What is sweetened condensed milk?

Sweetened condensed milk is basically slow-cooked milk. This makes the excess water content evaporate but doesn’t scald the milk. Sweetener is added to make it ready for recipes. It doesn’t take a long time to make, but it does take longer than it does to open a can.

Why is my 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.

Can you overcook condensed milk?

Yes, you can overcook condensed milk if you’re not too careful. Make sure to stop once your condensed milk has reached the desired consistency and color.

How long does homemade sweetened condensed milk last?

Store your homemade sweetened condensed milk in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.

Is sweetened condensed milk the same as evaporated milk?

No. Sweetened condensed milk contains sugar and has a thick consistency while evaporated milk is unsweetened and is very thin.

Easy 4 Ingredient Sweetened Condensed Milk (+ Video)

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

Try this homemade recipe for condensed milk with 7 different sweetener options! An easy DIY that you can make ahead for the holidays. Plus a dairy-free & lactose-free option!

Print Recipe

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5 from 8 reviews

Sweetened condensed milk couldn’t be easier to make from scratch! Choose from 7 different sweetener options for this easy DIY that you can make ahead for the holidays or any time. You can also make it dairy-free!

Author: Tiffany
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Yield: ¾ cup 1x
Category: Make it yourself
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

1 ½ cups milk
½ cup sweetener
2 Tbsp salted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract (Here’s how to make your own)

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Instructions

Combine milk and sweetener in a medium saucepan. Whisk stirring constantly to dissolve sweetener over medium heat.
When the milk begins to steam, lower the temperature to as low as possible.
Dip a straw into the milk and use a permanent marker to draw a line on the straw, just above where the milk hit.
Allow milk to reduce to half in size from what it first was, periodically checking with the straw and stirring. This took approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes for me.
When milk is reduced by half, remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla extract.
Pour into a clean glass jar and allow to cool completely. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

The honey and coconut sugar thickened up considerably more than the other sweeteners, but they also seemed to separate a bit while reducing in size. When using these sweeteners, whisk the milk periodically instead of just stirring.
In general, these milks were thinner than conventional sweetened condensed milk. If this concerns you, allow milk to continue to reduce in size until all the water is removed.

Nutrition

Calories: 951

Find it online: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/homemade-sweetened-condensed-milk/