Learn how to make the best ever dulce de leche recipe, with only one ingredient. We tested 3 different cooking methods (microwave, pressure cooker, and slow cooker): find out which one produced the creamiest and tastiest result.
Dulce de leche is the Latin cuisine version of Caramel -- although thicker and creamier. It's made from milk and sugar, or simply from sweetened condensed milk.
There are several ways to make it: in the stovetop, oven, microwave, pressure cooker, or in the slow cooker. We tested 3 of them, which produced different results in terms of color, texture, and flavor.
So come along and find out which one worked the best.
WHAT'S DULCE DE LECHE?
First of all, the term dulce de leche in Spanish means "candy of milk." In Brazil, it’s called doce de leite and in Chile, manjar de leche.
It is the result of slow cooking milk and sugar until the mixture darkens and thickens. Two processes come into play: caramelization and the Maillard reaction.
Most modern dulce de leche recipes call for the boiling of an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk.
Cinnamon and vanilla can be added as flavorings.
It has a wide variety of uses. You can use it in banoffee pie, as a filling or topping for cakes and cupcakes, as a spread for crackers and toasts, or to top ice cream. Further, you can use it to fill empanadas, as a dip for apples and churros, to eat on the side with bananas or mild cheeses, and so on.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DULCE DE LECHE AND CARAMEL
Dulce de leche has milk and sugar, or sweetened condensed milk as its base. In contrast, caramel is the result of a reduction of water and sugar with the addition of butter and heavy whipping cream.
Moreover, it has a thicker and creamier consistency than caramel, although both are brown and sweet.
HOW TO MAKE DULCE DE LECHE
Microwave:
- Recipe tested in a 1200 Watt Microwave: Pour sweetened condensed milk in a deep microwave-safe bowl, set cooking power to 50% (or medium), and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove bowl from microwave and stir well. It will be hot!
- Reduce cooking power to 30% (or medium-low) and cook for about 12-16 minutes, or until thick. Whisk well until creamy. If too thick, whisk in just enough heavy cream to loosen. Mine was quite thick and a little bit grainy. But it tasted good! This dulce de leche was my husband's favorite one in terms of flavor.
Pressure Cooker:
- Place rack in the pressure cooker, and then the can of sweetened condensed milk, laid on its side on top of the rack. Pour in enough water to cover can by 1-2 inches above. Secure lid, turn on the pressure cooker and seal valve. Set to the canning function or manual high pressure for 30 minutes (lighter color) or 40 minutes (darker color).
- Quick-release the pressure using tongs (so you won't burn your fingers) and once the pressure is all let out, carefully remove the lid. Let the water cool completely before removing can so that it won't explode in your hands.
- I set mine for 40 minutes, which produced a darker and creamier dulce de leche than the one made in the microwave. The flavor was good, although not my favorite of the three.
Curious about how does a pressure cooker work? Get our cooking time charts!
Slow Cooker:
- Place can of sweetened condensed milk, laid on its side, in the slow cooker bowl, and fill with water up to 1-2 inches above the top side of the can. Close the lid and set the slow cooker to 8 (lighter color) or 10 hours (darker color).
- Once cooked, let water fully cool before handling the can. This method produced the best result of the three in terms of flavor (sweeter), creamy and smooth texture, and color, which was darker than the other 2 methods. The caramelization was great! By far, it was the best of them all!
STORAGE
Store in a clean airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days (avoid storing in the can).
Or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and thin it by mixing with just enough milk or heavy cream.
DESSERTS MADE WITH IT:
- Dulce de Leche Apple Hand Pies
- Dulce de Leche Churro Blondies
- Cuca de Maçã
- Dulce de Leche Churro Trifle
- Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Churros
PIN & ENJOY!
Dulce de Leche (Microwave/Slow Cooker/Pressure Cooker)
Equipment
- microwave, slow cooker, or pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (one can)
Instructions
- Microwave: Recipe tested ina 1200 Watt Microwave: Pour sweetened condensed milk in a deep microwave-safebowl, set cooking power to 50% (or medium), and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove bowl from microwave and stir well. It will be hot!
- Reduce cooking power to 30% (or medium-low) and cook for about 12-16 minutes, or until thick.Whisk well until creamy. If too thick, whisk in just enough heavy cream toloosen. Mine was quite thick and a little bit grainy. But it tasted good! Thiswas my husband's favorite one in terms of flavor.
- Pressure cooker/Instant Pot: Place rack inthe pressure cooker, and then the can of sweetened condensed milk, laid on itsside on top of the rack. Pour in enough water to cover can by 1-2 inches above.Secure lid, turn on pressure cooker and seal valve. Set to thecanning function or manual high pressure for 30 minutes (lighter color)or 40 minutes (darker color).
