Substitutes for sweetened condensed milk

Sweetened condensed milk substitutes

Sweetened condensed milk supplies milk solids, sugar and thick body. These dry-milk mixtures replace a can; plain evaporated milk does not supply the sugar.

What sweetened condensed milk does

Sweetened condensed milk is milk cooked down with a lot of sugar. It adds sweetness, thick body and caramel flavour to bars, pies, fudge and candies.

Quick reference

Substitute	Amount
Dry milk, warm water and sugar Sources vary	1⅛ cup instant nonfat dry milk + ½ cup warm water + ¾ cup sugarper 1 can sweetened condensed milk
Dry milk, sugar, boiling water and butter	1 cup instant nonfat dry milk + ⅔ cup granulated sugar + ½ cup boiling water + 3 tbsp melted unsalted butterper 1 can sweetened condensed milk

When the substitute matters

The warm-water mixture uses 1 cup plus 2 tbsp dry milk, 1/2 cup water and 3/4 cup sugar per can.
The butter mixture uses 1 cup dry milk, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup boiling water and 3 tbsp butter per 14-ounce can.
Blend the butter mixture until smooth; do not use the older 1/3-cup-water batch as a full-can measure.

The substitutes, in detail

Dry milk, warm water and sugar

Amount: 1⅛ cup instant nonfat dry milk + ½ cup warm water + ¾ cup sugar per 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Sources vary

Replaces one can (about 1 1/3 cups). 1 1/8 cups is 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons. Purdue and the North Dakota State chart use these three ingredients only; Mississippi State and Utah State add 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine. Land O'Lakes uses a different ratio (see the blender version).

Stir the dry milk into the warm water and mix well.
Add the sugar and stir until smooth.
If the sugar will not dissolve, set the bowl in a pan of hot water.

Best for

bars
pies
fudge
no-bake desserts

What changes

Sweet and thick like the canned kind, but lighter in colour and without the cooked caramel flavour.

Sources: Purdue Extension·North Dakota State University Extension·Mississippi State University Extension Service

Dry milk, sugar, boiling water and butter

Amount: 1 cup instant nonfat dry milk + ⅔ cup granulated sugar + ½ cup boiling water + 3 tbsp melted unsalted butter per 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Replaces one 14-ounce can by net weight (396 g), not 14 fluid ounces. Use 2/3 cup sugar. Both sources give 1/2 cup boiling water for this can; the older 1/3-cup-water recipe with a 1 1/4-cup yield is a different recipe.

Process the dry milk, sugar, boiling water and melted butter in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Best for

baking recipes that call for a 14-ounce can

What changes

Supplies milk solids, sweetness and body. It contains butter as well as dry milk.

Sources: Land O'Lakes·Joy of Baking

Don't use

Evaporated milk on its own
Land O'Lakes says not to substitute evaporated milk for sweetened condensed milk. King Arthur says it makes a dessert too bland and watery because it has no sugar.

How we source this

Each swap is backed by at least two independent sources, including a test kitchen, university extension service or product maker. The amounts replace one unit of the original ingredient and do not work in reverse. See the full source list.