This homemade dulce de leche recipe couldn’t be easier to make! Pour this sweet thickened cream over ice cream, a pie dish, or your desired dessert of choice!
Homemade Dulce de Leche
This is the easiest recipe because you only need a can of sweetened condensed milk, a pot of hot water, and some time. If you’ve never had dulce de leche before, it’s similar to caramel. You can pour this across scoops of ice cream, brownies, pie, and so much more.
Why You’ll Love this Easy Dulce de Leche Recipe:
- Super easy: All of our recipes are meant to be easy, but this is truly the easiest! All you have to do is heat a can in some water—you’re barely dirtying dishes!
- Super sweet: This delicious caramelized milk is thickened and ready to pour over your dessert of choice within just a few hours!
What do you love pairing your dulce de leche sauce with? Let me know in the comments below!
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How to Make Dulce de Leche
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Remove the label and the glue that keeps the label on from the can of sweetened condensed milk. DO NOT OPEN.
- Place the unopened can into a large pot of water (the water needs to cover the can in a water bath) and bring it to a simmer. It needs to simmer for three hours. Add in more water if the water line evaporates the water level.
- Once complete, let the can cool to room temperature before opening.
Dulce de leche translates to “caramelized milk” or “milk jam” in English. It is a Latin American confection made by slowly heating sugar and milk over a period of several hours. This recipe helps simplify that process by using condensed milk!
While they are similar, caramel is made primarily from sugar with a little bit of butter and cream added at the end, while dulce de leche is made primarily from milk with sugar added and is creamier and less sweet than traditional caramel.
Either kind will work, but I like to use the traditional sweetened condensed milk.
I find that the best way is to use a product like Goo Gone to dissolve the glue, but if you don’t have that on hand, you can try using a paper towel and some oil or rubbing alcohol. I have found that the glue on generic cans tends to be more difficult to get off than on name brands.
Yes. Preheat your oven to 425°F and pour the sweetened condensed milk into a pie dish. Cover the dish tightly with foil, then place it into a deep roasting pan or baking dish filled with hot water (a water bath, similar to how you would bake a cheesecake!). Bake for 90-105 minutes, adding more water to the water bath as needed. Let cool to room temperature before using.
Dulce de leche is incredibly versatile. You can use it as a filling for cakes or crepes, drizzle it over cheesecake or ice cream, use it as a dip for fruit or churros, or spread it on top of pancakes or toast! Almost anywhere you’d use caramel, you can use dulce de leche.
Origin of Dulce de Leche
Dulce de leche stands for ‘sweet [made of] milk’ in Spanish. This sweet cream is popular in many countries but especially in Latin America. Many think of it as a Mexican dessert, but it’s rumored to be from Argentina. However, it’s difficult to pinpoint its exact origins.
Make Ahead Instructions
Properly stored dulce de leche will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, so it is a great make-ahead recipe to share with friends!
Storage Instructions
An unopened can of dulce de leche will last for 3 months at room temperature. Store leftover dulce de leche in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Do not store it in the original can once opened!
Freezing Instructions
Freeze dulce de leche in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Serving Suggestions
Dulce de leche is a great sauce, dip, or topping for many desserts. Serve it:
- Drizzled over ice cream or cheesecake
- As a dip for fruit, churros, or cookies
- As a filling for cakes, cupcakes, crepes, or pastries
- Swirled into brownies or blondies
- Spread on pancakes, sour cream waffles, or toast
- Mix it into a Dulce de Leche Milkshake
Tips for the Best Dulce de Leche
- Ensure the can is always completely submerged in the water to prevent the can from breaking and exploding. I set a timer for every 30 minutes to add more water.
- Avoid cans with tab openers, as they are more likely to burst than those that require a can opener.
- If you don’t get the glue off the can, it will be hard to get it off the pot.
- Allow the can to completely cool, or the pressure in the can will send hot dulce de leche spraying everywhere.
- You may need to whisk the dulce de leche before using it to get rid of any lumps.
- Once opened, do not store it in the can! Instead, store it in a food-safe airtight container.
This sweet sauce really goes with every dessert you could desire! I’m eager to hear how your dulce de leche panned out. I’d love to hear about your experience with it in the comments below!
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
Dulce de Leche Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 396 grams (1 can)
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- Remove the label and its glue from the can.14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- Leaving the can closed, place it in a medium pot. Fill the pot with water, so that there are at least 2 inches of water above the can.
- Bring the water to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat and allow the water to simmer for 3 hours, adding in more water if needed to keep the can completely submerged throughout the cooking.
- Carefully remove the can from the water and allow the can to cool completely before opening.
Notes
- Ensure the can is always completely submerged in the water to prevent the can from breaking and exploding. I set a timer for every 30 minutes to add more water.
- Avoid cans with tab openers, as they are more likely to burst than those that require a can opener.
- If you don’t get the glue off the can, it will be hard to get it off the pot.
- Allow the can to completely cool, or the pressure in the can will send hot dulce de leche spraying everywhere.
- You may need to whisk the dulce de leche before using it to get rid of any lumps.
- Once opened, do not store it in the can! Instead, store it in a food-safe airtight container.
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