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If you have milk, heavy cream, and sugar in your kitchen, you can make Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk that’s far better than anything from a can. I discovered this recipe when I wanted to make coconut macaroons, but didn’t have any sweetened condensed milk on hand. What I did have was BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts by Stella Parks, , and it turned out to be exactly what I needed.
As you’ve guessed, she included a very precise sweetened condensed milk recipe. What a revelation this recipe turned out to be! Maybe it’s the heavy cream in addition to the milk (which helps keep the mixture from curdling), but the texture and, more importantly the flavor, is far superior to any store bought version. I chose not to add any aromatics like cinnamon or vanilla bean, but I may in the future for making no-churn ice cream or some other treat.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Whole Milk: Don’t try to substitute lower-fat milk here – the fat content is essential for proper texture and richness.
- Heavy Cream: This helps prevent curdling and creates a silky-smooth final product. Make sure it’s heavy cream, not half and half.
- Granulated Sugar: Regular white sugar works perfectly – no need for anything special.
- Kosher Salt: Just a tiny amount enhances all the flavors. This recipe is precise – weigh your ingredients if you can.
4 Recipe Tips
- Watch your simmer time: I found that it took a bit longer on my stove for the mixture to reduce by half, but appreciated Stella’s advice to pay attention to how long it takes your dairy mixture to come to a simmer: shorter than 12 minutes, turn the burner down slightly; longer than 12 minutes, turn it up slightly.
- Choose the right sweetener: Stick with regular granulated sugar. Other sweeteners like agave, maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar can make the dairy curdle due to their acidity.
- About measuring: The version of the recipe I’m posting here is slightly simplified from the original, skipping the instruction to weigh on a digital scale before and after simmering. You can certainly go that route if you like and will find her instructions to do so here.
- Check your reduction: The mixture will suddenly turn foamy when it’s reduced by half. Keep stirring until the foam subsides, then measure to make sure you have exactly 2 cups.
Evaporated Milk vs. Sweetened Condensed Milk
Sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk are not the same. Both are heated until reduced by about half of their original volume, evaporating off water content. But evaporated milk is not sweetened and can’t be used in recipes interchangeably.
Once you’ve made your own sweetened condensed milk, it’s hard to go back to the store-bought version. The superior flavor and silky texture make it worth the effort. There’s something so satisfying about creating this kitchen staple from scratch – especially when you taste how it transforms other desserts, from macaroons to no-churn ice cream.
More Better-Than-Store-Bought Recipes
How to Make Sweetened Condensed Milk
Combine milk, cream, sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to simmer, about 12 minutes.
Stir and simmer until mixture has reduced by half, about 30 minutes more. It will foam suddenly just before it’s finished. Let the foam subside and transfer to an airtight container. Let cool completely; refrigerate for up to a month. Bring to room temperature before using.
Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk 32 ounces
- 3/4 cup heavy cream 6 ounces
- 1 cup granulated white sugar 7 ounces
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a 5-quart saucepan, combine milk, cream, sugar and kosher salt. Place on stovetop over medium heat; stirring occasionally with a silicone or other heat resistant spatula. The mixture should begin to simmer at about 12 minutes, if much faster, reduce heat slightly; much slower, increase heat slightly.
- Stirring constantly, simmer for another 30 minutes, scraping the sides often. When the mixture has reduced by about half it will suddenly turn foamy. Keep stirring until the foam subsides and pour mixture into a glass measuring pitcher. You should have 2 cups, if less, you can top with milk and blend to emulsify. If you have more than two cups, return to pan and continue to simmer until reduced to 2 cups.
- Store in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. Bring to room temperature before using.
Notes
- This makes about 2 cups, or 16 2-tablespoon servings.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I omit the whole milk and just use heavy cream.
Hi Robin! I haven’t done that, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. It will be very rich and I’m guessing will thicken much faster. Please let me know how it goes.
I haven’t made it yet. Just wonder if I only make 2 cups of milk instead of 4 cups, do I still need to add salt?
Hi Shirley! Feel free to omit the salt (regardless of how many cups you make). It’s just there to enhance the sweetness.
Thank you for the recipe, I love cooking from scratch. Is it possible to make this recipe using half the sugar? And no sugar replacement? weird question, I know. I am curious if I can make my own with the same consistency but less sugar.
Hi Holly! Yes, this should work just fine with half of the sugar. You can always add more to taste if it isn’t sweet enough.
This recipe is so delicious. It’s spot on for the taste of the rich sweet creamy stuff in a can but better because it’s homemade without any junk you don’t want. The directions were also super easy to follow. It foamed up when it said it would and yielded almost exactly the amount I was expecting. I used it to make a key lime pie for Thanksgiving. My theme for the meal was “no cans were to be opened” and this was perfect.
You made my day, Norma. Thank you for such a kind and thoughtful comment. I’m so glad you’re enjoying this recipe!