Dulce de Leche Recipe

Hello friends! Today we’re diving into the ultimate dulce de leche recipe made from sweetened condensed milk. This guide walks you through the three most popular methods—oven, stovetop, and pressure cooker—so you can choose the one that gives you the exact texture and color you’re after. Each technique has its own timing, quirks, and ideal uses, and I’ll break down what to expect from each.

Whether you grew up eating dulce de leche (like I did in Brazil) or you’re discovering it now, this guide will help you make a perfect batch every time and show you simple, delicious ways to use it.

What is dulce de leche?

Dulce de leche is a Latin America staple, basically a caramel made from sweetened milk! It was created in Argentina, however, it’s widely popular across all Latin America.

I grew up in Brazil, where it’s is extremely popular and abundant, we call it “doce de leite”. And we put it on everything! In Spanish dulce means sweet, and leche means milk. The translation would be something like: “candy (or dessert) made from milk”

Traditionally, dulce de leche is made by slowly cooking down milk and sugar, at a very low heat. However, my very favorite way of making it is from a can of condensed milk.

Is dulce de leche the same as caramel?

No—they’re different. Caramel is made by cooking sugar until it melts and browns, sometimes with water, butter, or cream added. Dulce de leche starts with milk and sugar and cooks low and slow until it thickens and deepens in color.

The result is a completely different flavor and texture—richer, thicker, and more fudge-like, with warm, toasty notes. Caramel is lighter, sweeter, and made in a fraction of the time.

How to make dulce de leche?

Like I said above, dulce de leche is made of sweetened milk, cooked down until Maillard reaction occurs between the sugar and milk.

The byproducts of the Maillard reaction are the complex flavors and aromas and the caramelization.

But basically, what you have to understand is that: the longer you cook, the darker and the thicker the dulce de leche will be. However, each method has its own cooking time in order to achieve the really thick and rich results.

Let’s talk about the methods. On this video on YouTube, I am comparing the 5 different methods.

Oven method

This method involves baking sweetened condensed milk in a roasting pan, covered with foil, and set inside a hot water bath.

It’s a safe, reliable way to make dulce de leche, but the texture tends to be a little lumpy and not as thick, since you can’t let it cook too long without risking scorching. It works well for general use, but it won’t always give you the ultra-smooth consistency you’d want for frosting or glaze.

Stove top method

This method uses a sealed can of sweetened condensed milk simmered in a large pot or heavy-bottomed saucepan for several hours. The can must stay fully submerged the entire time, so you’ll need to check periodically and add hot water as needed. After cooking, let the can cool completely before handling or opening it.

The result is a thick, dark, deeply flavored dulce de leche. The longer it simmers—typically anywhere from 2½ to 4 hours—the darker and firmer it becomes. As long as you keep the can fully covered with water and at a gentle simmer, this method produces a consistently rich, caramelized result.

Pressure cooker method

This is my favorite method by far. It involves simmering a sealed can of sweetened condensed milk in a large pot or heavy-bottomed saucepan for several hours. The can must remain fully submerged, so check it periodically and top off the pot with hot water as needed. Once the cooking time is up, let the can cool completely before touching or opening it.

What you get is a thick, dark, intensely flavored dulce de leche. The longer it cooks—usually between 2½ and 4 hours—the deeper the color and the firmer the texture. As long as the can stays covered with water at a gentle simmer, this method delivers a reliably rich, caramelized result.

Slow cooker method

In the slow cooker method, you also cook a sealed can of condensed milk, but this time in the slow cooker, for 8 hours, and always making sure the can is completely cooled down before moving it and opening.

The results: a very thick and luscious dulce de leche as well! The downside: it takes forever to make it.

Stove top method (milk + sugar + baking soda)

If you’d like to skip the sweetened condensed milk, there’s a method using milk, sugar, and baking soda. It works by cooking down milk and sugar in the stove top, with the addition of baking soda to help the reactions that occur in order to form a thick and rich dulce de leche.

The results: A dark sauce, slightly gritty, thick but not pipeable. And it tastes more similar to caramel.

Click here for a full recipe you can use to make it.

Is it safe cooking a can of condensed milk?

As long as you take the safety measures below you will be fine cooking the can of condensed milk. Make absolute sure to pay attention to this the whole time:

• Before cooking the condensed milk can inspect it and make sure it is not dented or have any damages.
• Always be VERY careful, make sure to cover the can with water completely. Set a timer to check on the water every 20 minutes!
• Let the can cool down completely in the water before removing it and opening.
• Don’t knock, shake, or jostle the pan containing the hot can of sweetened condensed milk.
• Never leave the can unattended, check on it constantly while it’s cooking.

If you don’t feel safe with these options, make the dulce de leche using the oven method, or the stove top method.

Storage

Dulce de leche will last for quite a bit, which means it’s great for making ahead!

You can store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Some people even say 3 weeks. Make sure it’s well covered.

And you can also freeze it, by placing in an air tight container, and placing in the freezer for 1 to 2 months, even though some people say it will last even longer.

I’ve tried freezing dulce de leche in a ziploc bag, but it’s very messy and hard to get it out, and you will end up wasting quite a bit that will be stuck in the bag, so I prefer to store in an air tight container.

To thaw, place it in the fridge, however, it will still be scoopable even straight from the freezer.

Where to buy dulce de leche

Dulce de leche is becoming each time more accessible in the US, because of its increasing popularity.

In Brazil you can find it pretty much anywhere and everywhere. The artisan ones are basically some of the best things I’ve ever tasted in my life. Argentinian dulce de leche is very popular in Brazil, since Argentina is right nextdoor, and also since they make arguably the best in the world.

Lucky for you, you can find both Argentinian and Brazilian dulce de leche here in the US! You can buy it online, or at the grocery store. Usually you can find it by the sweetened condensed milk, or in the Latin food aisle. Some of my favorites brands are: Havanna, San Ignacio, La Lechera, Chimbote, Aviacao (Brazilian brand).

If you want a dulce de leche that holds its shape without leaking or melting and you don’t want to use a pressure cooker, go with a store-bought variety made specifically for pastry work. Look for dulce de leche repostero or repostería—these are formulated to be thicker and firmer, perfect for piping and filling.

If the dulce de leche you have isn’t super thick, you can mix it with butter and powdered sugar, which will stabilize it and give you the structure you need for piping. For example in this recipe for this Salted Dulce de Leche Cupcake Recipe.

What to do with dulce de leche

Dulce de leche is incredibly versatile. Sure, you can eat it straight from the spoon—my personal favorite—but it also works beautifully in simple everyday uses.

But, of course, you can use it many other ways. For example:

• With cheese (yes in Brazil that’s a very popular way of eating it, spread on white cheese, maybe with toast, or as filling for empanadas, even pizza)
• On top of waffles, pancakes, pound cake
• Spreading on toast

And here are some recipes that showcase it beautifully:

• Cookies
• Alfajores
• Donuts
• Cakes
• Cheesecake
• Fudge (brigadeiro)
• Cupcakes
• Macarons
• Pie

Thanks for reading!