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Home » 7 ingredients or less » Homemade Condensed Milk

Homemade Condensed Milk

Published September 15, 2019 Last Modified July 12, 2020 By GreedyEats

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Homemade Condensed Milk using three simple ingredients. Its texture is supremely creamy and thick. This stuff tastes just like milky caramelized sugar!

Creamy and thick, better than store bought can of sweetened condensed milk.

Have you ever tried making sweetened condensed milk at home?

If you answered no, you are in for a treat!

Thick and rich homemade sweetened condensed milk dripping in a glass bowl.

If you answered no, you are in for a bigger treat. You'd ask why!

Coz

Recipe PROs:

  1. This recipe tastes so much better than that store bought can. (Heck did you ever notice the price tag on it?)
  2. You will be immensely surprised at how creamy this recipe turns out. A pinch of a secret ingredient makes it happen.

 A spoonful of easy homemade sweetened condensed milk made from scratch!

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!

Seriously thick, glossy and creamy condensed milk on a wooden spatula.

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.
Mixing sugar with Milk in a pot.
Heating milk and sugar in a pot over heat.
Thick condensed milk cooling in a bowl.

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.

Thick and glossy condensed milk made with 3 ingredients in a bowl.

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!

Made under 30 minutes homemade condensed milk with thick consistency.

How do you thicken sweetened condensed milk?

By adding a pinch of baking soda, after turning the flame off.

Can I substitute milk with coconut milk?

Yes, you absolutely can! Rest of the process for making the recipe remains same.

Is sweetened condensed milk the same as condensed milk?

Yes, these both are same and both are sweetened!

Uses:

  1. To make desserts that require no baking like layered bars, fudge and candies
  2. In pie fillings
  3. In no churn ice creams

Check out more here!

Storage:

Store this milk in refrigerator, covered tightly for a month.

You can even freeze it up to 3 months. Bring to room temp. before using in recipes.

Let me know in the comments section how you like this recipe! <3
 
Find more recipes that use 7 ingredients or less on my blog!

More from Greedy Eats:

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream made with condensed milk and dark chocolate

Best Vegan Chocolate Cake

If you liked this recipe give it a star review. Also, tell me in the comments below, how did this turn out for you! And don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram at #greedyeatsblog Also follow me on Pinterest and Facebook!

Homemade Condensed Milk

Sweetened Condensed Milk using three simple ingredients. It's texture is super creamy and thick. This stuff tastes just like milky caramelized sugar!
4.98 from 71 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 16 minutes
Servings 1 Cup
Calories: 62kcal
Author: Neha

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups (500 ml) Full Fat Milk (even 2% works)
  • ¾ Cup (150 gms) Granulated Sugar
  • a pinch Baking Soda

Instructions

  • Pour milk to a thick bottomed sauce pan over medium heat. Add sugar to it.
  • Whisk or keep stirring with a spatula until it thickens. Take care to stir it continuously, so it doesn't stick to the bottom of your pan. This will take about 15-25 minutes. Milk will be fairly think at this time.
  • Switch flame off and add a pinch of baking soda to this mixture.
  • 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. Store in a clean jar!

Notes

This recipe yields around 8 oz milk. You can easily double it if you wish to make 15 oz, that equals a can of condensed milk.
How long does homemade condensed milk last?
About a month in refrigerator and up to 3 months when frozen.
Can you freeze condensed milk?
Yes, homemade condensed milk can be frozen up to 3 months, bring to room temp before using.
Will sweetened condensed milk Harden?
It will thicken a lot in the refrigerator, but will come back to it's thick and creamy viscosity at room temp.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Tbsp | Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.5g | Protein: 1.1g | Fat: 1.1g | Sodium: 12mg | Sugar: 12.6g
Tried this recipe? Pin it for later!Mention @greedyeats or tag #Greedyeats!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tora Blaze - who else?

    February 17, 2022 at 4:21 am

    Doesn't work because Bulgarian milk is 90% water XD

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      April 28, 2022 at 4:44 pm

      My country has less water but more other stuff that is not milk

      Reply
  2. Urysla

    January 05, 2022 at 5:41 pm

    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.

    Reply
  3. Helen

    December 04, 2021 at 12:36 am

    Do you remove the milk skins as they form? Why does it sometimes curdle? Is it because the heat is too high?

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      December 09, 2021 at 10:06 pm

      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.

      Reply
  4. Amy

    October 01, 2021 at 12:47 pm

    5 stars
    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 🙂

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      October 25, 2021 at 2:03 am

      Hey! Thank you for the recipe but since i cant measure do you mind giving me the cup measures?

      Reply
      • GreedyEats

        October 25, 2021 at 9:26 pm

        Cup measures are listed in the recipe card.

    • Lori C

      June 08, 2022 at 6:59 pm

      Have you ever pressure canned this for later use? Thank you!

