Easy Homemade Condensed Milk Recipe (15 Minutes!)

What is Condensed Milk?

Condensed milk is milk that has been boiled with sugar to the point where water evaporates just enough for the texture to be thick but not solid like, for example, caramel.

If you boil your sweet condensed milk long enough it will caramelize leaving you with a delicious dessert (maybe not the one you were aiming for!).

So, as you see, it is pretty difficult to mess condensed milk up completely (unless you forget it on the stove and come back to a black pot!).

You might be wondering, though, whether condensed milk and evaporated milk are the same. Glad you asked!

Are Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk the Same?

Condensed milk is sweetened with added sugar while evaporated milk is just thickened by boiling and letting the water out. You can use evaporated milk in recipes to add a milky and creamy texture to baked goods without adding too much sugar.

Can I make it dairy-free?

Yes, just use plant-based milk.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of milk (2.8%, 3.5% fat)

• 1 ½ cups sugar (you can use powdered sugar to make the process quicker)

• 20 grams (1.5 tbsp) butter (optional)

Step by Step Recipe

STEP 1 - Melt Sugar and Butter

Add the milk to a heavy-bottomed pot (heavy bottomed means that the bottom is thicker than just 1 layer of aluminum). I use a Dutch oven for mine.

It can work in a pot that doesn’t have a thick bottom but you will have to be very careful not to raise the heat too much to where the milk would burn.

Add butter and sugar to the milk and let the sugar dissolve while keeping the milk on low-medium heat.

STEP 2 - Bring to a Simmer and Boil

Bring your milk to a simmer and start raising the temperature slowly. Make sure the milk doesn’t flow out from the pot. You can control the temperature by adjusting the heat level.

If you leave your milk on simmer it might take 1-2 hours for it to thicken. Boiling your milk will make the process way quicker!

Boil your milk for 10 minutes stirring continuously to avoid burning, then take the heat down to where you can actually observe the texture of the milk.

If it starts to thicken, then you can take it off the stove, if it is still very thin then bring up to a boil and check again in 3 minutes. Remember, that sweetened condensed milk will harden as it cools!

STEP 3 - Cool the Milk

Let the milk cool down and then transfer to a jar and keep in the fridge for about two weeks. You can use your homemade sweetened condensed milk in plenty of recipes, such as homemade Raffaello or 2 ingredient ice cream!

Expert tips

• Use high-fat milk for better results! I used 2.8%, but you can use 3.5% as well!

• You might see some recipes call for as much sugar as you have milk (1:1 ratio) but when I tried making it this way it just did not turn out well. It is better to use less sugar for less crystallization and a creamier texture.

• After your condensed milk is done boiling, take that thick layer off the top to avoid lumps in your milk.

• Keep in mind that condensed milk will thicken as it cools, so take it off the heat when it is a bit thinner than you would like it to be at the end.

• You can continue boiling your milk until it is thick and brown if you want to make Dulce de Leche! I love using Dulce in my churro macarons and these Dulce buttercream macarons.

• If you don’t have powdered sugar you can use granulated sugar or just grind it in your coffee or spice grinder.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it last?

It should keep well covered for about 2 weeks in the fridge!

How to make caramel milk with brown sugar?

Super easy! Just take your condensed milk and brown sugar, melt them together, and whip in butter and milk until incorporated and you are ready to go. Check out this recipe for more details.

What is a good substitute in recipes?

If you don’t have a can of condensed milk at home or don’t want to make your own, you can buy cream of coconut in a store. It is different from coconut milk as the cream of coconut is sweetened and is much thicker than regular canned coconut milk.

However, if you are looking for a condensed milk substitute because you need a dairy-free ingredient, you can totally make your own condensed milk at home using plant-based milk in less than an hour!

Another good substitute is evaporated milk. You can substitute both 1:1, just make sure to adjust sugar levels since both substitutes have lower sugar levels.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, you can, however, sweetened condensed milk will separate as it freezes. When you thaw your condensed milk, you can mix it with a whisk to get the consistency of what it was before you froze it!