Instant Pot Dulce de Leche
Hello friends! Today I will show you how to make Instant Pot Dulce de Leche!
I have been making dulce de leche in the pressure cookies for years. And I will say it is my favorite, number one preferred method for making dulce de leche from condensed milk!
But FIRST! Let’s address the “danger” of cooking a sealed can of condensed milk!
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The boiling point of condensed milk is higher than water. The contents inside the can will never exceed 100° Celsius, because that’s the temperature of boiling water at sea level. The pressure inside the can can’t exceed the pressure of the environment around it as long as it’s covered by water the whole time it’s cooking.
- 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.
- 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.
If you don’t feel safe with these options, please make the dulce de leche using the oven method, or the stove top method without sweetened condensed milk.
You are safe to make dulce de leche by cooking a sealed can of condensed milk as long as you take the safety precautions I’ve mentioned above.
Watch the video on YouTube or on this page, to learn how to make sweetened condensed milk dulce de leche in the pressure cooker.
So, it all starts with a can of condensed milk!
Step 1: Remove the label.
Step 2: Inspect the can to ensure it doesn’t have any dents.
Step 3: Place it in an instant pot or pressure cooker, filled up with water to capacity.
Step 4: Set the pressure for high.
Step 5: As soon as the pressure cooker is under pressure, start counting 35 minutes.
Step 6: Turn the pressure cooker or instant pot off. Let the pressure release naturally. And let the can cool down all the way in the water before removing and opening, which may take a few hours.
You can read all about dulce de leche here. I have all sorts of different recipes and methods showing you how to make dulce de leche at home from a can of condensed milk, or from simply milk and sugar. And on this YouTube video I taste test all the dulce de leches, and compare them.
Frequently asked questions about Instant Pot Dulce de Leche
How long should I cook the condensed milk in the pressure cooker?
Once the pressure cooker is under high pressure, set the timer for 35 minutes. That’s the ideal time and pressure to obtain a silky smooth dulce de leche that’s also firm.
Should I worry about the water level on the pressure cooker going below the condensed milk can?
You should fill the pressure cooker up with water to maximum capacity. The water won’t have time to evaporate in just 35 minutes cooking, it will be pretty much at the same level you started with. Don’t cook too many cans at once, I actually just do one at a time in the instant pot.
Is it safe to boil a can of condensed milk?
It’s safe to do so, as long as you follow the correct safety procedures: make sure the can isn’t dented, make sure it’s covered with water the whole time it’s hot, let it cool down all the way before removing from the water and opening, don’t jostle the pan around while still hot.
Are toxins going to transfer to the condensed milk as it cooks?
This question was answered by a scientist here, explaining why it’s very unlikely to get toxins transferred to the condensed milk as it cooks in the can. Basically, he says that the metals in the can are very unlikely to leak out at relatively low temps such as boiling water.
Also, he says that the amounts of toxic metals that could come out of the cooking process would be to small to be of any concern.
He says the only “concern” should be with BPA lined cans, because they will leak small amounts of BPA, but he says that the risk is low, and there are similar levels of risk with virtually any canned food.
And the amounts of BPA in a condensed milk can are way lower than in a can of something acidic as say, tomatoes.
Like I said above, making dulce de leche in the instant pot is my favorite way of making homemade dulce de leche.
The reasons are:
- Pressure cooker dulce de leche cooks way faster than the other methods.
- You don’t have to keep watching the pan to make sure the can is submerged in water.
- Makes for a very thick and smooth dulce de leche.
Check out below how beautifully the Instant Pot Dulce de Leche pipes!
Most dulce de leche brands you get at the store, or even the other methods aren’t going to be as thick like the pressure cooker dulce de leche.
For example, the dulce de leche made in the oven won’t be as smooth as this one, and won’t be as thick, because in order to become thick like this, it would have to cook for many hours in the oven, which would cause it to scorch even more than it normally does.
The other methods, such as the stove top, or the slow cooker dulce de leche just take fo-re-ver! Over 3 hours in the stove top, and over 8 hours in the slow cooker, not mentioning the cool down time!
