Dulce de Leche is a creamy caramel-like paste, best known from Latin America. Creamy, sweet with a full caramel flavor. Delicious on sandwiches, in cakes, over ice cream, brownies, and other delicacies. I think almost everything tastes better with Dulce de Leche. And it's super easy to make your own.
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Dulce de leche is one of those basics I always keep in my pantry, because store-bought jars can be hard to find (and honestly, homemade tastes better).
The good news: you only need one ingredient - a can of sweetened condensed milk - and the method you probably already have in your kitchen.
I've made this caramel cream every way you can imagine: on the stove, in the slow cooker, in the oven, even in the microwave when I was impatient. In this post I'll walk you through all 6 methods, tell you which one I reach for myself, and answer the questions I get most often, including the big one: no, the can won't explode if you follow one simple rule.
And if you can't get enough of that delicious caramel taste? Then take a look at these delicious recipes for banana Napoleon with caramel, coconut caramel cookies, banana cupcakes with caramel.
Ingredients for a super easy caramel paste recipe
A full list of ingredients can be found at the end of this blog.
Condensed Milk - Indeed you only need one ingredient: sweetened condensed milk. This thick, sweetened milk - regular milk with most of the water cooked out - is sold in cans at the supermarket, usually near the coffee creamer.
If you want lactose-free or vegan, use condensed coconut milk. Note: there also is condensed milk without sugar. You can't use this one, because that won't turn into dulce de leche.
Is boiling a can of condensed milk safe?
Yes, as long as the can stays fully submerged under at least 2 inches (5 cm) of water the entire time. The water can never get hotter than its boiling point, so the can can't overheat.
Problems only happen when the water boils away and the can runs dry. Check the water level every 30 minutes and top it up, and you'll never have an issue.
I've made this dozens of times without a single mishap. Always let the can cool to room temperature before opening.
Method 1 - How do you make creamy Dulce de Leche on the stove?
A recipe that you can easily print can be found at the bottom of the blog.
- Remove the label from the can. Place in a pan with water and make sure it is covered. Bring the water to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer for 3 hours. Check the water level every 30 minutes. The can must remain submerged (at least 2 inches). Add extra water if the level gets too low.
- Remove the can from the pan and let it cool to room temperature. The Dulce de Leche is ready.
Other ways to prepare Dulce de Leche
The recipes are described per can of condensed milk. But if you are really looking forward to this sweet delicacy, you simply make more cans at the same time. This can easily be done in the slow cooker, in the pan, steam oven, and pressure cooker. With the oven and microwave, it is better to do this per portion.
Method 2 - In the oven (top and bottom heat or convection)
- Preheat the oven to 425 °F / 220°C. Heat water until it boils (in the kettle is easy).
- Open the can and pour it into a baking dish. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Place the baking dish in a second larger baking dish. Place both in the oven. Fill the large empty baking dish halfway with boiling water. Close the oven.
- Check every 20 minutes whether the water level is still high enough. Otherwise, top up the water half way.
- After 75 minutes, the dulce de leche is ready.
Method 3 - Simply and easy - In the steam oven
- Preheat the steam oven to 210 °F / 100 °C.
- Place the can in a baking pan with holes in the bottom.
- Leave in the oven for 3 to 4 hours and then turn it off.
- Let cool to room temperature.
Method 4. - Very easy - In the slow cooker
- Remove the paper wrapper from the can.
- Place the can in the bowl of the slow cooker.
- Top up with water until the can is completely submerged by 2 inches of water.
- Close with a lid.
- Set the slow cooker on the lowest setting for 8 hours.
- Then remove the can from the slow cooker. Let cool to room temperature.
Method 5.- Nice and fast - In the microwave
- Pour the condensed milk into a large microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave for 2 minutes at 50% power.
- Remove from microwave and stir well (it may be hot!)
- Microwave again on the same setting for two minutes.
