Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche

Hello friends! Let’s make Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche today!

Making dulce de leche in a crockpot or in a slow cooker is super easy, but does take a long time.

From all the other methods: pressure cooker, stove top, and oven, the slow cooker dulce de leche is the one that takes the longest to cook.

Check out the video on YouTube or on this page showing you how to make dulce de leche from a can of condensed milk.

Also check out this video to watch a comparison and taste testing of all different methods.

How long does it take to cook dulce de leche in the slow cooker?

You should let the dulce de leche cook in the slow cooker for 8 hours, then allow for it to cool down completely before removing the can and opening it.

Is it safe to cook a can of sweetened condensed milk to make dulce de leche?

I have been making dulce de leche by cooking a can of sweetened condensed milk for many years now.

Let’s address the “danger” of cooking a sealed can of condensed milk!

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.

To make dulce de leche in the slow cooker, you need basically no prep at all.

Simply remove the label of the can of condensed milk, and place the can in the slow cooker. Turn it on high.

Set the timer for 8 hours.

Come back from time to time, to check if the water level is still ok.

The can should be covered by water the whole entire time.

It’s very very unlikely that the water is going to evaporate in the slow cooker, but it’s good to check.

And always give the can a few inches of water, so in case the water does begin to evaporate and you forget to check, you’ll still be safe.

However, I really recommend paying close attention to the water levels when making dulce de leche, you do not want the can to explode, it will be a huge mess to clean, and if there’s someone in the room they may get hurt.

Please be responsible when making dulce de leche by cooking a can of condensed milk!

• You can cook more than one can, depending on the size of the slow cooker.
• Absolutely make sure the can is submerged by water at all times.
• Let the can cool down completely before removing from the water and opening it.
• Dulce de leche lasts for a long time in the fridge (up to 2 weeks) and in the freezer (1 to 2 months), so take advantage of that, and make ahead!
• The longer you cook, and the higher the heat, the thicker the dulce de leche will be. If your crockpot has a low/high option, choose the high.

What can I make with dulce de leche?

The options of what to make with dulce de leche are infinite.

Click here to see some of my dulce de leche recipes.

• To fill cookies, alfajores, or macarons (making sure the dulce de leche is very thick, or it will make a mess out of your alfajores and cookies)
• For cakes (like this Dulce de Leche Cake, Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cake, and Dulce de Leche Mocha Cake)
• To pipe on donuts
• For cheesecake, pie
• To make fudge
• For cupcakes
• To top pancakes, ice cream, waffles, biscuits, scones

Click here to read everything you need to know about dulce de leche.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post about making dulce de leche in the slow cooker! Let me know down below which is your favorite way to make dulce de leche!

Thanks for reading!

Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche

Camila Hurst

Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche is an easy way to make dulce de leche from a can of condensed milk!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Cooling down time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 14 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Latin

Servings 1 cups

Calories 60 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk 396 grams

Instructions

 

Slow Cooker 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 a slow cooker filled up with water to capacity.
• Cook the can on high for 8 hours.
• Ensure the can is covered by water at all times.
• Turn the slow cooker off.
• 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.

Notes

Quantity: depending on the size of the slow cooker you can cook a couple of cans at a time.

Water: ensure the can is covered by water at all times.

Cool down: make absolute sure the can of condensed milk has cooled down completely before removing from the water and opening it.

Keyword dulce de leche