2 Ingredient Vegan Sweetened Condensed Milk
If you need a super easy dairy-free or vegan sweetened condensed milk recipe, I have the perfect one for you! This recipe calls for only 2 ingredients.
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Your favorite holiday or dessert recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk…but you don’t eat dairy! What can you use?
Vegan sweetened condensed milk, of course.
Store-bought vegan sweetened condensed milk can be hard to come by (I usually buy it on Amazon.) Thankfully, it’s pretty simple to make at home with a couple of basic ingredients and some simmering on the stove.
Ingredients
You only need 2 ingredients to make this sweetened condensed coconut milk.
- Coconut milk: Full-fat coconut milk in the can (this is typically found in the “International” aisle in the grocery store.) You need the higher fat content to produce a creamy and thick condensed milk, so don’t use lite coconut milk or the kind that comes in a carton.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar. Keep in mind that organic sugar is not perfectly white because of the difference in processing, so expect an off-white end result.
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Method
The method is super basic: bring the coconut milk and sugar to a boil, then let simmer for 40-45 minutes (or until the milk has reduced by about half.) It will have a consistency just like traditional sweetened condensed milk once it is cooled to room temperature.
Coconut milk in a carton will not work for this recipe – full-fat canned coconut milk is essential to getting that perfectly sticky sweet texture and consistency.
Recipes that use vegan sweetened condensed milk:
Did you enjoy this recipe? Please leave a comment and a ⭐ star review below!
Vegan Sweetened Condensed Milk
Ingredients
- 1 (13.6-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a pot on medium heat, bring the coconut milk and the sugar to a boil. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn't boil over.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 40-45 minutes (until liquid is reduced by about half.)
- Stir or whisk every 5 minutes or so.
- Remove from heat and let cool (it will get even thicker as it cools.)
- Store in fridge for up to 10 days.
It looks pretty dark, what did I do wrong? I used the Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut milk and Organic Cane sugar but it definitely looks like a light brown and not any shade of white? It’s still cooling so maybe that will change it ( doubtful) but what can I do in the future so its not like this?
Thanks
You may not have done anything wrong if it tastes okay (and doesn’t taste burnt.) It is probably just the color of the sugar impacting the final result. Organic sugar is not stark white like regular sugar is.
Hello, Thank you for the recipe.
Is there any way I can use this condensed milk to make a frosting?
Thank you
Thanks for your post. But I’m curious to know, what non-dairy milk is most like milk?
In general, I think oat milk is the most similar.
This turned out perfect. Very easy and delicious.
Hi!
I’d like to use this in a recipe for gyro sauce.
The original recipe version calls for sweetened condensed milk, vinegar and garlic powder.
Where your recipe uses coconut milk, what would you suggest could be added to lesson the coconut taste?
Thanks!
I tried this with ingredients on hand because I didn’t want to go to the store for one thing. I don’t think I’ll use sweetened condensed milk again now that I can make this
I’m about to try your recipe but am confused by the term, full fat coconut milk. It isn’t used here. We get cans of coconut milk that are liquidy and, when put in the fridge, some of it solidifies and the rest remains liquid. We also get cans called coconut cream which is completely solid (no liquid). Which of these do you think is full fat coconut milk please?
The first you described seems right. We have something called “Light/Lite Coconut Milk” which is when the cream is basically removed.
Thanks for this recipe, can’t wait to try it can I double the recipe or even triple it , ? since it can be frozen,
Yes for sure!
Do you think this could work with a nut-milk or oatmilk?
Can I use it
In a pie directly off the stove? Or do I have to wait for it to cool down?
I would wait for it to cool down so it doesn’t “melt” the pie crust.
If you don’t add sugar would it be like evaporated milk to use in gypsy tart?
I suppose I could reduce the sugar in the wisking process?
You could reduce the sugar a bit (maybe 1/4 cup), but it really does need the sugar to become that syrup-y consistency.
Made this for vegan rice pudding – perfect! I also used Sweve sugar substitute instead of sugar, and it worked out great.
Sooooo good! I made according to the recipe and it was so delicious I had to resist the temptation to just eat it like pudding. Used to make coconut macaroons (I saw that Shelley said it was perfect for 3 cups of coconut so I used that amount). It made 18 good-sized macaroons.
3 cups unsweetened coconut (shredded)
1 tsp vanilla
vegan sweetened condensed milk (the amount this recipe yields)
Baked for about 25-30 minutes on parchment-lined baking sheet at 325.
Looks good so far! I am still at the first step but I am so glad to see your updated recipe as I hadn’t thought I would have to have to add that much extra cook time to macaroons so thanks for that! ( I’m adding vegan chocolate chips to some and also Cacao powder to some.) Hoping it works out as making them for my Hebrew School class and I have one Vegan Student so want to be inclusive!
Looking forward to making this. Make lots of dairy-free and vegan desserts and meals. Yum!
Thanks so much for this recipe! It’s perfect, a bit time consuming but worth the effort. As its close to being cooked it even begins to look like Eaglebrand. I also tried another recipe with powdered soy milk in a blender – Yikes!! Stay clear of that one it was horrible. I used it for coconut macaroons and the amount it made was perfect for 3 cups of coconut, 1 tsp vanilla and presto I had 26 tbsp size macaroon :). Yummy
I cut time to 10 minutes. Put in large frying pan for extra evaporating surface area. Cook on high. Stirring all the time. Done!
Good idea!
Great recipe, great success…so delicious! I’m going to use mine to make vegan millionaire shortbread 🙂
I use this to make pumpkin pie – but thinking of doing butternut squash pie instead – will let you know how it goes!
When you say a can of full fat coconut milk you mean the entire can, correct? Not just the solidified coconut that settles?
Correct, the whole can!
I use this recipe for conventional sweetened condensed milk recipes and have had great success
Hi! I’m really excited to try this recipe! Could you tell me, does it taste quite strongly of coconut?
Yes, it does taste of coconut. But it’s definitely more subtle than that weird-artificial-coconut-flavor.
I made it and it turned out great… now what can I use it for? The recipe I needed it for didn’t use more that 2 tablespoon spoons worth.
Pumpkin coffee creamer?! https://www.karissasvegankitchen.com/vegan-pumpkin-pie-creamer/
Or, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
I find it absolutely amazing that you were able to come up with this! Thank you!
Making it now, do you stir it at all while it’s simmering?
Yes! Every 5 minutes or so. I’ll make that more clear in the directions.
I can’t wait to try this! I want to make Coconut Macaroons – the easy recipe that’s 2 ingredients – but I couldn’t find any vegan sweetened condensed milk. . . until now.
Is this sweetened or unsweetened coconut milk? Looking forward to trying your recipe for the vegan sweetened condensed milk. I have not been able to find it where I live. Thank you!
Unsweetened canned coconut milk
Thanks for posting this recipe! I have a friend who’s dairy-free (and gf) who has never had magic bars. Crazy!! This recipe will be used to make some for her. I really hope they’ll taste as good w/o the dairy!