- Remove from the appliance and stir well.
- Now put the microwave on 30% power for 20 minutes until the milk is thick and has a caramel color. Stir well every two minutes!
6. - Nice and fast - Instant pot or Pressure Cooker
- Remove the paper wrapper from the can.
- Then put it in the pressure cooker and make sure it is submerged in water (at least 2 inches).
- Pressurize the pan and cook for 40 minutes.
- Let the pan cool and then remove the can from the pan.
Which method is best?
After making dulce de leche all 6 ways, here's my honest take.
The stovetop is my go-to: no special equipment, and the texture comes out thick and spreadable every time. The slow cooker is the best hands-off option, set it before bed and wake up to dulce de leche (do several cans at once, it costs the same effort).
The Instant Pot / pressure cooker is fastest at 40 minutes. The oven gives you the most control over color because you can see it, but you have to babysit the water bath.
The microwave works in a pinch but needs constant stirring, and the steam oven is wonderful if you happen to own one.
The longer you cook it, the darker and thicker it gets. Three hours on the stove gives a golden, spoonable cream; 3 ½ hours gives a deeper color and a thicker paste, better for cake fillings.
Don't just take my word for it. As reader Nora put it after trying this recipe:
I love your Dulce de Leche stovetop version! It is so easy to make and incredibly delicious!" - Nora, ★★★★★
No. Caramel is made from sugar (often with butter and cream added), while dulce de leche is milk and sugar slowly caramelized together. They look similar, but dulce de leche is creamier and less sharp-sweet, with a flavor closer to toffee. If you searched for "condensed milk caramel" - this is it. Cooked condensed milk is the caramel-style spread you're looking for.
Two to three hours, depending on the result you want. Two hours gives a lighter, pourable caramel sauce; three hours gives the deep golden color and thick, spreadable texture I use for cake fillings. The longer the can simmers, the darker and thicker your caramel gets.
I prefer cans without a pull tab for boiling, since the seam is a little sturdier. If you only have pull-tab cans, use the oven or microwave method instead, where the milk comes out of the can first.
The milk sugars caramelize slowly at boiling temperature. Shorter cooking gives you a pale, thin sauce; the full 3 hours gives that deep golden color and thick, creamy texture. There's no real shortcut on the stove - for speed, use the Instant Pot method (40 minutes).
Yes, use sweetened condensed coconut milk. The color stays a bit lighter, but the taste is wonderful. Just make sure it's the sweetened kind: unsweetened condensed milk will never turn into dulce de leche.
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Equipment
- saucepan
Recipe Help
Two easy tools to make cooking even easier. Cooking mode keeps the screen on. The easy-step recipe displays the recipe step by step, including the ingredients needed. And you can adjust servings easily
Ingredients
- 1 can condensed milk, with sugar
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Remove the label and any glue residue from the can.
- Place in a saucepan and fill with water. The water level above the can should be at least 2 inches (4 cm).1 can condensed milk
- Bring to a boil and lower the heat.
- Simmer the can over low heat for 3 hours. Check every 30 minutes whether there is still enough water above the can. Otherwise, you add extra water.
- Carefully remove the can from the water (it can be very hot) and let it cool on a rack.
- The dulce de leche is ready to be used.
Notes
- Room temperature - A can of dulce de leche will keep unopened for 3 months at room temperature.
- Refrigerator - Once your can has been opened, you can store it airtight in the refrigerator. It will then stay good for a week.
- Freezing - Allow to cool to room temperature and scoop the dulce de leche into a freezer box. Make sure it is only ¾ full (it will expand when frozen). Freeze. This way the dulce de leche will keep for 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before use.
Nutrition
Nora says
I love your Dulce de Leche stovetop version! It is so easy to make and incredibly delicious! Thanks!
Padma says
Ah, love this recipe. This will be so good with some of the Indian desserts that I make. Have bookmarked this.
Andréa says
It really is! Thank you!