This recipe should come in handy this holiday season. Or, really anytime you want to make something totally decadent.
Homemade sweetened condensed coconut milk!
Traditional sweetened condensed milk is made by heating milk until most of the water is removed, then adding sugar, leaving you with a thick and sticky substance that tastes downright decadent in desserts and coffee drinks.
This homemade version is naturally dairy-free, and can be used in nearly any recipe calling for traditional sweetened condensed milk, adding a hint of rich, coconut flavor to the final result. Since you’re making it yourself, you get to control the sweetness! I prefer using honey as my natural sweetener, but agave nectar, pure maple syrup, coconut nectar, coconut sugar, or stevia should work just fine.
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Homemade Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk
makes about 12 ounces
inspired by this recipe
Ingredients:
1 14 oz. can full-fat coconut milk*
1/4 cup honey, or equivalent sweetener of choice
Directions:
Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan, and heat over medium-high heat until boiling, about 5 minutes.
Watch this pot closely! Once the coconut milk starts to boil, it can bubble over quickly. Whisk regularly to prevent burning.
Reduce the heat, bringing the coconut milk to a simmer, then add the sweetener, whisking until it’s completely dissolved.
Allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.
*Note: I don’t recommend using low-fat or light coconut milk, since those versions are usually just coconut milk that’s diluted with water to lower the fat content. You’ll have to boil the coconut milk longer, and will have less condensed milk as a result– wasting your time and money. Use the full-fat stuff for best results!
Remove from the heat, and allow to cool completely before using in recipes.
This sweetened condensed coconut milk should last for at least a week when stored in a sealed container in the fridge.
How to Make Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz . can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup honey , or equivalent sweetener of choice
Instructions
- Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan, and heat over medium-high heat until boiling, about 5 minutes. Watch this pot closely! Once the coconut milk starts to boil, it can bubble over quickly. Whisk regularly to prevent burning.
- Reduce the heat, bringing the coconut milk to a simmer, then add the sweetener, whisking until it's completely dissolved.
- Allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Remove from the heat, and allow to cool completely before using in recipes. This sweetened condensed coconut milk should last for at least a week when stored in a sealed container in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Calories per ounce: 91, Fat: 7g, Carbohydrates: 6g
I hope you’ll enjoy this non-dairy alternative as much I do! It’s a decadent addition to your weekend coffee, and makes a mean macaroon–> a recipe which I’ll be sharing later this week!
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Reader Feedback: Do you ever use sweetened condensed milk? If so, what are your favorite recipes that call for it? I remember using it to make a classic fudge recipe years ago, and I tried it once in my coffee, which made it taste more like a dessert! It’s a little too labor-intensive for me to want to use it all that often, but it’s definitely a fun treat!
I was searching for a condensed milk replacement as I and my children are all lactose intolerant. I am pleased to have found this, thank you. I have made 4 batches so far, 2 with regular white sugar and 2 with honey. All of them took much longer than 45 min to cook down, so don’t be discouraged. I just kept it on and kept stirring (every 10 min or so) and I have a beautiful dairy free version. One batch ended up too hot for too long, but it didn’t ruin it, it just turned a darker tan.
Less fat versions do not work as well. The reduction in fat is usually caused by adding water to the “milk” there by defeating the purpose of boiling the water away and you end up with less product.
We are making gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan holiday cookies for friends and family. This recipe just made my life easier. Thanks.
Hi all. I’m a Chef that specializes in allergy free foods. You can also buy Coconut Cream at your Asian market. There is even less water in these cans vs Full Fat Coconut Milk cans. I’ve made Condensed Milk this way often but, I go ahead and use about 1/4 c. confection sugar in mine.
Hi, could you please tell me if i can make a double batch of the sweetened and condensed coconut milk and make it in one saucepan at a time.. kind regards Bev
Is coconut milk/cream the only alternative? I am sensitive to coconut and coconut milk. Is there an almond or rice milk alternative?
Great idea using confection sugar – I want to use it as an icing for an apple cake – this would work! Thanx.
OMG, so I am truly in love with this recipe. I don’t usually drink coffee but when I do, I put a ton of creamer in it. This is the perfect replacement for regular creamer, thank you so much!
Can the sweetened condensed milk be frozen? Thanks.
I don’t think it’ll substitute regular condensed milk as seemlessly if you freeze it. I made this recipe to use in a frozen dessert, and I found that freezing the condensed coconut milk left a strange film around my teeth. Maybe it was from the coconut milk separating as it froze.
Has anyone tried making his with liquid stevia extract? If so how much did you use?
I thought about that too but everytime i have tried to sub stevia for sweetness in large amounts it always has this qwful bitter aftertaste so I would try using monk fruit sweetener (also known as Erythritol – it’s a very natural sugar alcohol like stevia) for a recipe like this because it has a very similar texture to regular sugar and can be substituted on a 1:1 ratio I believe. It always tastes so good in all my recipes that I think theres no way there’s not regular sugar in them! Anyway hope this helps! 🙂
I would make the thickened cream and then add the stevia to taste after it cools down. I think that would take care of the bitter taste that stevia gets when heated.
Can this be used as a substitute for like Cocoa Real that they use to make pina coladas? I have a great recipe that calls for it but would like to use a healthier alternative.
Why do you have to sweeten the coconut milk. Doesn’t it thicken otherwise? The concentrated milk will be sweet on its own, I think?
Greetings from Holland, Gerry
This recipe is an attempt to replace a store-bought product. The store-bought version is VERY sweet, so you need an added sweetener in this recipe if you want to use it as a dairy-free substitute in baking. If you don’t plan on using it that way, you don’t need to add the sweetener.
