Once you try this simple sugar-free condensed milk recipe, you’re going to want to have it on hand at all times. Believe me, it’s going to be a low carb baking staple from here on in. A useful ingredient for so many other great keto dessert recipes!
It was time to give my sugar-free condensed milk recipe a little update and its own landing page.
For about as long as I can remember, I’ve had a full kitchen cupboard dedicated to baking supplies. And I am not talking about a weeny little half-section either. I mean a full cabinet bursting at the seams with all of the baking staples I need on hand at any given moment. Because you never know when the urge to bake will strike and you never want to be unprepared.
This was the case for me even in my pre-keto life. The only thing that’s really changed is the actual ingredients that fill the cupboard. I’ve traded all purpose flour for almond flour, coconut flour, and a few other “flours”. Sugar has been replaced by Swerve and a few other useful sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit. I keep sugar-free chocolate chips and baking chocolate on hand at all times. I just need these things around me for a true sense of well being.
But now I have another staple to add to that list: sugar-free condensed milk.
I always had a can of sweetened condensed milk around in my non low carb days, as I found it to be incredibly useful. Alas, there are no low carb commercial options out there so of course I had to go and make my own. Thankfully, it’s ridiculously easy to make your own low carb sweetened condensed milk with three simple ingredients. I bet most of you have these on hand already.
Truth be told, I already have a sugar-free condensed milk recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. It’s been around for many years and I used to make it all the time. But while relatively simple to make, it was time consuming as it involved reducing cream and milk together for about 2 hours. And since it contained milk, it wasn’t quite as low carb as I would have liked. So I decided to revisit the issue and see if I could make it simpler and more in line with keto.
How To Make Sugar Free Condensed Milk
Use heavy cream. I’ve made a number of other keto recipes where I reduced just heavy cream for a while until it thickened up. That’s what I did here and that’s what makes it so darn simple. It thickens up much faster than my previous recipe and really only takes about 30 minutes, start to finish.
Use low carb sweeteners. I tried this same recipe with two different sweeteners. On the first go, I used powdered Swerve and it worked perfectly. I can’t say for sure it won’t recrystallize a little again if you refrigerate the condensed milk, because that is one of the downsides to erythritol sweeteners. I also tried this same recipe using Bocha Sweet and it was fantastic and didn’t recrystallize at all, even being refrigerated overnight.
Because Bocha Sweet is quite expensive and because it can make things almost too goopy, I’ve found that using half Bocha and half Swerve Confectioner’s gives me the best results. I add the Swerve after most of the reducing is complete, as I find it helps keep it from re-crystallizing as much.
Thickeners to use. Using a bit of xanthan gum helps give the keto condensed milk the right gooey consistency while also inhibiting recrystallization. You could also try gluccomannan.
What about dairy free? Yes, this recipe works with coconut milk! I’ve done it a few times now and it’s delicious. Be sure to use the canned full fat coconut milk for best results. And you may need to add a bit more thickener at the end.
So there you have it. I’ve perfected a sugar-free sweetened condensed milk recipe, making it easier and faster to make. This will become a staple in your keto baking repertoire too, I am sure of it! And there is more to come based on this recipe because it’s ridiculously useful.
Recipes for Sugar-Free Condensed Milk
Perfect Low Carb Vanilla Ice Cream
No Churn Maple Walnut Ice Cream
Once you try this simple sugar-free condensed milk recipe, you’re going to want to have it on hand at all times. Believe me, it’s going to be a low carb baking staple from here on in. A useful ingredient for so many other great keto dessert recipes!
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup Bocha Sweet OR powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/4 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
-
In a large heavy saucepan, bring the whipping cream to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Watch carefully as you want it to simmer but not continue to boil. There should be little bubbles along the edges the whole time.
-
Remove from heat and whisk in the sweetener and butter until dissolved. Sprinkle the surface with 1/4 tsp xanthan gum and whisk vigorously to combine. Let cool 10 minutes. If it's not quite thick enough, whisk in the additional xanthan gum.
txgrandma says
This is another winner! Thanks for your hard work.
Cecily says
I always LOVE seeing your emails and recipe ideas come into my Gmail! I’ve made this with coconut cream and it turned out quite nice! I cannot digest Bocha sweetener, totally wreaked havoc on my digestion. I read that it is digested in the large intestines whereas Erythritol is small intestine…
I’m so grateful for all your wonderful recipes!
Cecily
Nancie Lyons says
This is awesome! How long will it be good for? Store in the refrigerator?
Carolyn says
The version I made with Bocha Sweet kept for over a week in the fridge. As long as your cream is still fresh, it should be fine.
patricia says
I was just going to ask about using coconut cream. Thanks Cecily that you shared your experience in using it. I too have to be dairy free. So coconut cream it is for me.
Donna says
Are you adding 2 servings of Swerve if you’re not using the Bocha Sweet?
Carolyn says
Yes… but it will re-crystallize.
Natalie Gibb says
Hi 😊 I know you posted this a while ago, but with the condensed milk recipe, it has the sugar replacement listed twice as 1/4 cup each. Does that just mean that if I
Use one type of erythritol I can just use 1/2 cup?
