5 Minute Dairy-Free Condensed Milk (Sugar-free Option)
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This recipe for Dairy-free Condensed Milk is a super simple recipe that's a great wholesome alternative to store-bought condensed milk, and you can even make it sugar-free/low-carb/keto. You'll love this for your dairy-free baking and recipes that call for condensed milk, and there are so many other ways to use it as well.
What's even better, I'm sharing a special version that you can make in just 5 minutes!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
You'll love this recipe for Dairy-free Condensed Milk because it's:
- frugal: much less expensive than buying canned vegan condensed milk.
- versatile: you can use whatever dairy-free milk and sweetener you like based on what you have available and whatever your dietary needs are.
- common ingredients: no need to shop for special ingredients. You likely have everything you need in your fridge and/or pantry.
- super fast: the 5 minute recipe is about as fast as it gets.
Ingredients
- coconut milk powder or coconut milk
- water
- sweetener
- vanilla extract (optional)
- salt (I recommend Real Salt)
- coconut oil or other suitable fat (optional)
If using stevia extract as your sweetener, these spoons are invaluable. The 2nd smallest is the size of a typical stevia scoop.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
- Vitamix: I used my Vitamix to make this milk (here is a link to where to get it on Amazon). You will obviously get a smoother result by using a high-powered blender like the Vitamix. Now, this is not as creamy as the store-bought stuff, but with no 2-hour cooking time and the amount of money you can save, this completely fits the bill for me.
- Sweetener: You can use virtually any sweetener you want for this recipe depending on your dietary needs. Just keep in mind that some are not exactly a one for one substitute for sugar.
- Coconut Oil: You can add some coconut oil to either recipe to make it more creamy if you like. You can also use butter or a nut or seed butter. Of course butter has dairy in it so don't use it if you need this recipe to be vegan; however I prefer butter for this recipe. Lighter-colored nut butters like cashew will make a more appealing-looking final result.
Ways to Use This Recipe
- In desserts calling for condensed milk like dairy-free fudge.
- As a vegan coffee creamer or in tea-based drinks like this Caffeine-Free Chai Latte.
- As a super sweet drink. I know, it sounds crazy, but my oldest was drinking this stuff straight as I tested various versions.
- If you have any left, just thin it out with some water and use as a sweetened non-dairy milk drink.
- Add to lemonade or limeade to make Brazilian versions of these drinks.
- Add cocoa or carob to the thinned-out version and for Vegan chocolate or carob milk. Or add strawberry powder for a vegan strawberry milk!
More DIY Pantry Basics
– Powdered Sugar Substitute — so easy!
– Powdered Egg Replacer (like Ener-G) — works amazingly well in most everything!
– Homemade Sunflower Seed Butter — a great alternative to peanut butter!
– Homemade Vanilla Liquid Stevia — works great and is so inexpensive to make!
– Homemade Sugar-free Chocolate Chips — so much cheaper than buying them in the store. They're dairy-free too!
Dairy-Free Condensed Milk (including a 5 Minute Method)
Ingredients
5 Minute Blender Method
- 3 cups coconut milk powder
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup sweetener (or 1/8 teaspoon stevia extract. See post for options.)
- 2-4 tablespoons coconut oil (seed or nut butter can also be used)
- 1/16-1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, but recommended)
Stovetop Method
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup sweetener (or 1/8 teaspoon stevia extract. See post for options.)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, but recommended)
- dash salt
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil (or other suitable fat – optional)
Instructions
Blender Method
- Place water, dairy-free milk powder, sweetener, salt, vanilla and coconut oil (if using) in blender.
- Blend until well combined.
Stovetop Method
- Place dairy-free milk in pan. Heat over low heat until simmering.
- Add sweetener and stir well. Heat until simmering.
- Reduce heat and simmer until it's a thick consistency like condensed milk.
- Add salt and vanilla, if using, and stir to combine.
Notes
- High-Speed Blender: I used my Vitamix to make this milk (here is a link to where to get it on Amazon). You will obviously get a smoother result by using a high-powered blender than a regular one.
