Homemade Condensed Milk using three simple ingredients. Its texture is supremely creamy and thick. This stuff tastes just like milky caramelized sugar!
Have you ever tried making sweetened condensed milk at home?
If you answered no, you are in for a treat!
If you answered no, you are in for a bigger treat. You'd ask why!
Coz
Recipe PROs:
- This recipe tastes so much better than that store bought can. (Heck did you ever notice the price tag on it?)
- You will be immensely surprised at how creamy this recipe turns out. A pinch of a secret ingredient makes it happen.
So stay tuned!!!
Recipe Ingredients:
Easy peasy! 3 ingredients you have right now in your kitchen. And I am 275% sure of this fact!
They are:
- Milk: Any milk works. I like to use full fat. But seriously, 2 percent, or evaporated milk, even coconut milk can be used to make dairy free condensed milk.
- Sugar: To sweeten the milk.
- And a tiny pinch of Baking soda: Believe me, it is the game changer of this recipe. We will add it after we switch off the flame. Baking soda will instantly make your milk frothy and supremely creamy!
How to make homemade condensed milk
You can make this recipe at home in 3 easy steps!
- Step 1: Add sugar to milk in a sauce pan.
- Step 2: Boil the mixture till it thickens. Stir frequently in between. We don't wan't it to form lumps.
- Step 3: Switch the flame off. Add a dash of baking soda and watch the magic happening in your pan!
- Step 4: This step is entirely optional! If you notice any traces of lumps in your condensed milk, run it through a sieve.
Is Sweetened Condensed Milk supposed to be thick?
Yes, it is fairly thick and creamy in texture.
Which is thicker Evaporated milk or condensed milk?
Short answer is condensed milk.
How do you thicken sweetened condensed milk?
Boil milk and sugar on medium-high heat (stirring continuously) for about 15-20 mins. It will thicken. Add a pinch of baking soda after turning the flame off.
Can evaporated milk be substituted for sweetened condensed milk?
I'd advice against it. As evaporated milk is thinner than condensed milk, so it will affect the texture of your final product.
How much sugar do you add to evaporated milk to make condensed milk?
¾ cup for 1 can of evaporated milk . Boil it till the mixture thickens!
More from Greedy Eats:
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream made with condensed milk and dark chocolate
Recipe
Sweetened Condensed Milk
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottomed Wide Sauce Pan (I opted for a Ceramic one. Both non stick and stainless steel will work too!)
Ingredients
- 2 Cups (500 ml) Full Fat Milk (even 2% works)
- 1 Cup (200 gms) Granulated Sugar
- a pinch Baking Soda
Instructions
- Pour milk to a thick bottomed and wide sauce pan over medium-high heat. Wide sauce pan will help to reduce the milk faster. Add sugar to the milk.
- Allow the milk to come to a boil. Whisk or keep stirring with a spatula at frequent intervals to avoid milk from sticking. After first boil, reduce the flame to medium for 2-3 minutes and stir continuously, so that the milk doesn't boil over.
- Now you can turn the flame to med-high again. But take care to stir this mix continuously, so it doesn't stick to the bottom of your pan or doesn't boil over at any point of time. Never walk away from the pan and if you notice the milk is boiling a bit too quickly or is starting to stick to the bottom of pan, reduce the flame and continue to stir.
- The idea is to allow the milk to boil till it thickens to form condensed milk. Milk should continuously be boiling and bubbling. This will take about 15-25 minutes. Milk will be fairly thick after 15-17 minutes time has passed (Mine took about 20 minutes).
- Switch the flame off once milk has thickened and add a pinch of baking soda to it.
- Keep stirring in intervals as the milk is cooling. This will prevent the condensed milk from forming a layer on top.
- Allow to cool down to room temperature. It will thicken a bit more as it cools down. Store in a clean jar!
Tora Blaze - who else?
Doesn't work because Bulgarian milk is 90% water XD
Anonymous
My country has less water but more other stuff that is not milk
Urysla
I made this and it was litterarly still simmering for about 50 mins and it wasn't thickening up so I added about a half of cup of sugar plus more then it finally started to thicken up.
Helen
Do you remove the milk skins as they form? Why does it sometimes curdle? Is it because the heat is too high?
GreedyEats
No you don't have to remove the skin. Keep stirring it in between to avoid it from forming. This should never curdle in the first place and no high heat would never cause milk and sugar to curdle. Make sure you are using a clean pan and no lemon or citrus ingredients are near the pan while its cooking.
Amy
I've tried several different sweetened condensed milk recipies and this is the only one that has worked out for me. Mine took about 50 mins to thicken up beautifully, but I have an electric stove so that could account for the longer time I would guess. Or maybe just our milk here in SA might be a little different. Love that it's so so simple and cheap to make. Suuuper tasty. Hubby LOVES condensed milk as a treat, so will be adding your recipie into my recipie box. Thank you very much!
Ps. I could spend hours looking through your recipies. Super excited to give several of them a go as well.
Thank you 🙂
Anonymous
Hey! Thank you for the recipe but since i cant measure do you mind giving me the cup measures?
GreedyEats
Cup measures are listed in the recipe card.
Lori C
Have you ever pressure canned this for later use? Thank you!
Tina
Hi, can you please help me with this recipe. I cooked it for 40 minutes in a good metal pot whicking it often on medium heat. It never did boil and did not truly thicken up. I put the pinch of baking soda in. It has been in my refrigerator for 6 hours and still is not as thick as condensed milk should be. Perhaps I should try it on higher heat so it boils. I live in Florida and h maybe that makes a difference for elevation. Thanks for helping me out.
