Both condensed and evaporated milk are reduced milk. Meaning, both have been cooked until almost 60% of the water content has evaporated or reduced. Today, I share two methods to make this evaporated milk recipe from scratch.
Table of Content
What is evaporated milk?
Evaporated milk is shelf-stable milk that has been reduced by evaporation with no added sugar. Regular milk is cooked until it is thickened to about ⅓ of its original volume. The result is thicker milk that tastes creamier compared to regular milk. You can buy these easily in a can from popular brands like carnation from Nestle but you can just as easily make this at home.
Condensed milk vs evaporate milk?
Both condensed milk and evaporated milk are reduced milk. Meaning, both have been cooked until almost 60% of the water content of the milk has evaporated or reduced. The main difference between the two is that condensed is always sweetened with high sugar content, while evaporated is unsweetened. Traditionally, these used to be dairy milk products but these days you can make them with non-dairy products too.
While condensed milk is often used in baking to make desserts such as pumpkin pie, rice pudding, cakes such as Tres leches cake, ice cream. Evaporated milk is perfect to use for soups, macaroni, pasta sauce, Mac and cheese, over cereals, and coffee or tea. Try evaporated milk instead of fresh milk the next time you make French toast, waffles, mashed potatoes, or Bechamel sauce. In fact, using evaporated instead as a substitute for cream adds more stability to the resulting product as compared to regular milk.
You can also use it in recipes that call for condensed milk but want to reduce the sweetness without the caramel-like flavor. Evaporated milk works great in both sweet and savory dishes.
Traditional vs quick method
As the name suggests evaporated milk is milk that has been condensed to about ⅓ of its original volume by evaporating the liquid over low slow cooking.
- The traditional method - The traditional way to make this can take hours. That's because it requires you to simmer the milk in a heavy bottom saucepan over low heat. Stirring often until it is reduced to about ⅓ of its original volume. Depending on how much milk you have it could take from 45 minutes to an hour or more.
- The quick 5 minutes method (evaporated milk substitute)
How often have you been in a situation when you start making a recipe and realized that you don't have evaporated milk? And, of course, you don't have an hour to make it from scratch?
Thanks to modern technology and the availability of milk powder you can make this milk in 5 minutes. So, basically, what we are doing instead of removing liquid we are adding the powdered milk back to the milk.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Milk – It’s best to use regular milk that’s at least 3% fat. Skim milk, reduced-fat milk, or low-fat milk has too much liquid, so it will take longer to evaporate and you won’t get thick milk. You can also use non dairy prodcuts like coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk or oats milk.
- Powdered milk – If you make the evaporated milk in 5 minutes you will need powdered milk. You do not want to use skimmed milk powder as it will not give you a thick consistency.
How to make evaporated milk
Traditional evaporated milk
- Pour milk and salt in a heavy-bottom saucepan, preferably non-stick. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to cook stirring often.
Pro tip - It is essential to keep the heat low and stir frequently. Otherwise, the milk will burn on the bottom giving the milk a burnt smell. - Continue to cook the milk on a low simmer until it is reduced to about ⅓ of its original volume.
Pro tip - The more it reduces – the thicker the milk will be. It will continue to thicken as it cools. So, I'd say about ⅓ of its original volume is a good guide. - Then, pour into a clean mason jar or glass container. Let it cool completely at room temperature. Then, store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Quick 5 mins evaporated milk (video below)
- Place milk in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Add in the salt and powdered milk stirring with a whisk to avoid any lumps.
Pro tip - The mixture will be quite lumpy at first but don't worry as the powder will dissolve and disappear in the milk. - Stir on medium-low for about a minute or two until the mixture comes to almost boil and all the milk powder has dissolved. Continue to cook for just 2 minutes on low until everything is well heated through.
- Remove from heat, strain into a clean mason jar or glass container. Let it cool completely at room temperature. Then, store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Pro tip - Straining will remove any undissolved milk powder and give you a smooth velvet-like texture similar to canned condensed milk.
Tips for success
- Traditional method
- Cook the milk low and slow. This will give a much lighter colored milk preventing the milk from scorching at the bottom making it a creamy color.
- Use a whisk to make sure the mixture is lump-free.
- If you still have too many lumps in the milk - use a hand blender to smooth the mixture.
- The consistency has to be pouring consistency, so take it off the heat a bit earlier than you think as it will continue to thicken as it cools.
- If the finished milk is too thick add a few tablespoons of warm milk and give it a good mix with the hand blender.
- Quick 4 mins method
- Use full-fat milk for a nice thick consistency.
- And use regular, not skimmed milk for a thick consistency
- The butter adds a nice velvet-like texture to the milk but it can be omitted as well.
- The consistency has to be pouring consistency, so do not cook for too long.
- If the finished milk is too thick add a few tablespoons of warm milk and give it a good mix with the hand blender.
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Frequently asked questions
Not really. Evaporated is unsweetened so using it would give a very bland dessert or dish. Additionally, condensed milk has a caramel-like flavor which happens due to the slow cooking process. So, even if you add sugar your dish will still lack that caramel flavor from condensed milk.
