Bold Baking Basics, Homemade Ingredients

How to Make Dulce de Leche

4.53 from 183 votes
Make creamy, homemade dulce de leche with either one of my two easy methods. My dulce de leche recipe is perfect for cheesecakes, ice cream and more!
How to make Dulce de Leche - 2 Easy ways to make Dulce de Leche at home.

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Hi Bold Bakers!

Dulce de leche (pronounced “DOOL-se de LE-che”) is a creamy caramel sauce that is used in many desserts like my Ice CreamBanoffee Pie, 10-Minute Microwave Banana Pudding, cheesecakes and more. My dulce de leche recipe includes two simple methods.

What is Dulce De Leche?

Dulce de Leche is similar to caramel and comes from sweetened milk, such as condensed milk. When heated, the sugar in the milk becomes caramelized and transforms into that sweet golden-brown color with deeply decadent flavor.

 

How to Make Dulce De Leche: Method One

My homemade dulce de leche can be made in two ways. The first uses sugar, milk and a touch of vanilla. These ingredients are combined in a saucepan, brought to a boil and then simmered. This process thickens the mixture after 1 hour and thirty minutes to 1 hour and forty-five minutes. Once past this point, stir the mixture often to avoid burning the milk. Be careful and watch your pan.

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How to Make Dulce de Leche

4.53 from 183 votes
Author: Epicurious.com
Servings: 1 1/2 cups
Author: Epicurious.com
Servings: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

  • 4 cups (32oz/1000ml) milk
  • 1 ¼ cups ((10oz/300g) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Stir together milk and sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan over low heat.
  • Once all the sugar has dissolved, bring it up to a simmer. Then reduce heat and simmer uncovered at a low and controlled heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and thickened, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. (skim away any foam that forms during simmering)
  • After about an hour, stir more often as milk caramelizes, to avoid burning.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract.
  • Transfer to a bowl to cool. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

How to Make Dulce De Leche: Method Two

With time and a watchful eye, you can make dulce de leche with condensed milk. First, remove the label from your can so you don’t have a watery paper situation in your pot. Place a rag in your pot and beneath your can of condensed milk to keep it from rattling throughout the next two and a half hours. Fill your pot with cold water, making sure it comes up to one inch from the top of the pot. Keep in mind that water will evaporate so it is highly important to watch your water levels and replenish the water when needed.

On medium-high heat, bring your water to a simmer then lower the temperature to maintain that simmer for 2 and a half hours. You’ll yield a beautiful and smooth dulce de leche.

Be very careful not to burn yourself when you remove your cans! Safety is paramount. Use tongs or an oven mitt to remove your can (or cans). Your dulce de leche will store for up to a year once done and will be great on a variety of treats.

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How to Make Dulce de Leche

4.52 from 105 votes
Make creamy, homemade dulce de leche with either one of my two easy methods. My dulce de leche recipe is perfect for cheesecakes, ice cream and more!
Author: Epicurious.com
Servings: 1 can
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Make creamy, homemade dulce de leche with either one of my two easy methods. My dulce de leche recipe is perfect for cheesecakes, ice cream and more!
Author: Epicurious.com
Servings: 1 can

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Remove the label from the can of condensed milk. It is no longer needed! If you leave it on, you'll get a papery mess in the water.
  • Place the can in a small pot and fill it with enough water to come up to one inch (2.5cm) from the top of the can. You will need to add more water during the cooking process to make sure water doesn't go below this level as it evaporates. Don't let the water come higher than 1/2 inch (1.25cm) from the top of can, though, as you don't want any getting on the top of the can and going into the holes you pierced.
  • To prevent the can from rattling in the water (which can be annoying when you consider that it'll need to be in there for several hours) put a rag under the can.
  • Place the pot on your stove and turn it on to medium-high heat.
  • Watch the water closely until you see the water come to a simmer.
  • Lower the heat to hold the water at a simmer. A soft Dulce de leche takes about 2 1/2 hours.
  • Remove the can with tongs or an oven mitt and place on a rack to cool. Be careful when emptying the contents, as you can get burned.
  • Open the can carefully with a can opener and pour into a bowl. The top will be more fluid, and there will be thicker, darker chunks at the bottom which will need to be scraped out. When everything is in the bowl, whisk together to make it homogeneous.

Find dulce de leche in my other recipes:

 

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Katherine
Katherine
4 years ago

Im a little confused… in the video you show the condensed milk version covered with water. In the written instructions in step to it pierced with holes but don’t state that in the video. Is it necessary to pierce with holes? Or is that an optional step?
Thank you! Once made is it stored in the fridge or pantry?
Thank you!

Maxim
Maxim
3 years ago

Hello! This was my first time making dulce de Leche and I was a bit hesitant at first, but it came out great! It took my a bit longer than 1 and a half hours, but it was well worth it, Thank you!

Amy Wong
3 years ago

Can I use slow cooker instead of boiling it in water. If so, how long do I have to slow cook it

Bianca Daze
Bianca Daze
3 years ago

Instructions are not clear. I followed exactly what it said for the milk and sugar method and it turned out lumpy. What a waste

Kez
Kez
8 months ago

Hi Gemma! My dulce de leche (made from pressure cooker, cooked for 40mins) lasts well for some days after which even in the fridge it starts crystallization.. and grainy with big sugar crystals that are very hard to remove .. any idea why this happens? I stote in the can in the fridge .. any help is much appreciated! Thanks and have a lovely day

Marrion
Marrion
10 months ago

Hi, Gemma. How can I make caramel from the home made condensed milk

Kristi
Kristi
11 months ago

Whole or reduced fat milk?

KaeC
KaeC
1 year ago

In the video you said to wait the water boil , but in the written instructions it says simmer. So is it boil or simmer pls? Thank you

Josie
Josie
2 years ago

Hi Gemma – can this be used as an added ingredient to your two-ingredient ice-cream (in the same why cookies or fruit puree would be added)? Many thanks

Roxanne Lyons👑
Roxanne Lyons👑
2 years ago

Hi gemma! Looks like the milk is curdeling after 1hr! What do I do?

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Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

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