.:)
If you got the cold process to turn out for you Karen, you should have no problems with the soap recipe I’ve got here – it is super easy and super forgiving.
I just made my first batch…I doubled the recipe and poured it into a wooden box mold I have. I let it sit for almost 48 hours before cutting into it. When I did, there was a layr of jelly-like oils near the bottom. It was very soft and hard to work with. It also is giving off an amonia type smell. Help!!
Fear Not dear friend
All you need to do is scrape it all back into your pot heat it up slowly, they shave the parts that are “solid” back into the pot with a cheese grater (use gloves for this operation). When you wash the cheese grater make sure to put it through the dishwasher and dip it into vinegar to make sure that you get all of the lye “use up”. The vinegar step might be over kill, but I would do it anyway, that’s just me.
Once everything melts, stir it up until it traces well then re mold. I think you didn’t quit get a good trace before pouring originally. I have experienced the same thing at times in the past. This recipe might not do well being doubled as I had already doubled it before posting. I usually just make two batches. Thinking back I’m pretty sure the time I had problems was the time I doubled it again too.
What if I was not able to salvage all of the original recipe? It seemed to have eaten up the wax paper that I lined the mold with and there was a bunch I could not get the wax paper out of. By a bunch I would say about a cup. This is going to really off set the recipe right? I hate to have to scrap this whole endeavor and start over!
Mary, Just salvage what you can and add either a bit of water or more goats milk back into the mixture to get it to settle down. Though I am not an expert, I would say that your soap may have cooled too fast (that is just my best guess). If you are worried about the ph level of the finished product, follow the directions below for re batching, then once they have set for a couple weeks use a ph strip to test the level, you want it somewhere in the 6-8 range. If your product end up too base, you can always re batch again and add more oil. From my own experience, just re batching once tends to do the trick. You do need to be patient, it can take awhile to melt the soap back down and you don’t want to burn it. Some people use a crock pot left on low over night to do this.
can you use all olive oil instead of coconut oil? I have a milking goat and want to use the milk and try making it into soap.
Thank you kindly
You can use many different combinations of oils to make soap, but I wouldn’t just arbitrarily not use a type of oil in a recipe that calls for certain oils – if that makes sense? Soap Calculator This is a good place to go figure out how much of what ever types of oils you want to combine. It will also let you know how much lye to put in. Substitute some or all of the water with goats milk, or tea made from herbs or coffee. Hope this helps.
Hi. I am new to soapmaking and can not for the life of me figure out the soap calculator. I want to make a goats milk soap with the following ingredients:
Goats milk
Olive oil
Almond oil
Avocado oil
Cocoa butter
Coconut oil
Grapeseed oil
Jojoba oil
Crisco shortening
Could you please help me??
Thank you! Debra
SoapCalc © Recipe Name: Print Recipe
Total oil weight 3.5
Water as percent of oil weight 38 %
Super Fat/Discount 5 %
Lye Concentration 26.788 %
Water : Lye Ratio 2.733:1
Sat : Unsat Ratio 61 : 39
Iodine 46
INS 165
Fragrance Ratio 0
Fragrance Weight 0 Oz
Ingredient Pounds Ounces Grams
Water 1.33 21.28 603.277
Lye – NaOH 0.487 7.786 220.739
# √ Oil/Fat % Pounds Ounces Grams
1 Almond Oil, sweet 3 0.105 1.68 47.627
2 Avocado Oil 3 0.105 1.68 47.627
3 Cocoa Butter 20 0.7 11.2 317.514
4 Coconut Oil, 76 deg 35 1.225 19.6 555.65
5 Grapeseed Oil 9 0.315 5.04 142.881
6 Jojoba Oil 10 0.35 5.6 158.757
7 Walmart GV Shortening, 20 0.7 11.2 317.514
Totals 100 3.5 56 1587.572
Soap Bar Quality Suggested Range Your Recipe
Hardness 29 – 54 53
Cleansing 12 – 22 24
Conditioning 44 – 69 34
Bubbly 14 – 46 24
Hopefully this will line up in the comments correctly. I would use 8 oz of water to mix in the lye and subtract that from the amount of water you are supposed to add and use that figure for the goats milk. No guarantees, I’ve never made this, just ran your ingredients in the calculator and this is what it came up to be. If you make it, come back and tell us about it!
Thank you so much! I am going to try it tomorrow!
Another question for you…..Should I let it Gel or not?
Hello, I made goats milk soap yesterday for the 2nd time and it turned out better this time, and am pretty Happy with it, but it still kinda smells like lye is that usual or did I do something wrong??? I usd your recipe and it was very simple:)
Just am alittle worried about the smell:(
If you are worried Mary you can use a ph strip after the soap cures for a week or two to make sure that you used up all of the lye. If you are too high on the scale (ph scale) I would just rebatch it and add more oil (maybe coconut oil when you melt it down.)
Have you ever made coconut milk soap???