Introduction to Condensed Milk
So many of our favorite dessert recipes contain condensed milk. Most people know how to swap out ingredients like flour and sugar to make traditional recipes keto, but what about the condensed milk? This 100% sugar-free condensed milk alternative will open up a whole new world of dessert recipes.
What is Condensed Milk
Condensed milk is just as it sounds, milk which has been boiled until condensed in volume. However, the biggest thing that defines condensed milk is the sugar content. Roughly half the can of condensed milk you would buy, is pure sugar. Sweetened condensed milk is cow’s milk which has been boiled until all the water is evaporated. Then companies add cane sugar in a 9:11 ratio of sugar to evaporated milk in order to extend the product’s shelf-life. This was started as a way to make milk shelf-stable and easy to ship for nationwide distribution.
What’s the Difference between Evaporated Milk and Condensed Milk?
Evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk are extremely similar. There is 1 difference between condensed milk and evaporated milk though, and that’s sugar. Evaporated milk is milk that has been boiled to reduce the volume, but then packed and stored. Condensed milk on the other hand is evaporated and then mixed with additional sugar before packaging.
Is Sweetened Condensed Milk Keto?
A traditional sweetened condensed milk recipe is not keto, or even low carb. The store-bought variety isn’t keto either. If you want to make sweetened condensed milk keto, follow along with our low-carb recipe that uses sugar-free sweeteners below.
Uses for Sweetened Condensed Milk
This keto condensed milk has tons of uses in both the keto sphere and non-keto world. For those who are looking to start eating sugar-free, check out some of the ways you can clean up your diet with this low-carb and sugar-free condensed milk:
- Coffee Sweetener – If you love your morning cup of joe, try using a tablespoon of this low-carb condensed milk recipe as a sugar-free sweetener.
- Change up Sugar-Based Recipes – A great way to start shifting into a low-carb diet is by making low sugar swaps. Use this condensed milk in place of regular condensed milk in non-keto recipes. Plus if the recipe calls for sugar, you can substitute that for a low sugar option like erythritol for a totally sugar-free treat.
- Dulce De Leche -Sub this sugar-free condensed milk for a typical dulce de leche condensed milk recipe and voila keto dulce de leche!
Using This Sugar-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk in Recipes
For those wondering, yes, this recipe is the perfect substitution for its high sugar counterpart. Traditional condensed milk (15oz) has about 20 tablespoons per can. Our sugar-free condensed milk recipe has about 32. That means if a recipe calls for a can of condensed milk, you will need to remove 12 tablespoons (3/4C) from our completed recipe to have them balance out.
Dairy-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
I’m sure many people want to know if they can make sugar-free and dairy-free condensed milk too. While we do use heavy cream in this recipe, a dairy-free option certainly is available. To make it taste like the real thing you’ll want to use heavy whipping cream. However if you like a coco-nutty flavor, coconut milk will be your secret ingredient. To make dairy-free keto condensed milk, simply sub the heavy cream for equal amounts of CANNED coconut milk, and the butter for coconut oil.
Why Canned Coconut Milk?
Full fat canned coconut milk is vital to this dairy-free recipe. Just like you wouldn’t use fat-free milk to make regular condensed milk, you don’t want to use a fat-free alternative milk. Fat is what’s left after the water has had a chance to evaporate away, and it will be what creates a super smooth and thick keto condensed milk.
How to Make Keto Condensed Milk
This low-carb sugar-free milk recipe is super easy and quick to make. Plus it’s so versatile you can use it in tons of other keto recipes. To make keto condensed milk you will only need three ingredients and a saucepan!
Equipment
The equipment for keto-friendly condensed milk is minimal. You will need a saucepan, as well as a few jars to store your finished product. We love these mini mason jars because you can fill a few up for the fridge and toss a few with the condensed milk into the freezer for later use.
Ingredients
This recipe only uses three ingredients to make the best sugar-free keto condensed milk. The first thing we will need is heavy whipping cream. Heavy whipping cream is the base for this recipe and is used in place of regular milk to make it more keto-friendly. On the bright side, to make keto condensed milk it only takes 25 minutes versus the normal 2 hours for regular condensed milk. This is all thanks to the heavy cream being so high in fat. To make the dairy-free version you will just need canned coconut milk that still has the coconut cream.
The next thing we are going to need is butter. Our preferred butter is always grass-fed like the Kerrygold variety. Something to note though is that grass-fed butter usually has a much brighter yellow hue. This can change the color of your keto condensed milk a bit from the traditional white shade. We think superior nutrition is more important than the color, but if you need it white for a specific recipe go ahead and use a whiter store brand butter.
One optional ingredient we didn’t mention is vanilla extract. This really depends on the flavor profile you want, but you are welcome to add a tsp of vanilla to the recipe if you’d like. Finally, to make a milk “sweetened condensed”, you’ll need sweetener. We used erythritol, a keto-friendly sweetener that’s 0 net carbs. You can use other brands like Lakanto that mixes erythritol and monk fruit, just make sure you check your ratios to get the right amounts.
Making Sugar-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
To begin making this condensed milk recipe, place all the ingredients in a saucepan or shallow skillet over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until thickened and reduced by nearly half, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Once reduced, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly prior to using or transferring to a jar to be placed in the fridge. Best stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition Facts
- Servings: 16
- Calories per serving: 115
- Net Carbs: 1g per serving
- Yields: 16 servings (roughly 2 tbsps)
Nutrition Information
- Calories: 115
- Calories from Fat: 108
- Fat: 12g (18% DV)
- Saturated Fat: 8g (40% DV)
- Cholesterol: 45mg (15% DV)
- Sodium: 24mg (1% DV)
- Potassium: 22mg (1% DV)
- Carbohydrates: 1g (0% DV)
- Sugar: 1g (1% DV)
- Protein: 1g (2% DV)
- Vitamin A: 482IU (10% DV)
- Vitamin C: 1mg (1% DV)
- Calcium: 19mg (2% DV)
Note: Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a saucepan or shallow skillet over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until thickened and reduced by nearly half, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Once reduced, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly prior to using or transferring to a jar to be placed in the fridge.
- Best stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