Canned evaporated milk has a shelf life of one year until opened, once opened it can be left in the fridge for about a week up to 2 weeks. Similarly, this homemade recipe will last for about a week up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Both condensed milk and evaporated milk are reduced milk. Meaning, both have been cooked until almost 60% of the water content of the milk has evaporated or reduced. The main difference between the two is that condensed milk is always sweetened while evaporated milk is unsweetened
This milk is perfect to use for soups instead of cream, over cereals, and in coffee or tea. Try evaporated instead of milk the next time you make French toast, waffles, mashed potatoes, or Bechamel sauce.
Condensed and evaporated are the same with the exception that condensed is sweetened and this is unsweetened. To make condensed from evaporated - add ½ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to one can of evaporated milk. Bring it to a boil until all sugar has dissolved and let cool again.
See my 2 methods to make homemade condensed milk traditional or 5 minutes.
It depends on the recipe you need to use it for. In some cases like soups, you can use regular milk instead of evaporated. Sometimes a combination of half milk and half cream works great.
Yes, you can use the same process to reduce the milk but instead of using a dairy product use almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk. Cook on medium not very high heat to prevent a darker color until it has reduced to about 60%.
Technically, all you need to do is add an equal amount of water to dilute the milk. Since it is reduced by 40% I'd say add ½ cup water to every 1 cup of evaporated milk.
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Printable Recipe
Homemade Evaporated Milk
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Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Traditional Evaporated Milk
- 4 cups (1 liter) Milk (full-fat)
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) Salt
Quick 5 mins Evaporated Milk
- 1 cup (250 ml) Whole milk
- 2 cups (250 g) Milk powder
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) Salt
Instructions
Traditional Evaporated Milk
- Pour milk and salt in a heavy-bottom saucepan, preferably non-stick. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to cook stirring often.Pro tip - it is important to keep the heat low and stir frequently, otherwise, the milk will burn on the bottom giving the milk a burnt smell
- Continue to cook the milk on a low simmer until it is reduced to about ⅓ of its original volume (about 2 cups).Pro tip - The more it reduces – the thicker the evaporated milk will be. It will continue to thicken as it cools so I'd say about ⅓ of its original volume is a good guide.
- Then, pour into a clean mason jar or glass container. Let it cool completely at room temperature then store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Quick 5 mins evaporated milk
- Place milk in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Add in the salt and powdered milk stirring with a whisk to avoid any lumps.Pro tip - the mixture will be quite lumpy at first but don't worry as the powder will dissolve and disappear in the milk
- Stir on medium-low for about a minute or two until the mixture comes to almost boil and all the milk powder has dissolved. Continue to cook for just 2 minutes on low until everything is well heated through.
- Remove from heat, strain into a clean mason jar or glass container. Let it cool completely at room temperature then store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.Pro tip- straining will remove any undissolved milk powder and give you a smooth velvet-like texture similar to canned condensed milk.
Recipe Notes & Tips
Traditional evaporated milk
- Cooking the milk low and slow. This will give a much lighter colored milk preventing the milk from scorching at the bottom
- Use a whisk to make sure the mixture is lump-free.
- If you still have too many lumps in the milk - use a hand blender to smooth the mixture.
- The consistency has to be pouring consistency, so take it off the heat a bit earlier than you think as it will continue to thicken as it cools.
- If the finished evaporated milk is too thick add a few tablespoons of warm milk and give it a good mix with the hand blender.
Quick evaporated milk
- Use full-fat milk for a nice thick consistency.
- And use regular, not skimmed milk for a thick consistency
- The butter adds a nice velvet-like texture to the milk but it can be omitted as well.
- The consistency has to be pouring consistency, so do not cook for too long.
- If the finished evaporated milk is too thick add a few tablespoons of warm milk and give it a good mix with the hand blender.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Angela
I have always wondered how to do this! Turned out so great! Will definitely be my go-to when I need evaporated milk. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Angela. So happy you found this recipe useful
Isobel
I did the 5 minute method mixing milk with milk powder as per above instructions. It seems that if you cook it slightly too long you end up with unflavoured cheese. So anyone trying this, make sure it doesn’t go too thick while cooking.
Think I’ll try using water instead of milk next time.
Veena Azmanov
Isobel, you don't need to cook it down like the traditional method. Just until everything is well combined and dissolved. Overcooking will of course result is all the moisture evaporating completely. Thanks
kim
I had never thought about making my own evaporated milk, but this seems so easy. I can't wait to give it a try!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Kim. yes, it's so easy and convenient
Brian Jones
This is ingenious, evaporated milk is impossible to find here but milk powder is everywhere, works a treat too! Thank you
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Brian. Yes, it's so delicious.
Irina
Oh, Veena, your recipe is a treasure! I always buy evaporated milk, but now I will make it in just 5 minutes. Thanks for sharing!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much. Irina. So happy you found it useful
Genevieve
Well, now I know how to do it thanks to your recipe. No need to buy the store-bought kind. Pinned for later. Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Genevieve.