Instant Pot Dulce de Leche will be great for anything, from frosting, to cakes, and more:
- To fill cookies, or alfajores
- For cakes (like this Dulce de Leche Cake, Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cake, and Dulce de Leche Mocha Cake)
- To fill macarons (because it’s so thick and it won’t leak or be too runny)
- To pipe on donuts
And much more! Find more Dulce de Leche Recipes here.
Check out everything you need to know about dulce de leche here, how to store it, where to buy already made dulce de leche, and more!
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to make Dulce de Leche in an Instant Pot! Give it a go, you will love it!
Thanks for reading!
Instant Pot Dulce de Leche
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (396 grams)
Instructions
Instant Pot Dulce de Leche
- Remove the label of the can. Keep the can sealed.
- Inspect the can to ensure it doesn't have any dents.
- Place the sealed can in an instant pot or pressure cooker, filled up with water to capacity.
- Set the pressure for high.
- As soon as the pressure cooker is under pressure, start counting 35 minutes.
- After 35 minutes, turn the pressure cooker or instant pot off. Let the pressure release naturally. And let the can cool down all the way in the water before removing and opening, which may take a few hours.
Storage
- Store dulce de leche covered, in the fridge for up to 15 days. Store packaged tightly in the freezer for 1 to 2 months.
Delicioso!!!!!!
Can I do more than one can at a time?
I’ve done two at a time and worked fine.
Hello, how long can I keep the can unopened? Can I let it for a few days before using it?
yes you can!
I don’t have instant pot. Can I use a regular pressure cooker? If yes, are the instructions exactly the same?
yes you can!
Thanks for all the info! I have one question. After letting the pressure release naturally, should I take the lid off the instant pot, or leave it on? I imagine that it’ll take way longer for the water to cool down if I leave the lid on.
You can take the lid off or leave it on, like you said the only difference will be cooling down time.
Can you lay the cannon it’s side? I have an instant pot mini and if it’s on the trivet upright- I can’t cover it completely with water
As long as the can is completely covered in water that’s fine, I do lay mine on the side, but please make sure the can is safely covered in water at all times by a few inches.
I agree that following your instructions will be safe, but I disagree with your logic. The point of a pressure cooker is to raise the boiling point of water above 100C. Just as the boiling point of water is less than 100C at high altitude, it is higher than 100C inside the pressure cooker. But most of that pressure is transferred to the inside of the can through the thin walls, so even though the can would rupture if the pressure was released, maintaining the pressure on the outside of the can until everything is cool stops that. If the boiling point was not raised, it would be just as fast to make dulce de Leche on the stovetop.
I came to say this. It does cook at a higher temp under pressure. The logic that you can cook it safely without the can exploding is sound, because the water pressure inward and the milk pressure outward should mostly even out. The logic on food safety might not hold, but I’m personally not going to let a little bpa come between me and dulce de leche. 😆
Was too hot and overcooked. When I opened my con it was dark and chunky, not smooth even after stirring for several minutes. Taste was fine, but texture was grainy.
How long did you cook? It can depend on the brand of the sweetened condensed milk you are using, and also on your pressure cooker, the temperature it had when you cooked and for how long you cooked. Sounds like you cooked for too long. If you make it again, just cook it 5 to 10 minutes less.
I had the same experience: 35 minutes (I used the IP’s timing feature) and natural pressure release led to overcooked, chunky dulce de leche. I assume that if I add some milk and whiz it with an immersion blender that it’ll be okay.
Will the dulce de leche have enough moisture to soften the shells as tey mature? I’m concerned that the filling will be rock hard, and the shell will be the same after maturation.
not at all, the dulce de leche will never get rock hard, even if you freeze it. It stays soft even when frozen.
We always made Condensed Milk this way in South Africa. However, the cans here in Canada are different, they have the peel off lid. Do you have any experience boiling these in the instant pot? I am not too confident that it would have the same strength to stay sealed while in the instant pot.
is the peel off lid like the one from eagle brand can? with the ring that you twist and then pull off? if so, that’s the one I use.
Yes, that’s exactly the one, thank you, I look forward to finally making condensed milk again!
That is the type of can I’ve used axs well. All I can say is I am THRILLED to find this way to do it. The last time I made th3 stuff I did it on the stove and a couple of hours in my son distracted me and I forgot to keep making sure there was enough water in the pot.