- Quick-release the pressure using tongs (so you won't burn your fingers) and once the pressure is all let out, carefully remove the lid. Let the water cool completely before removing can so that it won't explode in your hands. I set mine for 40 minutes, which produced a darker and creamier result than the one made in the microwave. The flavor was good, although not my favorite of the three.
- Slow cooker: Place can of sweetened condensed milk, laid on its side, in the slow cooker bowl, and fill with water up to 1-2 inches above the top side of the can. Close the lid and set the slow cooker to low for 8 or 10 hours.
- Once cooked, let water fully cool before handling the can. This method produced the best result of the three in terms of flavor(sweeter), creamy and smooth texture, and color, which was darker than the other 2 methods. The caramelization was great! By far, it was the best of them all!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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John / Kitchen Riffs says
I like the idea of using the slow cooker to prepare this. It certainly looks more attractive than the results produced by the other two ways of doing this. And if it tastes the best, then it IS the best. 🙂
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
Sounds like sweet and slow is the way to go! (Although I imagine the taste testing was fabulous!)
Jeff the Chef says
I've always wanted to try this, and never have. I didn't know you could do it in a slow cooker, and am glad to know that it seems to be the best way, because I'm kind of inclined to whip that thing out and try it. Out of curiosity, why is it not good to store it in the can?
Denise Browning says
Hi Jeff! The reason why dulce de leche should be stored in a clean airtight container (rather than a tin or can) is because it would better maintain its flavor and quality.
Bev says
Hi! I just found this recipe and would like to make this today in the slow cooker. Is it possible to do 3 or 4 cans all at the same time? Thank you!
Denise Browning says
Hi Bev! It will depend on the size of your slow cooker. It is very important the side of each can is lying down at the bottom of the slow cooker and are covered with water.
2pots2cook says
At the first glance, I though slow cooker one is the best and am so glad to read it all through to see it's the best one. I make dulce de leche from scratch but on the stove top, slowly cooking condensed milk in a skillet, no sugar, vanilla only and, aside it lasts for hours, was the best version for us until now. Thank you for detailed instructions so I could save my time in future 🙂
Denise Browning says
I am so glad this method was useful for you.
Mimi says
Oh I love this stuff! I’ve never made it this way - it sounds easy! I also love cajeta. Fabulousness.
Jim says
Have not tried yet , unless I missed it, what setting for your slow cooker? High, low, or warm setting?
Denise Browning says
Hi Jim! You set the slow cooker on LOW for 8-10 hours.
Loulousita says
My family grew up with Dulce de Leche as a staple on our morning breakfast table. We would spend it on toast and my Mamá’s very thin Bisquick pancakes. She made them like crepes, but we never called them that. We just grew up loving super thin and light pancakes.
As to the cuisine, you listed it as Mexican. I wish you would change that to Latin, Hispanic, or even Pan-American. I have only seen Dulce de Leche included in a small fraction of all the Mexican homes and restaurants I’ve ever been in. While you will find it almost every place and household that serves Argentine food. If you go to an Argentina Carnicería or Mercado, you will find huge cans and small specialty jars of it alongside the cans of Dulce de Patata, another lovely item we spread on toast. When my Mamá moved to the US from Argentina, she brought with her The Pan-American Cookbook. The recipes were all in Spanish on thin onion skin paper. We grew up using that recipe book. Dulce de Leche was one of the many delicious recipes.
Loulousita says
I would also like to add a suggestion- be very careful if you decide to pressure cook it in the can. My Mamá used to fill a giant pot with water, put Borden’s Sweetened Condensed Milk in, and bring it to a boil. It would boil for a couple of hours (estimating). It always came out thickened to perfection, caramel colored, smooth and creamy. BUT, one time, there was a huge explosion! We had bits of sticky dulce de leche on every part of the stove, counters, walls, and ceiling! Ugh, it was a big job to clean up! lol!
As an adult in my own kitchen, that didn’t deter me, as I blew up a can not once, but twice!! I never want to clean that mess again, so I look for recipes that are safer and faster. Making it in the microwave does not ever compare to the slow cooking method, but It will do. 🙂
Denise Browning says
Thank you for the suggestion. Yes, dulce de leche is popular in other Latin cuisines such as Brazilian (doce de leite), Argentinian, Peruvian, and more. I have eaten dulce de leche in Mexican cuisine as Cajeta and a fudge candy as well as in their bread pudding.