      Reply
  5. Tina

    September 02, 2021 at 6:51 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      September 02, 2021 at 11:14 pm

      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. 🙂

      Reply
      • Anonymous

        January 12, 2022 at 2:11 pm

        Really appreciate your recipe!simple and helpful.be blessed

  6. Anonymous

    August 28, 2021 at 8:36 pm

    could i use this to make caramel?

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      August 31, 2021 at 2:01 pm

      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.

      Reply
    • Whitney

      November 04, 2021 at 2:44 pm

      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

      Reply
    • Rando

      November 14, 2021 at 4:16 am

      5 stars
      yes u can

      Reply
      • kk

        May 29, 2022 at 9:40 am

        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

  7. Thembie

    August 17, 2021 at 6:28 am

    How long does this condensed milk stays out of the fridge( room temperature)

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      August 19, 2021 at 6:56 pm

      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.

      Reply
  8. David

    August 13, 2021 at 8:26 pm

    Hi,
    Thanks for the recipe.
    For the granulated sugar, can I use either white or raw?

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      August 14, 2021 at 12:57 pm

      Any white sugar will work David, not raw it will change the color of the final product!

      Reply
      • Lucelia

        August 17, 2021 at 1:58 am

        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

        November 16, 2021 at 3:52 pm

        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

        November 17, 2021 at 3:57 pm

        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.

  9. Terrick Lacey

    August 12, 2021 at 3:07 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      August 12, 2021 at 8:31 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Bilal

        April 09, 2022 at 5:17 pm

        Is it possible to use Splenda, and achieve the same thickening consistency by adding corn starch?

      • GreedyEats

        April 11, 2022 at 12:27 pm

        Sorry I have never tried to make it without sugar! Let me know how it turned out for you, if you try!

    • Urysla

      January 05, 2022 at 5:38 pm

      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.

      Reply
    • Lenny G

      February 25, 2022 at 9:04 pm

      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

      Reply
  10. Anonymous

    June 03, 2021 at 1:40 pm

    Hi thanks for the recipe, but what is the quantities of each thing to use pls .

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      June 03, 2021 at 9:47 pm

      Ingredients and amount are mentioned in the recipe card.

      Reply
  11. Heather

    May 22, 2021 at 11:08 am

    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).

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      May 23, 2021 at 8:46 pm

      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/

      Reply
  12. Sandra Menne

    February 27, 2021 at 4:57 am

    5 stars
    Can one make condensed milk without sugar?

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      February 27, 2021 at 10:31 pm

      I have not tried it without sugar ever but I am afraid no!

      Reply
  13. Tami

    February 06, 2021 at 5:44 pm

    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 🙏

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      February 06, 2021 at 7:32 pm

      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.

      Reply
  14. Honour

    January 18, 2021 at 6:00 pm

    5 stars
    How long can the milk last if it is not in a fridge?

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      January 19, 2021 at 1:07 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • L

        November 04, 2021 at 10:01 am

        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

        November 04, 2021 at 3:03 pm

        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.

  15. Fiona

    December 06, 2020 at 2:10 am

    What sort of coconut milk? From a can or the drinking kind?

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      December 06, 2020 at 12:35 pm

      Hi Fiona! Canned one will do, just use full fat for better texture. 🙂

      Reply
  16. Stacy

    November 30, 2020 at 6:00 pm

    How much milk, sugar and baking soda??

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      November 30, 2020 at 8:43 pm

      It is all there in the recipe card above this comments section.

      Reply
      • Stephine Ada

        April 22, 2021 at 4:47 am

        4 stars
        This is so helpful and straight to the point. Thank you

  17. Roselle

    November 07, 2020 at 12:10 pm

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Nyko

      March 16, 2022 at 4:09 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
  18. Sharifah

    September 14, 2020 at 4:52 am

    This is marvelous intact it's so perfect I rate by five stars

    Reply
  19. Maria

    August 18, 2020 at 4:07 am

    Can you substitute molasses instead of sugar, wholly or in part?

    Reply
    • GreedyEats

      August 18, 2020 at 3:04 pm

      Hi! I have never made condensed milk using molasses, sorry can't comment on that!

      Reply
    • David

      August 13, 2021 at 8:24 pm

      Hi,
      Thanks for the recipe.
      For the granulated sugar, can I use either white or raw?

      Reply
      • Kidist

        February 23, 2022 at 10:22 am

        Can l use home made condesed milk for amarula?

  20. Anita

    July 12, 2020 at 1:59 pm

    5 stars
    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. 🙂

    Reply
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About Neha

I'm Neha, baker, recipe developer, photographer and writer at Greedyeats.com I aim to create kitchen tested and quality recipes, accompanied by helpful process clicks and lots of tips & tricks along the way. I truly hope my recipes give you confidence to bake and cook from scratch! Read More…

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