I’ve just discovered your website – it looks great!! The condensed milk is genius!
Thanks
Natalie
Carolyn says
No, it does not. It has Bocha Sweet or Swerve listed (as in… Bocha Sweet is preferred but if you cannot get your hands on that, you can use just Swerve). So the best result comes out with using 1/4 cup Bocha Sweet and 1/4 cup Swerve but if you simply can’t get Bocha Sweet, then you can use 1/2 cup Swerve.
Chelsea sexton says
So botcha is something I have never seen in Australia .. never heard of.. and Amazon lime most great keto things won’t deliver it here. I have options of ethiritol xylitol monkfruit and Stevia plus the artifial stuff. Any suggestions for botcha replacement was thinking monkfruit.
Carolyn says
Monkfruit does not have the right quality, but xylitol should work.
Charlene says
Hi Carolyn,
Would adding a tiny amount of liquid sunflower lecithin help with reducing the crystallization in the refrigerator?
Carolyn says
I’ve never tried that, but if you use the sweeteners I use, you won’t get any re-crystallization at all.
Catherine says
How would you keep this for future use? In the fridge or can it be frozen? Thanks again Carolyn for another winner.
Carolyn says
I kept the batch made with BochaSweet for over a week in the fridge and it was fine. The Swerve version may recrystallize more, I didn’t try that one. I haven’t yet tried the freezer.
Carol says
Hey Carolyn! Wondering if this can be turned into Dulce de Leche? Might have to give it a try. Thanks for another great pantry staple!! TGIF!!
Colleen Bowden says
I am so glad that you are living your life in the kitchen experimenting with food and bringing us these great (and I mean great) recipes. I have never met you, but love you! Hugs and kisses!
Carolyn says
Thanks so much!
Joan says
Hi Carolyn, thanks for another awesome recipe! I’m wondering if I could use powdered Monkfruit instead of an Erythritol ‘sugar’? My daughter has intestinal issues with Erythritol.
Carolyn says
I think that should work.
Jane Armstrong says
Hooray!! I want to make a Key Lime Pie. Do you have a recipe?
Carolyn says
I am publishing a keto lime pie bar very soon!
Ruth Edmison says
That sounds great. Hope it’s carb friendly, as I’d kill for key lime pie. Use to be lemon meringue & coconut cream, but then I met one made with real key limes & fell in love.
Haneefa de Clercq says
I am so excited to have found you. I am baking keyo friendly cakes etc and was looking for unsweetened condensed milk! I will be starting my Keto Diet myself next week.
Karen says
This may sound gross, but … gonna say it anyway! HA. My mom and I used to eat sweetened condensed milk right off the spoon! We’d be making magic cookie bars and … yeah…stuff happens. Good thing we had two cans around at all times. =)) Your lc version is wonderful. Now even easier (read, faster to get in my mouth!) Thanks.
Carolyn says
Doesn’t sound gross to me…I did the same!
DuAnne Mednick says
Can you make a double recipe?
Rebecca Jaxon says
I’m wanting to know the same thing. I have a half gallon of cream (bought the wrong thing, now i’m stuck with it) and I’d like to turn it all into your scoopable vanilla ice cream, but I’d like to make the condensed milk in larger quantities. Can I double or triple it?
Carolyn says
Yes you can… but of course it’s going to take much longer to reduce down.
Rebecca Jaxon says
Just so you know…I just made a double batch, and it seems to be just fine. I simmered it a little longer than the original 30 minutes, since it was double the amount. But it looks good, and I am looking forward to trying out the recipe for the ice cream next.
Lacey says
Not gross at all, unless you don’t finish the whole can.
Kate says
Was interested in your comment about your uncertainty whether Bochasweet affects your blood sugar. Have you noticed a problem with it? Would like to try it but as a diabetic I have to be careful. Thanks.
Carolyn says
I haven’t noticed an issue as yet but I am not as comfortable with it because I haven’t fully tested it. I have tested after eating things that contain it but I haven’t yet done the spoonful of it on its own.
Gabrielle says
Do you think this would be thin enough and incorporate into an iced coffee? Sweetened condensed milk is amazing in coffee, hot or iced. But obviously not very keto friendly! Also, when my husband recently started keto to manage his diabetes (he’s had great success), having some previous knowledge of your wealth of recipes was one of the only things that made me believe it would be doable for us as a family. Thanks for your amazing work!
Carolyn says
I was meaning to try Vietnamese coffee with it. I hope it will dissolve properly but I haven’t gotten there yet!
Allison says
Oh I made some Viatemeses coffee and used my whipper and it was ultra thick and creamy! Did not re crystallize at all. It was delish!