I tried it today because I wanted to add the honey last, to keep the healthy properties of the honey, and it does thicken! I was thinking it would make a good cream base for something like a pasta sauce.
I am trying to find out if this can be canned for long term storage. Anyone canned condensed milk before?
Do you think I can add the honey at the end of reducing? I would like to keep the benefits of the honey without over heating it. I will be trying this… I will check back in and let you know how it goes! Thank you for this recipe!
It worked!
Can you use 100% coconut cream?
Could I use maple syrup or golden syrup, not honey?
Could you use coconut cream?
Have you tried turning the condensed milk into a caramel? There is a south African dish that uses the tinned caramel milk
I love chocolate dipped macaroons and found this recipe interesting. I’d like to use some sweetened coconut that I’d already purchased. Would I get the great results as shown if I use full fat coconut milk without honey?
This sounds delicious but how do I make the Full Fat Coconut milk or where can I buy it?
Does Erina Organic Warehouse sell it? I have been given a recipe for LEMON HEMPAROONS.
I was shopping in Long Jetty yesterday at the Hemp Shop & they had some lovely Hemparoon Balls handing out to some of the locals. These of course contained Hulled Hemp seeds & the recipe called for 320mls of coconut condensed milk. Could you please help me with my query?
Thanks, Lynn Crisp
To reduce the amount of time needed to boil off extra water can’t I just put the canned coconut milk into the fridge, wait for it to chill, then pour off the water portion leaving only the coconut milk solid parts??
Yes, you can definitely start with coconut cream to help reduce the boiling time, but it might still take a while to get to that syrup-y consistency of traditional condensed milk.
Hello! How long does this condensed coconut milk keep for?
I’d keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
How long will this store in the refrigerator?
How much sweetened condensed milk does this recipe yield? Looking forward to using it for a tres leches cake!
Would coconut cream work?
Yes, I think so.
Has anyone used heavy coconut cream (thick) instead of condensing the coconut milk?
How long will this last in the fridge-or can I make large batches in advance?
Thanks 🙂
Honey should never be cooked. It negates all the health benefits. https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/reasons-why-you-should-never-cook-honey-1696700
Hi I was wondering if this would work with coconut cream? Thanks
Yes, I would think so!
I tried this and it tastes delicious – but it is darker than the picture on your site – more like the color of honey and it separates if I don’t keep stirring even after it’s off the heat. I simmered for 25 minutes???
I made this last night and refrigerated it. This morning it’s a solid with liquid on the bottom. What did I do wrong? I wanted to use it for a tres leches cake but afraid it will harden once applied to the cake as the cake needs refrigerated. Any thoughts?
Sorry if this has already been asked but can you use normal dairy milk instead? Thanks
I’ve never tried that, but seems like it might work! Let us know if you try it.
I’d like to make dairy-free ice cream. Can I use your sweetened condensed coconut milk recipe here & coconut cream to make no-churn ice cream? Has anybody tried this?
Thanks!
Can I use golden syrup?
would this be similar to “cream of coconut” or “coco lopez” used for cocktails. we dont have them here in australia, i hoping this would be a good substitute
I’m not familiar with that, but I bet this sweetened coconut milk could be delicious in a cocktail!
Do you think Monkfruit extract (dried) would also work?
I’m wondering how to turn this recipe into a caramel sauce or dulce de leche sauce?? Thanks!
Coconut milk always curdled for me, even if u make it fresh from the nut. Maybe I am cursed?
I was making a dessert and mistakenly thought I had sweet and condensed milk. Out of milk but had a can of of this so I took a chance on this. And so glad I did.I couldn’t stop licking the spoon! Can’t wait to see how it bakes up. Thank you for the recipe.
I want in on the raw almond order please. Yes it’s 2020 and I’m just now reading this. Thank you for your postings! Ah what our grandmothers would have done had they had the internet for recipes!
Once I did not have sweetened condensed milk but had coconut milk and made this recipe and then used it in the classic 7 layer bars to take to a reunion. They were really good. Thanks for the recipe. The great thing about this is you know what is going in the recipe.
I tried it twice, once with Trader Joe’s brand and once with Iberia… neither worked. What can you suggest I do?
Does it work with Natvia – instead of sugar?
Hi I wasn’t to try this recipe… Can I use lakanto? Thank you!
If I want to ùse coconut sugar or coconut syrup, instead honey. Is it the same amount (1/4cup)?
I haven’t tried that yet, but I usually use double the amount when swapping a granulated sugar. So 1/2 cup coconut sugar = 1/4 cup honey, in terms of sweetness.
You did good, but can you make vegan yogurt with this condensed mil
26 Oct 21 Can you use nut milks verses coconut?
Can I freeze this if I make extra?
If a recipe calls for 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk and this recipe reducing the contents by half, is that okay to use in a recipe calling for 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, or do I need to put more coconut milk in the recipe?
Would this work with oat milk at well to not influence your dessert with coconut flavor? Thank you!
I don’t think oat milk would work quite the same way. It becomes very gummy in texture when heated. But feel free to experiment with it! I’d love to hear what you try.
Very confusing recipe until I figured out that 114 oz. can of coconut milk is actually 1 – 14oz. can.
It’s pretty phenomenal on toast .. I just make it with a tad less sweetener because the coconut milk is already naturally sweet
Hi. I used amber agave nectar and Thai Kitchen unsweetened coconut milk. It turned out great. It was not overly sweet. Can increase the amount of sweetener. Mine came out amber in color but still delicious.
I tried making this recipe, but it never thickened. Any idea why?
Has anyone tried this with Key Lime Pie? I was just wondering if it thickens without heating like regular condensed milk or if it needs to be cooked into a custard first?