Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make homemade sweetened condensed milk? ›

The ingredients are simple: 32 ounces milk, seven ounces sugar, and six ounces heavy cream, plus a pinch of salt and whatever aromatics you choose. The cream adds a major dose of lactose for more flavorful browning, but more importantly, it prevents the milk from curdling as it cooks.

It will come to the real condensed milk consistency in the fridge after a couple of hours. If your condensed milk doesn't thicken after a couple of hours, it means you removed the pan from the heat early. You can pour the mixture into a small pan and carefully continue to reduce the mixture.

Stovetop sweetened condensed milk substitute

In a saucepan, whisk together 2 cups milk and 1 cup sugar. Heat the mixture on medium to allow the sugar to dissolve. Reduce the temperature just before the milk begins to boil, and then leave it to simmer on low. Simmer the mixture until the milk reduces, about 35 minutes.

Whole Milk, Sugar.

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. Also, canned condensed milk can contain preservatives or additives, while homemade condensed milk only takes two ingredients to make.

Lemon juice thickens condensed milk in the same way it would "thicken" regular milk, i.e., by curdling. Basically, milk has two general types of proteins: casein and whey.

Baking Soda will make the Milk thick and give creamy texture. Condensed Milk is ready. It is thick and creamy.

Put a can of sweetened condensed milk into a pot of simmering water deep enough to cover the can. Simmer for about 3 hours. When cool, it will be solid.

For the most part, if you find yourself without condensed milk on hand, you can substitute an equal amount of evaporated milk. The consistency will be the same, but since evaporated milk is unsweetened, you'll need to add sweetener to match the recipe's intended flavor profile or to suit your personal preference.

Why isn't my condensed milk thick? ›

If your condensed milk just absolutely refuses to thicken, then you simply aren't cooking it down enough. Remember that making condensed milk is essentially evaporating out around half of the total volume of liquid, and then letting the rest emulsify with the sugar and turn thick and luscious.

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.

Condensed milk is referred to as both condensed milk and sweetened condensed milk; the names are synonymous. This shelf-stable product is a form of concentrated milk in which about 60 percent of the water content has been removed, after which sugar is added before canning.

If it's kept in the refrigerator, it should last for about 2-3 weeks. If you want to extend its shelf life, you can freeze it, but it should be kept in an airtight container or freezer bag and stored in the freezer. Frozen sweetened condensed milk will last for about 6-8 months.

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.

Coconut Cream

The natural sweetness of coconuts makes it a fantastic sugar free substitute for condensed milk. However, if you do wish to sweeten the pot, add some sugar into the mixture and simmer it until the sugar fully dissolves. Replace it for regular condensed milk at a 1:1 exchange.

Sweetened condensed milk is made by removing most of the water from cow's milk. It's sweeter and higher in calories than evaporated milk, as sugar is added as a preservative. It can add flavor to desserts, coffee and certain stews but is unsuitable for people with milk protein allergy or lactose intolerance.