Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe (2024)

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk recipe makes a delicious, made from scratch version of sweetened condensed milk that you can use in coffee, baking, ice cream and more!

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe (1)

This homemade sweetened condensed milk is a recipe that I hope you love as much as I do. It isn’t an ingredient that we use a lot in cooking, but when I do, I like to turn to this homemade version. It is perfect for making homemade ice cream, fudge, pies, and so much more!

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe (2)

What is Sweetened Condensed Milk?

Sweetened condensed milk is a milk that has been heated to remove any water from the milk. This reduces the milk by at least half and thickens the consistency of the milk into a thick liquid.

How to Make Sweetened Condensed Milk

This homemade version is made with just four ingredients that you most likely already have on hand.

milk – Use your favorite milk. You can use dairy or dairy-free milk options based on your personal preferences. I have tested and loved using almond, cashew and even oat milk for a dairy-free recipe. The flavor will change based on the milk that you use.

sweetener – Use your favorite sweetener. You can use granulated sugar, honey, maple syrup or any other favorite. I have even tested it with Splenda to make a sugar-free version. The sweetener that you use will change the flavor. For example, if you use maple syrup, it will have maple undertones to it (which is delicious, by the way!).

butter – I use salted butter when I make this recipe but you can use whichever butter you prefer or have on hand. It adds a silkiness and so much richness to the recipe and enhances it in my personal opinion. If you prefer not to use it, you can omit it from the recipe.

vanilla extract – the vanilla extract adds so much depth to the condensed milk.

Can I Use this Recipe in Place of Store-Bought?

Absolutely! I’ve tested the recipe time and again to make sure that it yields just the right amount to use for recipes that call for a can of store-bought.

That way, it removes any guesswork from using this homemade recipe in place of the standard can from the grocery store. It is equal to just a bit over a cup, 1 1/4 cups each time I’ve made it.Once you make your own, I think you’ll be so surprised at how easy it is!

How Long Does it Last?

Once made, store in a clean jar with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months. If frozen, just thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then shake vigorously in an airtight container with lid on or pour into a larger container and whisk until smooth and consistent throughout.

Favorite Recipes Using Sweetened Condensed Milk

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Easy Coconut Macaroons Recipe

Key Lime Pie Recipe

Easy Fudge Recipe

+ more recipes using sweetened condensed milk

Here’s my Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe (3)

PinPrintSave

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe

Robyn Stone

4.96 from 65 votes

This Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk recipe makes a delicious, made from scratch version of sweetened condensed milk that you can use in coffee, baking, ice cream and more!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 ounces

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (454 g) whole milk, dairy, almond, cashew, oat, etc.
  • 3/4 cup (148.5 g) sugar, granulated or cane, honey, or maple syrup
  • 4 tablespoons (56 g) salted butter
  • 1 teaspoon (4.7 g) vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Whisk together milk and sweetener in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisking often, bring to a low simmer. Continue to simmer, whisking often, until milk has reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Once reduced, remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Allow to cool completely and store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

Makes 1 1/4 cups.

Metric conversions and nutrition calculations use whole dairy milk and granulated sugar.

To make sugar-free: Use your favorite heat-safe sugar substitute in the appropriate amounts for the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ounce | Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3.4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Join today & start saving your favorite recipes

Create an account to easily save your favorite recipes.

Save recipe

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe (4)

Categorized as:All Recipes, Cooking, Dessert Recipes, Egg-Free Recipes, Essentials, Gluten-Free Recipes, Grain-Free Recipes, how to, Kitchen Tips, Recipes, Simple Recipes

Welcome to Add A Pinch

About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

Read more about Robyn

Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe

45 mins

The Best Brownies Recipe Ever

40 mins

Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe

1 hr 40 mins

Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe

7 mins

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in a can of sweetened condensed milk? ›

Whole Milk, Sugar.

What can I use in place of sweetened condensed milk? ›

Condensed Milk Substitutes

If you don't have sweetened condensed milk, you can make your own using evaporated milk and sugar, or you can bring 3/4 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of water, and 1 1/8 cups of dry powdered milk to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

How long does homemade sweetened condensed milk last? ›

Cover and refrigerate until cool and thick, and store up to a month in the fridge.

Can you turn evaporated milk into sweetened condensed milk? ›

While we don't recommend substituting condensed milk for evaporated milk or vice versa, you can make your own condensed milk when you're in a pinch. Simply heat together 1½ cups of sugar and one can of evaporated milk until the sugar has fully dissolved.

