Mom's Best Recipes
Recipe

Homemade Condensed Milk (Spiced)

A cozy homemade sweetened condensed milk infused with warm spices and vanilla. It’s glossy, spoonable, and perfect for coffee, chai, desserts, and quick weeknight treats.

Author By Matt Campbell
4.8
A small glass jar filled with pale caramel-colored spiced condensed milk on a wooden countertop with cinnamon sticks and a vanilla bean nearby
Jump to Recipe

Condensed milk is one of those quiet kitchen superpowers. It makes iced coffee taste like a treat, turns plain fruit into dessert, and can rescue a bland baking project in about two spoonfuls. Store-bought is great, but making it at home has a particular kind of magic: you control the sweetness, you can build real aroma, and you get that warm, toasted dairy flavor that only happens when milk slowly simmers down.

This version is a homemade sweetened condensed milk with a cozy spiced twist. Think chai vibes, but smoother and more dessert-ready. Use it anywhere you’d use regular condensed milk, then enjoy the little whisper of cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla in the background.

A stainless steel saucepan with milk gently simmering and a whisk resting on the rim

Why It Works

  • Thick, spoonable texture: A slow simmer concentrates the milk solids and sugar, giving you that classic condensed milk body without needing any fancy ingredients.
  • Deep flavor without drama: Low heat plus frequent stirring keeps it smooth and helps prevent scorched bits that can turn the whole batch bitter.
  • Spice that tastes integrated: Infusing whole spices early builds aroma, then straining keeps the final condensed milk silky.
  • Flexible sweetness: You can dial the sugar slightly up or down depending on whether you plan to use it in coffee, baking, or drizzling.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Cool quickly, then store in a clean jar with a tight lid for up to 5 to 7 days. Use clean utensils, and discard if you notice any off smell, mold, or separation that won’t whisk back together.

Freeze: Freeze in small portions (ice cube tray, then transfer to a bag) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

If it thickens too much: Warm gently (microwave in short bursts or a small saucepan on low) and whisk in a splash of milk until it loosens.

Food safety note: This is a homemade dairy product, not commercially canned or sterilized. Keep it chilled, and don’t leave it at room temperature longer than 2 hours total.

Common Questions

Is this the same as sweetened condensed milk from the store?

Functionally, yes. It’s reduced milk plus sugar, thick and sweet. The main differences: homemade is usually a little less concentrated and less “standardized” than canned (which is homogenized and made to a very exact solids level). For coffee, baking, and drizzling, it works beautifully as a 1:1 swap. For candy and recipes that need a very specific concentration (some fudges, caramel systems), you may want to simmer to a thicker end point or use a thermometer for consistency.

Can I make it without spices?

Absolutely. Skip the cinnamon, cardamom, and clove, and just keep the vanilla. You’ll have a classic homemade condensed milk.

Can I use brown sugar or honey?

You can replace up to half the granulated sugar with light brown sugar for a subtle caramel note. Honey works too, but it changes the flavor more noticeably and can make the mixture darker. If using honey, start with 1/3 cup and taste near the end.

Why did mine get grainy?

Graininess can come from a few things: sugar crystals on the side of the pot, cooking too hot, or milk solids concentrating and behaving badly (including lactose/protein issues). Keep the heat low, stir regularly, and scrape the bottom and corners. If you see crystals on the sides, brush them down with a damp pastry brush. A small squeeze of lemon juice can help discourage sucrose crystallization, but it won’t fix scorching, so the low-and-slow simmer still matters most.

Can I make this dairy-free?

You can try it with full-fat coconut milk, but it will taste like coconut and the texture can be slightly different. For best results with this exact method and flavor, dairy milk is the most reliable.

How do I know when it’s done?

It should coat the back of a spoon and slowly run off in a thick ribbon. Another cue: you’ll reduce the volume to about 1 1/4 cups (give or take a few tablespoons). If you like using a thermometer, aim for about 220°F/104°C for a thicker, more canned-like consistency. (Altitude and pan shape can affect this, so treat it as a guide, not a law.)

I started making condensed milk at home for the same reason I start a lot of kitchen projects: I ran out of the store-bought stuff mid-craving. I wanted sweet coffee, I had milk, and I had exactly the amount of patience it takes to stand by a pot and stir while the kitchen smells like warm vanilla. The spiced version happened later when I tossed a cracked cardamom pod into the simmer and immediately thought, okay, this is the move. Now I keep a little jar in the fridge like a secret weapon. It’s the fastest way I know to turn an ordinary day into a “hang on, let me make you something” kind of moment.