What Is Sweetened Condensed Milk, Anyway? (2024)

DON’T DRINK THE MILK! Not because it’s bad. But because it’s not regular milk. It’s sweetened condensed milk. Which begs the question: What is sweetened condensed milk, anyway? It’s weirdly thick (thicccc) and sticky and kind of looks like Elmer’s glue. In short: It looks gross. But if you’re putting it in things, not just drinking it from the can, it’s not gross at all. Let’s break down the two words in the name and learn a bit about this dairy-based concoction.

Condensed: How do you condense milk? You don’t shove it into a small room (or a trash compactor, for all you Star Wars heads out there). And you don’t abbreviate it to MLK in the fashion of some millennial tech start-up. Milk is condensed by removing water via heat. You’ll probably recognize that process as evaporation. Yes! The part of the water cycle where liquid water turns to a gas that we learned about in fifth grade science! Condensed just means that the milk was cooked down in order to remove some of the water from it, the same way you would cook down a stock or a sauce to concentrate its flavor.

Sweetened: Yeah, you guessed it. There’s sugar added to sweetened condensed milk. The main purpose of adding sugar is to prolong the shelf life of condensed milk, which can sit on room temperature shelves for years. Sugar prevents microorganisms from growing in the milk and helps to thicken it even further—it's added after the milk has been boiled, reduced, and effectively pasteurized.

It’s also worth noting that there is unsweetened condensed milk, but that’s usually referred to as "evaporated milk." You shouldn’t substitute one for the other. They are apples and oranges, as the saying goes.

What Is Sweetened Condensed Milk, Anyway? (2024)

FAQs

What can be a substitute for sweetened condensed milk? ›

If you run out of sweetened condensed milk, simply substitute the same amount of evaporated milk for a one-to-one alternative. The consistency in the dish will be near the same, but the flavor will not taste as sweet. You can add sugar to the evaporated milk if you prefer to up the sweetness.

How unhealthy is a can of condensed milk? ›

Condensed milk might not be the ideal option if we're trying to lose weight because it's high in calories and includes added sugar. A better option if we want to cut calories is evaporated milk. Condensed milk also includes lactose, which might be harmful to people who are lactose intolerant.

What is sweetened condensed milk made of? ›

Condensed milk is cow's milk from which water has been removed (roughly 60% of it). It is most often found with sugar added, in the form of sweetened condensed milk, to the extent that the terms "condensed milk" and "sweetened condensed milk" are often used interchangeably today.

Is evaporated milk the same as condensed milk? ›

Both are concentrated, shelf-stable milk products that have been heated until at least 60 percent of their water content has evaporated. The main difference between evaporated milk and condensed milk is that evaporated milk is unsweetened while condensed milk is sweetened.

Can you turn evaporated milk into sweetened condensed milk? ›

While we don't recommend substituting condensed milk for evaporated milk or vice versa, you can make your own condensed milk when you're in a pinch. Simply heat together 1½ cups of sugar and one can of evaporated milk until the sugar has fully dissolved.

What is a substitute for 14 oz condensed milk? ›

One 14-ounce can is roughly the same as adding 1 cup of evaporated milk and 1 cup of granulated sugar (more accurate is 7 oz. evaporated milk and 7 oz- which is 1 cup- sugar).

Is condensed milk just milk and sugar? ›

Sweetened condensed milk is made by removing most of the water from cow's milk. It's sweeter and higher in calories than evaporated milk, as sugar is added as a preservative. It can add flavor to desserts, coffee and certain stews but is unsuitable for people with milk protein allergy or lactose intolerance.

How to condensed milk at home? ›

firstly, in a bowl take 2 cup full cream powder, 1 tsp corn flour, 1 cup sugar, ¼ tsp baking soda and 1 cup milk. whisk and mix well until everything is well combined. now pour the milk mixture into a large kadai and keep stirring. keep the flame on medium and keep stirring.

Why is condensed milk so expensive? ›

The limited availability of raw ingredients and processing facilities has resulted in a shortage of sweetened condensed milk in the region. Additionally, the increased demand for the product has driven up its price, as manufacturers are unable to keep up with the demand.

Is condensed milk the same as heavy cream? ›

Condensed milk is evaporated milk that has been sweetened with sugar. Evaporated milk can be used in place of heavy cream in most recipes, whereas condensed milk is best reserved for desserts.

Does condensed milk go bad? ›

Typically, factory-sealed cans of sweetened condensed milk have a shelf life of one year past the printed expiration date. Both the sugar content and the hermetic sealing of cans are crucial for this extended shelf life. Once opened, the shelf life diminishes significantly, and it should be used within a few days.

Is evaporated milk good or bad for you? ›

Evaporated milk may help you gain weight healthily because of its high concentration of nutrients and lack of added sugar, which is associated with the development of heart disease and type 2 diabetes when consumed excessively ( 17 ).

What is a substitute for Nestle condensed milk? ›

Nestle Plant Based Condensed Milk Alternative is made from rice flour and oat flour and is perfect ingredient for delicious vegan baking. It is a great ingredient for creating tasty dairy alternative sweet treats such as cakes, cookies, brownies, cheesecake, caramel slice and more.

Can I substitute heavy cream for sweetened condensed milk? ›

Heavy whipping cream has a similarly thick texture to sweetened condensed milk, making it a great option. However, since it is naturally unsweetened, you'll need to add a bit of sugar for it to be an even match. Mix together 1 cup of heavy cream with about ¼ cup of sugar for the perfect substitute.

Can we use milk powder instead of condensed milk? ›

Yes it can, only thing please keep in mind your recipe will need lot of adjustment Sweetened condensed milk has I believe 40 percent sugar, and where as SMP has none, also there has to be some adjustment even minor for fat also.

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