Shawn Anderson says
Sounds a bit like to me, Kafe Con Leche, the Latino type coffee you can get in Miami and other latino restaurants. I love it. Sweet, creamy and full of caffeine! I like it when they give you the pot of Kafe and the side pot of their Con Leche, and you mix it together yourself! Sounds amazing. I will be picking up some groceries tomorrow on my way home from work. Going to get the coconut flour, some xanthan gum, and Almond milk to make some of these yummy sounding desserts. I make this stuff, and that is all I eat then. I love desserts. Is it bad to just eat desserts and pork rinds? Teehee! That is me though. Oh, yes, and crack slaw! I ate that for 4 days in a row last week. I love it. Thanks again for these amazing recipes. I am so not good at creating, but I can and do sub some items and they have always turned out just fine. The 2nd time I make it though, I forget what I used the first time, so they are never the same!
MegM’94 says
Shawn, I now have a dry erase board in kitchen to jot down what I change.
Karen says
Absolutely perfect in iced coffee!!! Have been trying to recreate Vietnamese coffee and this was it! Thank you, Carolyn, for all you do – you are our family’s go to source for recipe inspiration;all four of our kiddos know where to find your recipes in our kitchen. Your site is bookmarked, I have your cookbooks on my shelf and am waiting anxiously for my pre-order to arrive for this next little gem:) Keto strong!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Mary Smith says
You talk about recrystallization. Can this be fixed if it happens? If so, how? Thanks!
Carolyn says
Simply re-warming it will do.
Carolyn says
I just made it with Trader Joe’s coconut cream and it turned out great. After 30’ it seemed too thin so I went about 55’ total. It was hard in the end to keep the liquid and fat incorporated but vigorous whisking worked. I added about 1/8 tsp maple extract to give it the extra syrupy sweetness taste I remember of sweetened condensed milk . Thank you so much Carolyn. You’re truly an Inspiration!
Pam Freeland says
Can glucomannon powder be subbed for the xanthan gum?
Fawn Emplit says
I don’t have Bochat sweet can monkfruit work I have powdered and regular
Carolyn says
Not if you want it to not recrystallize.
Cher says
Hey Carolyn. What other recipes do you use this in? Super drlish!
Carolyn says
I JUST posted key lime bars today. Check my homepage…it’s perfect for them.
Ann says
Just curious about why I haven’t seen allulose in your recipes. Wondering if it affects your BG or if it’s just not up to your baking standards for one reason or another. My family finds an aftertaste with both Swerve and Monkfruit. Allulose seems to not have that same aftertaste for us – but I don’t experiment with baking. I just follow recipes! LOVE what you are able to create for us!
Carolyn says
I have some but I have my doubts about it after reading that it can affect the liver. Plus it is by FAR the most expensive sweetener and few of my readers can afford to use it.
Avanza says
I have used allulose with all the recipes I’ve tried and haven’t had any issues with the results – they’ve all been delicious! It is a very expensive sweetener but I find the taste and performance worth the price for special occasions. Will have to research what you mentioned about liver impact – had not seen that previously or had any issues.
Adrian says
Rather than cooking for a length of time I’d rather cook to reduce the desired amount. What is the volume you reduce to?
Carolyn says
It states in the recipe exactly how much it makes.
Adrian says
Actually the recipe doesn’t state outright anywhere that I could see how much it makes. But 2 T times 8 servings equals 1 cup.
However, that’s not how much the cream is reduced to, because you add butter and bochasweet after the reduction step, and I don’t know the effect on the volume of adding bochasweet. I assume adding 2T butter increases the volume by 2T. I would have to add the bochasweet *before* cooking the cream, then cook until I have 7/8 cups, and then add the butter. I don’t see any obvious reason why this change would be a problem, but it’s not how you wrote the recipe.
Jeanna says
You’re killing me smalls
Cici says
Really, Adrian?
Do your own math and be happy!
Perhaps your question should have been restarted to “ how much should I reduce the cream by?”
Cici says
Restated not restarted!
Adrian says
Cici, my question in fact was how much should I reduce the cream by, so it wouldn’t be a restatement!
Adrian says
I tried cooking the cream down to 5/8 cup which I estimated would be about right to produce a 1 cup yield (based on a rule of thumb that a 1/2 cup of sugar increases volume of a mixture by 1/4 cup—maybe bochassweet is the same.). But by the time I got to 3/4 cup it was starting to brown, so I stopped there and I had a yield of somewhat more than a cup. It’s quite thick, so I can’t imagine needing to add xanthan gum. I suspect that Carolyn reduces it less and has a larger yield.
Shawn Anderson says
So funny, as when I just read this, I didn’t read that it said Restarted, I read it as restated. Great way to refresh the post though. These terms are a little above me, as I can’t create recipes, or should I say I don’t know how and because I have never had the inclination to, that is why I haven’t learned. I love to cook and follow recipes though!
Carolyn says
Thanks!
Allison says
I made a triple batch of this magic potion and it is absolutely freaking incredible! I have made fudge, Viatemeses coffee and the Key lime bars with it. All delish and perfect!
Loti says
I’d be interested in hearing how you made fudge with it. Did it re-crystallize?
Donna says
Should I count the carbs in Bochasweet? I recently purchased some and I was not sure if the carbs count or not. It is not a sugar alcohol, but I cant find any info on Pentose.
Carolyn says
I’d say no…it supposedly doesn’t affect blood sugar. I am still not sure yet, need to test more on myself.