We were in the next room when we heard a really loud bang from the kitchen. I jumped up and started to run for the kitchen, as my husband ran to stop me. I had just reached the doorway when the there was a second bang. I had had 2 cans in the pot, 2ith a lid over it all. The first bang was 1 can blowing its top AND the top of the pot off. The second bang was the second can, and with no pot lid in the way it literally hit the stucco ceiling. What a mess! Thankfully didn’t get closer to it before it exploded.
Safe cooking!
It is very tasty, how many litres is the instant pot you used?
I think it’s like 7.5 liters if im not mistaken
Thank you, your enthusiasm is shared. That very first spoonful, ahh what a surprise!
Hi,
I don’t have an instant pot or a pressure cooker. Can I use a Dutch oven?
if doing that, you’ll need to keep checking for the water level to make sure it’s above the can, and also cook it for a few hours instead of just 35 minutes.
Can I let it cook longer (maybe 40 min instead of 35?) I’m looking to get a thicker consistency to use in alfajor filling.
sure!
I’ve cooked mine for 45 minutes and it turned out great! It was darker, somewhat firmer, and I think richer.
Awesome!!!
Mine didn’t turn out nearly as thick as the shown in the picture..a little darker and thicker than uncooked, but still runny. Not sure why, maybe the brand i’m using? (Casa Solana))
could be the brand, or could be your pan, how high the heat was, etc… Did you make sure the pressure was on, and did you make sure to start counting cooking time only after the pressure was on?
I just made this today in my instant pot. After removing the paper label, there was a lot of glue on the cans. I did two at a time and didn’t want to get glue on the inside of my Instnt pot so I vacuum sealed them in a vacuum sealer bag and placed the bag in the instant pot on a trivet and process them like she has said and they turned out great! Thank you!
Oh that genius!
my favorite method to make dulce de leche, thank you for this recipe! It came out thick and shiny!
How long is the can good for unopened?
I would remove from the can and store in an air tight container, or ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 2 months, or fridge up to 2 weeks
Should we start with hot water in the insta pot?
ou don’t have to. start counting the time from the minute it takes on pressure
Has anyone tried this with coconut condensed milk? Wondering if the result would be the same 🤔
I have tried it, doesnt work.
will it still be good cooked few weeks ago did not open and did not store in the refrigerator?
for sure!!! It will last for a few months if the can wasnt opened.
Kinda freaking out because it makes some noise in the instant pot while the water is boiling 😅 like the can is moving around. is that normal?
Made this as directed, in an Instant Pot at high pressure with “keep warm” turned off, using Borden Magnolia Sweetened Condensed Milk, and letting the pressure come down naturally. Like another commenter (to whom I replied), mine came out overcooked – too thick and chunky. I suspect that results must vary a bit based upon the age and brand of the sweetened, condensed milk (though mine was recently purchased). That said, I’m reasonably confident that if I add some milk and process with an immersion blender, it’ll be fine.
If I do this again, I’ll do some combination of less time (25 or 30 minutes), releasing the pressure manually, and removing immediately from the IP’s hot water.
This is my go to method now. I grew up only knowing the stove top method which took hours and could potentially explode on you if you don’t keep in eye on it. This method has made making dulce de leche at home a breeze. My dulce de leche always turns out smooth and delicious. I only use the eagle brand and so far no issues. I’ve had issues with other brands being grainy like the Aldi one. But that’s because their condensed milk is kinda grainy from the get go. So stick with the eagle brand yes it might cost a little more but it’s superior.
Yesss agreed on the sweetened condensed milk choice!!! very good indeed!!!
You’re really not supposed to cook those cans. They’re not made for heat and they release dangerous chemicals into your food. Do your instructions differ for putting the sweetened condensed milk in a pressure canning jar first?
Thanks for listing this technique, the dulce de leche came out great. I also found some cans of sweetened condensed coconut milk at the supermarket and gave that a try too. It doesn’t come out as thick as traditional dulce de leche, but it caramelized beautifully. I let it set up in the fridge for a few hours, and it took on the consistency of mousse, and it is absolutely delicious. I’ve been putting it in everything from yogurt with granola to mixing it with hot tea. I plan on mixing it with a bit of traditional dulce de leche to thicken it up for some banoffee bars (thanks for that recipe too).