Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

Sweetened condensed milk is one of those ingredients most people buy without thinking twice — a small metal can tucked between baking supplies and nostalgia. But making it from scratch transforms it from a convenience product into something deeply intentional.

With just milk, sugar, and time, you create a silky, concentrated base that is cleaner in flavor, free from unnecessary additives, and entirely under your control. You decide the sweetness. You decide the thickness. You decide whether it remains pale and creamy — or continues its slow transformation into golden dulce de leche.

Homemade sweetened condensed milk isn’t complicated. It’s simply patience and reduction — milk gently simmered until its water evaporates and its flavor deepens. The result is richer, fresher, and more adaptable than anything in a can.

And once you make it once, it becomes less of an ingredient — and more of a foundation.

(Makes about 1 can / 1½ cups / 350–400 ml)

Ingredients

• 1 liter (4 cups) whole milk (3% / full-fat)

• 250 g (1¼ cups) granulated sugar
  (You can reduce to 200–225 g / 1–1⅛ cups for a less sweet version. However, if you plan to use this homemade sweetened condensed milk for ice cream, it’s best to use around 3 dl (≈250 g) of sugar. This slightly higher sugar content helps lower the freezing point, ensuring the ice cream stays scoopable straight from the freezer.)

• 1 small pinch of salt (optional but recommended)

Equipment

• Medium Size Enameled Cast iron Dutch oven

Instructions

1. Dissolve the sugar

Pour the milk and sugar into a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Heat gently while stirring until the sugar fully dissolves.

2. Simmer slowly

Bring to just below a boil, then lower the heat so it maintains a gentle simmer — not a rolling boil.

Let it simmer for 30–45 minutes, stirring occasionally (more frequently toward the end).

3. Reduce to the right volume

The mixture should reduce to about 35–40% of its original volume, leaving you with approximately 1½ cups (350–400 ml).

When warm, it should:

• Coat the back of a spoon

• Leave a visible line when you run your finger through it

It will thicken significantly as it cools.

4. Cool

Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Strain through a fine sieve if you want it perfectly smooth.

Store in the refrigerator up to one week.

Optional: Reduce the Sugar

You may reduce the sugar to 200–225 g (1–1⅛ cups) if you prefer:

• A less sweet result

• More control when using it in desserts

• A more balanced base for ice cream

Keep in mind:
Sugar helps with preservation and texture, so lower sugar versions will be slightly less shelf-stable and a bit thinner.

Why Make It Yourself?

1️⃣ Control Over Ingredients

Commercial sweetened condensed milk may contain:

• Stabilizers

• Anti-caking agents

• Preservatives

• Highly refined sugars

When you make it yourself, you control:

• The type of milk

• The amount and type of sugar

• The final consistency

• No unnecessary additives

2️⃣ Custom Texture

Store-bought versions have a fixed thickness.
Homemade allows you to:

• Reduce slightly less for a thinner pouring consistency

• Reduce longer for a thicker, richer result

That flexibility is especially useful for ice cream, caramel sauces, or baking.

How to Turn It into Dulce de Leche

If you’d like to transform it into dulce de leche:

1. After making the condensed milk, keep it in the saucepan.

2. Continue cooking on low heat, stirring constantly.

3. Simmer gently for another 30–60 minutes.

It will:

• Darken from pale cream → golden → light caramel → deep caramel

• Thicken further

• Develop a rich, toasty, caramelized flavor (Maillard reaction)

How to know it’s ready:

• Deep caramel color

• Thick, glossy texture

• Leaves a clear trail when you drag a spoon through it

For a swirl in ice cream, stop at a lighter caramel stage.
For a thicker spreadable dulce de leche, cook longer.