Shawnna says
I made this for the key lime bars. They were amazing. I had a very small amount of this left over so I put it in the fridge. It got very thick and it is almost like a marshmallow creme. Oh my gosh, so very good. I may have to make a batch just to put in the fridge and eat from the jar. Thanks for the amazing recipes!
Pam says
Can I sub glucomannon for the xanthan gum?
Carolyn says
I am honestly not sure, I haven’t tried it.
Gayle S. says
This is the fourth low carb condensed milk recipe I’ve tried, and the previous 3 were a pain to make and really weren’t very good. This one worked out perfectly on my first try! Soooo easy, and soooo good! Thanks so much!!! 🙂
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Stacy says
Oh. My. Gosh. I accidentally overcooked my cream because as usual, I was trying to do too many things at once. It was for only 30 minutes, but it boiled more than it should have and it started to burn just a bit on the bottom. I was so ticked at myself at first, but it was a glorious accident!!!!! I noticed that it smelled divine, like browned butter, and kept going with the recipe. I used erythritol because that’s all I have on hand. At the end, hello caramel/toffee sauce!!!!!! I licked the rubber scraper off……soooooooo freaking good!
Carolyn says
What you really made is dulce de leche! And yes, you can do that with my condensed milk, I’ve done it before too…
Kathy Charest says
Oh man! That sounds amazing! 🙂
Ellie says
Hi Carolyn, thank you for posting this recipe. Can you tell me if it would be ok to use powdered stevia or granulated xylitol? I can’t get Swerve or Boxha Sweet where I live. If so, should I change the quantities? Many thanks
Carolyn says
Xylitol would be best. Stevia will be no good!
Lisa Bell says
I am chuckling a bit, because I love your personality that comes across via your HELPFUL, INSIGHTFUL, PRACTICAL, UNSELFISH gift to those of us that do too love to cook and eat deliciously. Thank you for the inspiration #keto #LCHF #WheresTheBeef !
Sasha says
This might be a silly question, but do you whisk for the entire 30 min, or just every couple minutes? Or just let it cook and leave it alone?
Carolyn says
Every 5 minutes or so is fine.
Tulia says
Thanks for the recipe! Tasted great, though on the initial attempt, vigorously whisking it makes it become a very soft dough-like material, especially if xantham gum is added.
Would be amazing if measurements in grams were added!
Ashley says
Thanks for the recipe!! I feel kind of ditzy but if I use swerve do I use 1/2 cup? Or just stick with the 1/4 cup?
Carolyn says
If you are just using Swerve, use a full 1/2 cup.
Natalie says
I don’t have bocha sweetner, but I do have both Swerve in powder and granulated. Do I just double the Powedered Swerve, or do i use 1/4 granulated and 1/4 powdered
Carolyn says
Double the powdered Swerve.
Melissa Brooks says
You mention swerve twice? So if using that then 1/2 cup?
Carolyn says
The preference is to use Bocha Sweet so it doesn’t recrystallize but if you don’t want to use that, then yes, another 1/4 cup powdered Swerve. So 1/2 cup total.
Beverly K Brumett says
This is life changer! I doubled the Swerve as my husband likes it super sweet. We were using it for a lemon pie so needed the extra sweetness. Thank you so much for this!! Will make Thanksgiving so much easier!
Carolyn says
Glad you liked it!
Robyn says
You are brilliant! Thank you for these amazing recipes! Even if I don’t make them right away, at least I know they are there when I need them. Cheers!
Patsy Harris says
Thanks for the recipe! Could you make lemon icebox pie with the same recipe?
Also, could this be canned and sealed in a jar for later usage or could it be frozen?
Love all your recipes! Has helped me with the keto way of eating!
Tom says
Hi and thank you for the recipe, I plan on making the Key Lime bars for my birthday so I can stay on my diet! But I just want to make sure I am following your recipe correctly.
Am I adding a total of 1/2 powdered Swerve Sweetener? As the recipe has it listed twice on two separate lines.
Thank you again!
1/4 cup Bocha Sweet OR powdered Swerve Sweetener
1/4 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
Carolyn says
If you are ONLY using Swerve, then yes, it would be 1/2 cup. If you are using the two different sweetener’s, then it’s 1/4 cup each.
Lori says
Oh my goodness! I tried this recipe this weekend and had to come back and comment. This stuff is so delicious, I could just eat it by the spoonful! I made it with xylitol and powdered Swerve and it turned out perfectly. I then used it to make fudge using a bag of Lily’s chocolate chips, a batch of this sweetened condensed milk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. IT’S SO GOOD!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I may be trying the magic bars next.
Shelby says
I guess I am the only one confused by the recipe (oops!) as it calls for 1/4 cup Bocha Sweet or Swerve AND 1/4 cup Swerve.
Is it just 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup?
Recipe ingredients:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup Bocha Sweet OR powdered Swerve Sweetener
1/4 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
2 tbsp butter
1/4 to 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
Carolyn says
It’s 1/2 cup of sweetener, total. If you can get Bocha Sweet, you do 1/4 cup of that and 1/4 cup Swerve. If you can’t…then you use all Swerve.
wendy h says
I am about to make this recipe to use in your Magic Cookie bars for my daughter’s birthday. I am unclear though about the directions as you have the Swerve listed twice….do I use a 1/4 c or a 1/2 cup?
