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    Home » Recipes » Dairy-Free

    Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk

    Published: Apr 12, 2022 Modified: Apr 12, 2022 by Candice

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    Pouring thick creamy liquid into a glass bottle.
    Drop of creamy liquid pouring out of a measuring cup.
    Pouring thick creamy liquid into a glass bottle with title text.

    Put aside your usual can of sweetened condensed milk and make your own sweet creamy condensed coconut milk goodness at home! Sweetened condensed milk is used in so many recipes from fudge to coconut macaroons for Passover, and is a great sweetener to add to your matcha lattes and bubble teas.

    This recipe works with whole milk, evaporated milk, and full-fat canned coconut milk.

    Pouring thick creamy liquid into a glass bottle.
    TABLE OF CONTENTS hide
    1 Why this Recipe Works
    2 Ingredients & Substitutions
    3 How to Make this Recipe
    4 Sweetened Condensed Milk FAQs
    5 Related Recipes
    6 Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk

    Why this Recipe Works

    Sweetened condensed milk is actually easy to make at home – all you need are two ingredients, some heat, and a little patience. This makes it an ideal homemade alternative to buying a can at the store.

    This recipe works great with both dairy milk and full-fat canned coconut milk. It is helpful to have a dairy-free, plant-based version available for all my favorite recipes.

    As the name suggests, sweetened condensed milk is made when you add sugar to milk and then heat it over a long period of time so that you remove the water content (condensing it) and are left with a thick, dense, rich milk liquid.

    This recipe reduces the milk or coconut milk by half, yielding the perfect thickness after cooling.

    Ingredients & Substitutions

    Full-fat coconut milk – I usually make this a non-dairy recipe, but it also works with dairy milk. It can be made with full-fat canned coconut milk, evaporated milk, or whole milk.

    Sugar – Use granulated sugar to sweeten your milk. I find it yields the best final product thickness.

    This post contains affiliate links where I might receive a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

    Shortcut: You can find sweetened condensed coconut milk online. This is the brand of sweetened condensed coconut milk that I like the best.

    How to Make this Recipe

    This recipe is super simple with only two steps! First, add the granulated sugar and coconut milk to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to fully dissolve the sugar.

    Note: If your coconut milk is a little chunky out of the can, use a whisk to break up the chunks and create a smooth liquid.

    Milk being stirred in a saucepan.

    Once the mixture comes to a very light simmer, cook the mixture gradually over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.

    As the water content is removed, the mixture will reduce down until it is about half the volume of liquid. This should take about 35-45 minutes.

    As it cooks, the coconut milk will darken slightly in color and this is normal. Let the mixture cool before storing in an airtight jar or container.

    Important note: The condensed milk will thicken as it cools. The best way to check if you have reduced it by half is to let it cool in a liquid measuring cup. If it isn't half of your original volume, add it back to the saucepan and continue to reduce it.

    Sweetened condensed milk in a measuring cup.

    Sweetened Condensed Milk FAQs

    Can you burn sweetened condensed milk?

    When you continue to heat the milk, it actually continues to thicken and deepen in color until it becomes dulce de leche, or 'cooked condensed milk.' However, this is reliant on you cooking the milk slowly over medium heat. Turning your heat up too high too quickly will burn the mixture, or otherwise tamper with it and stop it from condensing properly.

    How long does the milk keep fresh?

    This will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week. Unlike canned versions, homemade sweetened condensed milk does not have added shelf stabilizers that give it such a long shelf-life.

    What is the difference between condensed milk and evaporated milk?

    Both of these are made by reducing the water in the milk, but they cannot be used interchangeably unless a recipe states they can. The difference is that sweetened condensed milk has far more sugar added which allows it to reach a caramel-like consistency, while evaporated milk is thinner.

    Does sweetened condensed milk have lactose?

    It does if you're making it with a dairy product (cow's milk), but I use coconut milk so it is lactose-free.

    Is sweetened condensed milk gluten-free?

    Yes, it is gluten-free.

    Drop of creamy liquid pouring out of a measuring cup.

    Related Recipes

    Curious about making more homemade dairy-free milk and recipes that use this sweetened condensed coconut milk? Try these great ideas.

    • Easy Homemade Oat Milk (Steel Cut or Rolled Oats)
    • Homemade Nut Milk Guide with FAQs
    • Matcha Fudge
    • Coconut Macaroons

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    Pouring thick creamy liquid into a glass bottle.
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    5 from 1 vote

    Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk

    Put away your usual can of sweetened condensed milk and make your own sweetened condensed coconut milk goodness at home!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time50 mins
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Servings: 11
    Calories: 128kcal
    Author: Candice

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups full-fat coconut milk or dairy milk
    • ⅔ cups sugar granulated

    Instructions

    • Add the sugar and milk to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
    • Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until reduced by half, 35-45 minutes.

    Video

    Notes

    This recipe can be made with full-fat canned coconut milk, evaporated milk, or whole milk.
    With coconut milk, it will slightly darken in color as it cooks down and that is OK.
    The condensed milk will thicken as it cools. The best way to check if you have reduced it by half is to let it cool in a liquid measuring cup. If it isn't half of your original volume, add it back to the saucepan and continue to reduce it.
    Serving size is calculated as 2 tablespoons.
    This recipe was adapted from this AllRecipes recipe using evaporated milk.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 91mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @ProportionalPlate or tag #ProportionalPlate on Instagram! I'd love to see what you're making!
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