- Sweetener: You can use virtually any sweetener you want for this recipe depending on your dietary needs.
- Coconut Oil: You can add some coconut oil to either recipe to make it more creamy if you like. You can also use butter or a nut or seed butter. Of course butter has dairy in it so don't use it if you need this recipe to be vegan, however I prefer butter for this recipe. Lighter-colored nut butters like cashew will make a more appealing-looking final result.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and preparation methods. Optional ingredients are not included. Net carbs are typically calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols (such as erythritol) from total carbohydrates. This information should not be relied upon for medical or nutritional purposes.
Sugar cane & sugar beets are quite natural plants whose history & reactions we know. What do you really know about stevia, it is also refined to a white substance? And xyiltol kills dogs, why would you feed it to your children? If it is this much work to make a substitute, why make it. Enjoy what you can eat & be healthy.
Hi there. Yes, they are natural but they are causing tons of diabetes and other massive issues. I use only stevia that is refined with water only.
I do use xylitol. My thinking is that raisins and grapes and chocolate is toxic to dogs as well and I eat that. Animals metabolize things differently than people do so you have to keep that in mind. This post might be of interest: https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/is-erythritol-safe/
For us, carb metabolism is a big problem so I have no other choise.
This recipe seems to be missing a lot. Do you strain the Coconut water mixture?
This is a very basic recipe for those in a bind. I don’t strain just like I don’t strain these. I hope to do another more advanced recipe later. https://wholenewmom.com/recipes/easiest-coconut-milk-recipe-improved/
https://wholenewmom.com/whole-new-budget/almond-milk-recipe-how-to-make-almond-milk-almonds-milk/
Hope that helps.
This was not at all like condensed milk. Much more like evaporated milk. Tastes nice.
Can desiccate coconut be used in stead of the shredded variety or will it diminish the taste?
That is exactly what I use is the dried coconut. I hope to have a better version of this up soon – thanks for reading!
Can unsweetened organic coconut cream be substituted for the unsweetened condensed milk?
BTW I ordered the spoons. Perfect for cooking for two people.
Hi there. I have never used Coconut cream but it might work since this is kind of a “rough” version of a condensed milk. I should do a better one—enjoy the spoons!
Just tried this recipe today and would agree with Gramma Kaye that it’s a pourable mixture, more like evaporated milk. I ended up cooking it for about an hour over low heat to get a consistency more like sweetened condensed milk.
Aside from the 2 sweeteners listed are there any other recommendations?
You can use whatever sweetener you like. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for this! I was wondering, could you just use coconut cream rather than the ground coconut and coconut fat?
Yes, I think so.
I tried it with the canned full fat coconut milk, ended up adding just the thick fat of the coconut and skipping the coconut water, but then added 3/4 C regular water (didn’t want it too coconutty) and it was super thin. I assume the water is to rehydrate the coconut flakes. I have a ninja blender not a vitamix so I was worried about the texture as vitamix can somehow magically make everything super smooth!
My experience with the recipe : ) Thanks for posting!!
A lot of people confuse condensed milk with evaporated milk, even though they are two different things here in the states. Does this tun out pourable, or thick and syrupy like sweetened condensed milk?Thanks
“turn out pourable”. Sorry.
I think this is more thick.
Hi Adrienne, thanks for your quick reply, but I need a little more detail before I try it. When the vegan condensed milk is finished, does it pour like milk, or does it pour like thick honey? Thanks so much for your help.
Thick honey or at least fairly thick.
Thanks. I’m definitely going to try it.
I need condensed milk to make dulce de leche, but until the dairy industry and I are on better terms I thought I was gonna be living a lonely dulce de leche-less existence, then I found this and I need to know…before I get my hopes up, would either of those recipes caramelize like regular stuff?
Hmmmm….I don’t know. I think the sweetener you use will make a difference and how much you need for the recipe. I haven’t ever made it. I wonder if a simmered coconut milk might work better. What are the proportions in the recipe?