The recipe reads as follows:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup Bocha Sweet OR powdered Swerve Sweetener
1/4 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
2 tbsp butter
1/4 to 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
Thanks so much! Wendy
Carolyn says
1/2 cup TOTAL sweetener. if you can get your hands on Bocha sweet, then 1/4 of that and 1/4 Swerve. If you can’t, then 1/2 cup Swerve.
Mallory says
Does this recrystallize after being heated? I have tried Truvia and Pyure in the past to make it but it always crystallizes upon cooling.
Carolyn says
It won’t recrystallize if you use Bocha Sweet or xylitol, but it will with the sweeteners you have listed.
Kay holbrook says
If I use powered shrive do I do 1/4 cup x2. Or just a 1/4 cup
Carolyn says
1/2 cup.
Jamie Veilleux says
I made 2 batches of this today (pics on instagram)! The first with the Bocha sweet/Swerve powdered mixture, the second with all swerve. After the first batch was finished (it came out PERFECT), I put it in a bowl in my instant pot (with 1/4 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 1/2 tbs water) and set on manual for 40 minutes…. BEST Dulce De Leche EVER!!! It will be perfect on top of the Keto french vanilla ice cream I made this morning! The second batch (plain) will go into more recipes this week! Another win using your recipes- this was fantastic! Thank you for spending your days in the kitchen being the creative genius you are!!!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Jamie! I saw your IG post. I have a keto alfajores recipe made with the dulce de leche. Probably coming in the new year!
Mary says
Anyone tried freezing this yet? Also, is there a way to reduce the sliminess and still use the xanthum for thickening?
Robert Willis says
I want to make no churn icecream but being a diabetic i am looking for substitutions. How is this in the freezer
Carolyn says
You can see how to use it in no churn ice cream here https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/keto-maple-walnut-ice-cream/
Neddie says
While it occurs naturally in some fruits and fermented foods, most erythritol being added to food and beverages today is typically man-made from GMO cornstarch. So that means ultra-processed food — very far from a natural sweetening agent, an invisible GMO ingredient, and for a lot of people causes gut distress or headaches. I couldn’t figure out where my headaches were coming from until I started using stevia that had erythritol in it. Monkfruit and pure stevia worked just fine in this recipe. I avoid Swerve like the plague now.
Dan says
I substituted 1/8 tsp pure sucralose powder for the swerve. Erythritol gives me a weird chemically feeling in the back of my throat. Of course it came out wonderfully though as pretty much everything does from your site. Thank you so much for sharing.
NICOLE M GOUGHNOUR says
If someone has already asked, please forgive me. Is this a total of 1/2 cup sweetener? “1/4 cup Bocha Sweet OR powdered Swerve Sweetener, 1/4 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener”
thank you
Carolyn says
TOTAL is 1/2 cup, yes. Either all swerve or half Bocha and half Swerve
Carolina Cartagena says
Can you omit the sweeter and make evaporated milk with this recipe?
Carolyn says
Good question. I can’t see why not!
Elisa Simkovitz says
A quarter cup of swerve sweetener is listed twice. Are you using a half a cup total?
Carolyn says
Yes… IF you don’t use Bocha Sweet.
GINA says
All your recipes are amazing!! I was shocked at how good this came out!! Going to use it in your key lime bars. If I make them tomorrow, do I need to refrigerate this condensed milk overnight or would it be fine sealed in a mason jar at room temperature? Thanks in advance and thanks for your recipes. You rock!!
Carolyn says
I would refrigerate it and then let come to room temp before making the bars.
Aisha says
I came across this recipe today while looking for a more healthier ‘No Bake Cheese Cake’ recipe. I was wondering about some substitution…
1. If instead of heavy whipping cream one could use a fat free lactose free version?
2. Instead of butter…what would be the best fat free butter option available?
3. Instead of almond extract could vanilla been extract be used?
4. What could be used instead of the xanthan gum?
AND …
5. Could powder stevia/ other non sugar sweetness be used instead of those two listed?
In my mind, the newer is YES to all my questions.. but it’s the reality of it all that worries me ..lol
Carolyn says
The answer is no, sadly. to almost all of it. Fat free is not something I do and fat free won’t work very well for a condensed milk, as it is the boiling away of the other liquids and leaving behind much of the fat that is what helps it thicken.
Linda says
Hi Carolyn,
A couple of quick questions;
1) Do you think this can be frozen for future use? I have some extra heavy cream in the house and want to use it up but am not ready to use this in a recipe (I only bake on weekends to limit the amount of sweets I consume).
2) In the ice cream recipe, you speak about the symbiotic relationship between the sweeteners. Do you know if I can use bocha and allulose? I am trying to move away from erythritol simply because I don’t love the cooling effect.
3) When you have time, would you be willing to do a post about the different sweeteners and how to use them, alone or in combination, in baking – similar to what you did regarding keto baking with almond flour?
Thanks a MILLION!