GreedyEats
Hi Tina! 40 min is a pretty good time for milk to boil. Keep your gas at a mark on which you regularly boil milk. Stir it often and you should be good. 🙂
Anonymous
Really appreciate your recipe!simple and helpful.be blessed
Anonymous
could i use this to make caramel?
GreedyEats
I have not ever made caramel with this, sorry! But I think sugar needs to be caramelized before you can add milk/butter to it. I doubt, it would work.
Whitney
Hi, there is a recipe to make caramel with condensed milk, you need to two jars of condensed milk for it though. https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/dulce-de-leche/78aece93-9693-484d-85e9-e2fee238c6f0
Rando
yes u can
kk
quick tip it doesn't take 25 mins it takes closer to an hour and also it will need some extra sugar to actually thicken
Thembie
How long does this condensed milk stays out of the fridge( room temperature)
GreedyEats
I like to store it in refrigerator at all times for best taste. I'd say it should be okay for a day or so out of fridge.
David
Hi,
Thanks for the recipe.
For the granulated sugar, can I use either white or raw?
GreedyEats
Any white sugar will work David, not raw it will change the color of the final product!
Lucelia
Just made this because we are in lockdown and cannot leave our house. So we have to get creative!!! My husband loves condense milk in his coffee. So just had to try this recipe. It was great!!! Worked really well. Thanks for sharing your awesome recipe.
Whitney
Hi, lovely recipe, the condensed milk came out wonderful and thick, only problem is stirring it caused the condensed milk to crystallize...is there a way to prevent this or not?
GreedyEats
It never crystalizes while cooking (if it did, you might have ended up cooking it for too long). If it crystalized when stored in refrigerator, try reheating it in microwave, in small increments and it should be perfect to use again.
Terrick Lacey
Tried it and LOVE it. 1 question......Fudge is basically condensed milk and sugar, so if I just add the extra sugar and cook longer do you think it would work?
GreedyEats
Hi.. Glad you liked this recipe! I don't think that would work. Fudge has chocolate chips in it and it is made from more ingredients (stabilizers) such as cocoa butter than just milk and sugar.
Bilal
Is it possible to use Splenda, and achieve the same thickening consistency by adding corn starch?
GreedyEats
Sorry I have never tried to make it without sugar! Let me know how it turned out for you, if you try!
Urysla
Yes u can use it in fudge and any dessert that calls for condensed milk. If you want to add a little cornstarch to the mixture to ensure it still maintains a thick consistency.
Lenny G
Awesome recipe. I reduced my milk and sugar for about an hour, until it looked like it was about half the original volume. For those who had troube with it becoming grainy, be sure to dissolve the sugar BEFORE it boils. A gentle simmer worked nicely, no scorching and nice and smooth. I didn't even have to stir it constantly. Thanks
Anonymous
Hi thanks for the recipe, but what is the quantities of each thing to use pls .
GreedyEats
Ingredients and amount are mentioned in the recipe card.
Heather
Have you ever tried making this recipe with a low/non-calorie sugar substitute like Stevia? (Trying to making a weight watchers friendly recipes that calls for sweetened condensed milk).
GreedyEats
I am sorry Heather but I haven't used stevia to make sweetened condensed milk ever. But you might find this link helpful! https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/sugar-free-condensed-milk/
Sandra Menne
Can one make condensed milk without sugar?
GreedyEats
I have not tried it without sugar ever but I am afraid no!
Tami
Thank you for the recipe!
What can I do if it needs to be further reduced *after* I added the baking soda?
(After a night in the fridge it is still extremely runny so I must’ve took it off the stove too early....)
However since the baking soda is already in it i’m not sure if there’s any way to thicken it?? Ir any kind of heat will make it foam?
Thank you 🙏
GreedyEats
Hi Tami! So that baking soda you added has done it's work when it got dropped in hot milk. You can reheat it once again and thicken to your liking. It should be fine.
Honour
How long can the milk last if it is not in a fridge?
GreedyEats
I believe it should be okay for a day if it isn't too hot. I recommend storing condensed milk in refrigerator if not using right away!
L
I’m having a bit of an issue, you say to put it on the stove on medium heat.. is it supposed to come to boil first as nothing is happening to my mixture
I think you need to adjust the recipe so it says to bring to a boil first as I’m reading the comments of others here
Thanks
GreedyEats
It will eventually come to a boil and will still be needed to reduced further down. Point is to keep stirring the milk and reducing it. You don't want it to come to a boil over high heat and a thick layer of cream forming over it. So I say, reduce it over medium heat. Hope it helps.
Fiona
What sort of coconut milk? From a can or the drinking kind?
GreedyEats
Hi Fiona! Canned one will do, just use full fat for better texture. 🙂
Stacy
How much milk, sugar and baking soda??
GreedyEats
It is all there in the recipe card above this comments section.
Stephine Ada
This is so helpful and straight to the point. Thank you
Roselle
It's 1am and I ran out of condensed milk for my cassava cake. Didn't have any full fat milk, just a can of evap and I was on my wits end coz most condensed recipes use the full fat until I came across this one. You're a life-saver! I'll give this a ten if I can.
Nyko
I’m making Russian buttercream which uses condensed milk . I realized I didn’t have any and found your recipe for condensed using evaporated milk. Literally saved my buttercream. Thank you!
Sharifah
This is marvelous intact it's so perfect I rate by five stars
Maria
Can you substitute molasses instead of sugar, wholly or in part?
GreedyEats
Hi! I have never made condensed milk using molasses, sorry can't comment on that!
David
Hi,
Thanks for the recipe.
For the granulated sugar, can I use either white or raw?
Kidist
Can l use home made condesed milk for amarula?
Anita
This is one of those good recipes to know by heart so I don't panic when I run out of condensed milk and can't stop by the store to get some. 🙂