How to condensed milk at home? ›

firstly, in a bowl take 2 cup full cream powder, 1 tsp corn flour, 1 cup sugar, ¼ tsp baking soda and 1 cup milk. whisk and mix well until everything is well combined. now pour the milk mixture into a large kadai and keep stirring. keep the flame on medium and keep stirring.

Is homemade condensed milk good? ›

Homemade Is Better

Homemade condensed milk is not only cheaper, but it tastes more delicious, as making it requires less heat and sugar, allowing the flavor of the milk to come through.

How do I substitute heavy cream for sweetened condensed milk? ›

Can you substitute sweetened condensed milk for heavy cream or half & half in recipes? Simply mix 1 cup of heavy cream with ¼ cup of sugar to get a creamy rich alternative. You can use this as a 1:1 exchange for sweetened condensed milk in any recipe.

Can I use milk powder instead of condensed milk? ›

Yes it can, only thing please keep in mind your recipe will need lot of adjustment Sweetened condensed milk has I believe 40 percent sugar, and where as SMP has none, also there has to be some adjustment even minor for fat also.

What makes condensed milk condensed? ›

Condensed just means that the milk was cooked down in order to remove some of the water from it, the same way you would cook down a stock or a sauce to concentrate its flavor. Sweetened: Yeah, you guessed it. There's sugar added to sweetened condensed milk.

Why is my homemade sweetened condensed milk not thickening? ›

If you find that your condensed milk hasn't thickened, that means that the pan was removed from the heat too early. This can be corrected by returning your mixture to a pan and carefully continuing the heating process.

What are the crystals in sweetened condensed milk? ›

Lactose crystallization always occurs during the processing of sweetened condensed milk products; usually occurs in the manufacture of condensed and dried wheys, and may take place in such products as ice cream, plain condensed, dry, and frozen milks.

How long does condensed milk last in a mason jar? ›

How long can you keep unopened canned sweetened (condensed) whole cow's milk, room temperature or refrigerated? Unopened canned sweetened condensed whole cow's milk can be kept at room temperature for up to 1 year. However, once opened, it should be refrigerated and used within 7 to 10 days.

What can I replace sweetened condensed milk with? ›

Canned cream of coconut

Cream of coconut is a great substitute for sweetened condensed milk, giving a hint of tropical flavor. It's dairy-free and can be substituted cup for cup. The thick consistency of cream of coconut closely resembles sweetened condensed milk, allowing for similar richness in many recipes.

What's the difference between condensed milk and sweetened condensed milk? ›

Condensed milk is evaporated milk that typically has sweetener added, so much so that the terms 'condensed milk' and 'sweetened condensed milk' are used interchangeably. Sugar is added before canning; condensed milk is very sweet and contains about 40 to 45 percent sugar.

What type of sugar is in condensed milk? ›

Sweetened condensed milk (SCM) is a dairy product obtained by evaporating some water from skim milk or whole milk with adding sugar. This product is obtained by the heat treatment and the addition of sweeteners such as sucrose and can be consumed as a dessert (Silva, et al., 2020).

How unhealthy is a can of condensed milk? ›

There could be gas, cramps, and stomach discomfort. Because condensed milk is more concentrated than the same volume of regular milk, it contains more lactose. Sweetened condensed milk includes a lot of calories, but it also has a lot of saturated fat, which is dangerous for people with diabetes and heart issues.

What are condensed milk cans made of? ›

Condensed milk cans are different than other cans in terms of their size and the type of material used in their construction. They are typically smaller and wider than traditional cans, and are often made of thicker, stronger metal to withstand the pressure of the thick, sweet syrup inside.

Why is condensed milk not advisable? ›

Sweetened condensed milk is high in calories and unsuitable for people with cow's milk protein allergy or lactose intolerance. Its sweet flavor may be off-putting for some and doesn't typically serve as a good substitute for regular milk in recipes.

What does condensed milk contain? ›

Condensed milk is cow's milk from which water has been removed (roughly 60% of it). It is most often found with sugar added, in the form of sweetened condensed milk, to the extent that the terms "condensed milk" and "sweetened condensed milk" are often used interchangeably today.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Sen. Emmett Berge

Last Updated:

Views: 6515

Rating: 5 / 5 (60 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Sen. Emmett Berge

Birthday: 1993-06-17

Address: 787 Elvis Divide, Port Brice, OH 24507-6802

Phone: +9779049645255

Job: Senior Healthcare Specialist

Hobby: Cycling, Model building, Kitesurfing, Origami, Lapidary, Dance, Basketball

Introduction: My name is Sen. Emmett Berge, I am a funny, vast, charming, courageous, enthusiastic, jolly, famous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.