Regards,
Linda
Carolyn says
I would not freeze the condensed milk, as it changes consistency a lot. But you can make it and even if your cream is about to be expired, the cooking process will preserve it for an extra free days.
You cannot use Bocha and allulose as they have the same properties and will make your ice cream too soft. But the cooling sensation of erythritol will be reduces by the Bocha Sweet.
I am writing a big section in my baking book about all the different sweeteners.
Linda says
thank you and AWESOME! I have all of your books (hardcopy and kindle) and can’t wait for the next. please let me know if you ever need volunteers for recipe testing!
Best,
Linda
Gwyn says
Is it possible to substitute Monk Fruit sweetener instead of Bocha?
Carolyn says
No, because that won’t give you the necessary soft consistency. Only allulose or xylitol can be subbed.
Nancy says
I went to order the Bocha Sweet and noticed it comes in regular and a powdered version. Which do you use? I’m so excited to try this recipe!
Carolyn says
Regular for this. The powdered is very new and I haven’t tried it yet.
Linda says
Hi Carolyn,
Do you think I could use this in a standard key lime pie recipe (e.g., condensed milk, lime juice, egg yolks, zest) i.e., does it behave like the carby version?
Thanks,
Linda
Carolyn says
Yep! 🙂 Check out my key lime bars to get an idea.
Linda says
Yes! I saw those but was hoping to try a (mostly) traditional recipe (sans cream cheese) for my first attempt at key lime pie.
Thanks, I’ll let you know how it goes!
Carolyn says
You can give it a try. I think you may need something else to thicken. That’s all the cream cheese does here, it’s not for flavor.
Wenda says
I made your older sweetened condensed milk recipe with the milk and cream a long while ago…I liked it a little better than the new recipe….it did take longer though
Erin says
Could you sub coconut milk/cream for the heavy cream? Dairy-free here 🙂
Thanks!
Erin
Carolyn says
It does work but it’s not quite as smooth in the end. Still decent though!
Emma Shipp says
So good! It doesn’t even taste low carb at all! Delicious!
Kristy Hansen says
I made this last weekend in preparation for making Key Lime Pie today. I used Powdered Swerve and Bocha Sweet and it has solidified and crystalized in the refrigerator. Do you think maybe I didn’t let the sweeteners dissolve for long enough? Have you ever added the sweeteners in and let it simmer with the milk? I was thinking of re-heating it for a bit and seeing if it helps to incorporate the sweeteners more. I had made Sweetened Condensed Milk wiht only swerve before and when I made the pie it got crystall-y in the refrigerator and I was so hoping the Bocha sweet would prevent this.
It tastes delicious!
Carolyn says
You can reheat it a bit to liquify it again. But the reason I don’t put the sweeteners in with the cream is that it makes Swerve re-crystallize even more to be heated and then cooled. You can put the Bocha Sweet in at the beginning, though.
Mary Lou Hudman says
Have you experimented with a Keto German Chocolate cake?
Carolyn says
Yes, many times: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/keto-german-chocolate-cake-recipe/
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-german-chocolate-truffles/
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-german-chocolate-brownies/
Tiffany says
So anxious to try this! I don’t have an ice cream churner, but had been on my list for awhile. Can you please let me know what model you prefer? Will be watching amazon prime days for a deal! Thank you!
Carolyn says
I have a really expensive compressor one that I treated myself to a few years ago. But the basic cuisinart model works very well, i had one for years! https://amzn.to/2l8h0bC
Tiffany says
Thank you! I was actually looking at the Cuisinart ICE-100 model.
Luzel says
Hi Carolyn,
Is it the same quantity of sweetener if i will use xylitol?
Carolyn says
Yes you would.
Meg Magruder says
So… making tomorrow. Guess I need to get different sweetener as we are a Lakto Monk Fruit.
Question… how can we turn this in to Coco Lopez?
Can’t wait to try the key lime bars tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Carolyn says
I bet you could just add some coconut extract to it.
Amanda says
Thank you for posting this recipe. I’m looking forward to trying it out. I was wondering if you think it would turn out okay if I substituted monk fruit for the sweeteners that you used? Thank you in advance!
Carolyn says
You can try but I suspect it won’t have the right consistency. It may also re-crystallize, if you’re referring to a monk fruit sweetener that has been blended with erythritol.
Manny says
Love this! just tried it. I’m from Argentina and our dulce de leche is different than the one you can find here in the US. in order to make it look (and taste) similar i added a tablespoon of vanilla essence and when it starts getting thicker and brown i added half teaspoon of baking soda. it helps you too cook it longer without ruining the milk and it gives it a darker color (because of the mallard reaction). if you want to use it for alfajores you need to try this. the consistency helps to keep the shape between the cookies, specially when you bite into it.
thanks!!
Carolyn says
Thanks, very good tips!
Jan says
Hi,
I love this recipe, and would like to make the coconut cream version to send by mail to my Aunt. She won’t cook it, but LOVES her cup of coffee every day, with Borden’s condensed milk. She is supposed to quit due to diabetes. Any suggestions as to how I might get this ready to ship? Would the heated mason jar canning process work? Anyone with ideas welcome!! Thanks so much!!
Carolyn says
Oh boy. That’s a great question. I haven’t tried canning this and I think you’d need a full on pressure canner to make it safe, rather than just heated in a hot water canner. However, if you can ship some with cold packs and get it there in two days, it would be fine.
Kathy says
Some fudge recipes call for sweetened condensed milk. I wonder how this would be as a substitute.
Carolyn says
It works very well. 🙂
Kathleen says
Made a double batch for Key Lime Bars and Ice Cream. Two questions – the ice cream recipe calls for 1 batch of unsweetened condense milk – is that 1 1/2 cups? Also, I think I put too much Xanthym Gum in it because it turned out like tapioca pudding!!!
Carolyn says
Okay so if it’s too thick, you can thin it out a bit by returning it to heat and add more cream or a little almond milk. A full batch is a little over a cup, maybe a cup and a quarter, depending on how much you boiled it down.
Nita says
Carolyn, could this be made in the Instant Pot by combining all the ingredients beforehand? Love your recipe, and looking for a speedier method! TIA
Carolyn says
Honestly not sure. A pressure cooker is moist heat and you are trying to reduce this, which requires evaporation…
Matt Taylor says
Very cool recipe for homemade sweetened condensed milk! A perfect idea for people looking for a low-carb option. 🙂
Anna says
This was an absolute success! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Betsy says
Wow! I never thought about making condensed milk from scratch before! And then you went and made it Keto friendly! Incredible!!
Krissy Allori says
My husband is diabetic so this recipe is really going to come in handy. Thank you so much!
Toni says
My mind is completely blown here! I had no idea you could make condensed milk let alone sugar free condensed milk! What a fantastic recipe and thank you for all the details to make it so easy.
BellaJack says
Bocha Sweet was a disaster for me. I thought I had gotten the intestinal flu. Not only that but it recrystallized in the Pecan Pie recipe. Thank goodness Amazon gave me a refund. I will be concocting my own blend with erythritol, monk fruit and stevia, which don’t bother me at all no matter how much of it I eat.
Carolyn says
Sorry you had that experience. I’ve had the same issue with allulose, but not at all with Bocha Sweet.
Patty says
Hi, I have a very hard time with “sweeteners” in general. What ratio of these 3 do you use? Also, do you use for baking or stove top recipes equally? Thank you.
Carolyn says
Tell me which ones you’ve tried and I can make some suggestions. The condensed milk can be used for any recipe you would normally use it in!
Jill says
Excellent! Thanks!
Khadija M McMahon says
Hello! I just want to clarify, to make this dairy-free, we can sub-heavy both the whipped cream and butter for full-fat coconut cream, yes? Thanks so much!
Carolyn says
Just sub the cream, and no need to add butter or any oil.
Ann says
Hi – eager to try this, but won’t be using the Bocha Sweet after reading the comments on gastric distress. I know many of the keto additives bother me, so I’m not even going to try.
Have you tried this recipe using Allulose yet? That seems to be a good option for me, and I was wondering if anyone has tried it.
Carolyn says
Hi Ann – Keep in mind that we all experience sweeteners differently. I get SEVERE gastric distress with allulose. Instantaneously. So i can’t use it but it should work in this recipe.
Patty says
Does the cream need to reduce to a particular amount by the end of 30 minutes?
Thank you!
Carolyn says
It’s usually reduced by about 1/3 or so.
Cassondra says
This was absolutely delicious, & easy too! I can’t wait to use it in all sorts of recipes. I just made magic cookie bars (delicious!), but thinking of all the wonderful other recipes I could make with this. Thank you thank you thank you!
Beth R. says
I made this so I could make your Key Lime Bars (Amazing) and even though I think I added too much xanthan gum; the bars turned out okay. After simmering the cream and adding the sweeteners, I added the xanthan gum. It didn’t seem to be thick like condensed milk, so I added more. I refrigerated the milk overnight and to make the bars the next day. When I pulled the milk out it was firm, not solid, but almost paste/glue like. I was worried to use it but gave it a whirl anyway. What should the consistency be and do you refrigerate and them warm before using? Thanks!
Carolyn says
Yes, you definitely used too much xanthan. It won’t be properly thickened until cool so I think you jumped the gun a bit there. But sounds like it turned out alright in the end.
Brian says
I wanted to know if I could use Monkfruit sweetner instead?
Carolyn says
Instead of what? “Monk fruit sweetener” is usually mostly erythritol, so while it can replace the Swerve, it cannot replace the BochaSweet.
Jennie J Mimnagh says
Can you just use evaporated milk?
Carolyn says
In place of? The whole sweetened condensed milk? I am just not quite sure what you’re asking.
Wanda Platte says
Would this work when making low carb yogurt in an Instant Pot?
Carolyn says
Would what work? I am not quite sure what you are asking me?
Paulette says
ALL YOUR RECIPES ARE WONDERFUL!!!! ANd bless your heart for so graciously answering the SAME questions at least a thousand times!!!!
Carolyn says
Thank you, I appreciate that! It is tough at times but I want people to get the best out of my recipes.
Jennifer says
Can this be done with canned coconut milk?
Carolyn says
Yes but it can be a lot thinner so you may need more xanthan (another 1/8 tsp) to thicken it.
Jennifer Benson says
wonderful!!! Thank you so much!!!
Joy says
I see there is a regular BochaSweet and a powdered sugar BochaSweet on Amazon. Which is your preference in this recipe?
Carolyn says
They both work but I stick mostly with the regular because the powdered clumps very badly.
Judy says
Another staple item in my fridge. Thank you! One question – can we replace the butter with Cacao butter?
I’ve been having problems finding information on the difference between regular butter and cacao Butter and the effects to a recipe.
Thank you!
Shelby says
First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH for introducing me to Bochasweet! It is an absolutely amazing ingredient. I made this with Aroy-D coconut milk on a carton and I could eat the stuff with a spoon, it was incredibly delicious.
That being said, it was really disappointing to use with anything heated. I put it in my coffee and for homemade Irish cream and the texture immediately lost its thickness. I was bewildered on why until researching that xanthan gum is not appropriate for heat applications, which is a huge caveat for an ingredient that is primarily used in baking.
I would try this out again with another thickener, but as is, it’s just not a realistic replacement.
Carolyn says
I am not sure what research you are referring to, but xanthan gum works well in baking and in heated applications IF they are meant to be served at cooler temperatures. So it is indeed a very realistic replacement in almost all recipes… except, I suppose, hot coffee.
My Magic Cookie Bars are baked and heated and then cooled to eat, and it works perfectly in those.
Janice says
I just started a low carb diet (again), and would like to make your recipe. Can I use Splenda as I have an abundance of it in my pantry. I didn’t see it mentioned anywhere in the comments.
Carolyn says
Honestly, I don’t use Splenda and I am doubtful it will thicken the condensed milk properly. It will still taste okay, I think.
Martha Craft says
What’s the yield on this recipe? Does it make the equivalent to the traditional 14-oz. can?
Carolyn says
It ends up more like 1 1/4 cups.
Jacqi B says
Do you think this could be used in an instant pot yogurt recipe? I found two recipes for it and one calls for a can of sweetened condensed milk but want to make it keto friendly. The first batch i made i used heavy cream and it didn’t have any flavor.
Carolyn says
I’ve never heard of yogurt being made with condensed milk! So unfortunately I really can’t guide you there.
Ellen says
This sounds delicious, and simple to make! Would using Allulose instead of Bocha Sweet work for the recipe? I’m having a hard time sourcing Bocha Sweet in Canada. Thanks!
Carolyn says
Yes, allulose should work too.
Ellen says
Thank you, I’m looking forward to trying this recipe, and then using it for your vanilla ice cream recipe!
Chi says
Why can’t the recipes be printed though?
Carolyn says
They can be. Just press the Print button at the top of the recipe.
Marcie Smith says
I made this yesterday and put it in the frigerator over night. It is now hard like a stick of butter. Did I do something wrong? Is there a recipe that stays like a thick liquid even in the frigerator? I want to pour this over shaved ice but it clumps up
Carolyn says
Sounds like you might have cooked it down too much. In the fridge, it does firm up, but you can re-warm it gently to re-liquify. If it’s still too thick, add a little more cream as you rewarm it.
Kimberly says
I tend to make recipes similar to foods I know I will like so I don’t waste low carb ingredients. I have never had sweetened condensed milk in my life that I know of but I tried this recipe because I wanted to make your Magic Cookie Bars. Now I’m sitting here waiting for the condensed milk and crust to cool so I can assemble everything. I of course dipped a spoon in the condensed milk and it’s so good I wish I had made a double batch so I can try it in my coffee tomorrow. It might not even make it to cookie bars! Excellent recipe!
Lynn H. says
I love this! I was wondering since you’re a coffee drinker, if we could put this with coffee? I’d like to drink vietnamese ice coffee. It uses condense milk and I was wondering if you ever had it w/ coffee?
Carolyn says
I drink my coffee black but I do know others who have!
Sarah Lee (Lee Lee) says
Have you tried canning this?
Carolyn says
I have not… but having canned many other foods, I know you need to be careful here. Unless you have a pressure canner, many foods made in a conventional boiling canner can go bad without the right amount of acid to keep them from spoiling. So I urge you not to do this without researching it fully.
Belinda Lee says
As Swerve Sweetener is made from three ingredients: erythritol, oligosaccharides and natural flavo, why can’t I just use eruthritol?
Carolyn says
You can… but your condensed milk will recrystallize as it cools. That’s one of the main drawbacks of erythritol based sweeteners.
Marcia Daniels says
Not that you haven’t already done enough here in creating this recipe, but I have a question that I did not see. I was wondering if this could be prepared in the microwave to shorten the cooking time. I have successfully micro-cooked many recipes. If I were to try it, what should I take into consideration before beginning? I would guess uncovered to aid in evaporation. It seems that most who overcooked this just ended up with dulce le leche or a more solid product, so that is not a concern for me.
Carolyn says
I really don’t know, I can’t advise without trying it myself.