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Vegan Sweetened Condensed Milk

50 min

Homemade staple

One-bowl / one-pot

10 ingredients or less
A lovely golden sweetened condensed milk, made with only two ingredients! When you've made this once, you'll most likely want to be having it every single day. Add it to warm or iced drinks, use it in baked goods, pour it onto ice cream... the options are endless!

Servings

(1 Tbsp per serving)

Total

50 min

Prep

5 min

Cook

45 min

Free from

Soy symbol

soy

Peanut symbol

peanut

Treenut symbol

tree nut

Sesame symbol

sesame

Gluten symbol

gluten

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups (360 mL)
    canned full-fat coconut milk†
  • ½ cup (112 g)
    granulated sugar

Use this to make

Directions

  1. Add the coconut milk and sugar to a heavy-bottomed* saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat while stirring occasionally.
  2. Turn the heat to low, and let the milk very gently simmer for 45 minutes. Be careful to not let it simmer too aggressively. Give it a stir every 5 - 10 minutes. The mixture should reduce in volume by about half in that time.
  3. The condensed milk is ready when it has slightly thickened but is still pourable. When a spoon is dipped into the mixture, it should leave a thin layer on the spoon when the spoon is lifted out of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
  4. Transfer the condensed coconut milk to a sterilized jar to fully cool off. Transfer to the fridge for at least one hour, it will thicken more in the fridge as it cools**. Enjoy!

Notes

  • †We recommend using a coconut milk can that has no emulsifier (such as guar gum) in the ingredient list. We've found this results in a condensed milk with a more desirable and homogeneous consistency.
  • * A heavy-bottomed pot is thicker at the base and will absorb and distribute the heat more evenly. It's less prone to hot spots, which means there's less chance the condensed milk will burn.
  • ** Out of the fridge, you may notice your condensed milk is thinner or thicker than the one pictured. This is normal and may depend on different factors, such as the fat content of the coconut milk used, or the intensity at which the mixture was simmering on the stove.

Storage

  • The sweetened condensed coconut milk can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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Nutrition info

We believe that focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. If you require specific nutrition information due to a medical condition, please consult with a dietitian or physician. The nutritional information provided is composed with the utmost care. However, we cannot guarantee the correctness of the displayed values, see also our disclaimer.

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Discussion & Rating

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Aileen - March 25, 2024, 10:18 p.m.

This came out so delicious, but it remained completely liquidy. I allowed it to simmer an extra twenty minutes, and I made sure to continue stirring to prevent any burning. Any recommendations to get it to actually thicken up next time?

PUL Team - March 26, 2024, 2:34 a.m.

Hey Aileen, the issue could stem from the specific brand of coconut milk you used, as they vary in their coconut fat to liquid ratios. It's possible the one you used had a higher liquid content and less fat. Switching brands might do the trick (sometimes they'll label the fat content on the can, so opting for a higher % migth help). Also, look for a can of coconut milk without emulsifiers (like guar gum) on the ingredient list, as we've noticed this tends to yield a condensed milk with a smoother texture πŸ™‚

Reply
Erica - Jan. 16, 2024, 7:13 p.m.

Hi PUL team!

Can I reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe? For example, would it work if I reduce the sugar in this recipe to 1/2 or 1/4 and then make the coconut macaroon recipe with it?

PUL Team - Jan. 16, 2024, 11:41 p.m.

Hey Erica, we haven't tested it out ourselves but imagine it works. Just keep in mind that it will alter the sweetness and texture of the condensed coconut milk and it will probably take longer to cook it down to the right thickness. Let us know if you give it a try! 😊

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nana - Dec. 18, 2023, 7:09 p.m.

This was phenomenal :D Just one note foe other folks (maybe I have overread it) ... If you increase the amount of servings, the time to simmer increases as well. I doubled the recipe and it took almost double the time of the original. Makes sense, huh? x)

PUL Team - Dec. 19, 2023, 6:12 a.m.

Hey Nana! Indeed scaling up servings often means adjusting cooking times. Unfortunately our system doesn't allow for scaling the times if the servings are modified, but it's a good note for others in case they also decide to scale the recipe. So thrilled that you still enjoyed the recipe! 😊

Reply
Phillipa - Feb. 28, 2023, 9:08 p.m.

I'm waiting for it to cool fully but I snuck a taste and it is great! I can't wait to make the vegan fudge.
Thank you for this because I feel like I can try using it as a substitute in some of my pre vegan-eating desserts!

PUL Team - March 1, 2023, 8:21 p.m.

We hope you love it, Phillipa, thank you πŸ₯°

Reply
Cori - Feb. 26, 2023, 6:18 p.m.

Hi PUL Team!
How long does this keep in the fridge?
Thanks 😊

PUL Team - Feb. 26, 2023, 10:16 p.m.

Hey Cori! The milk can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days πŸ™‚

Reply
Gina Benson - Jan. 6, 2023, 7 a.m.

Hello 😊

I am wondering if you have ever tried this with honey instead of sugar? We try to avoid refined white sugar and cane sugar in our home. I made it with a sugar substitute called SWERVE and it came out pretty grainy but we’ve been enjoying and using it none the less!

PUL Team - Jan. 6, 2023, 9:38 a.m.

Hey Gina, we don't use honey so my apologies, I'm not sure how it'd turn out πŸ˜…

Gina Benson - Jan. 6, 2023, 4:03 p.m.

Oh right πŸ€¦πŸ»β€β™€οΈ sorry! I had a moment there!

PUL Team - Jan. 6, 2023, 4:10 p.m.

Oh nothing to apologize for, Gina, I'm sorry we couldn't be of some help.

aria - Dec. 11, 2023, 5:13 a.m.

Try using Brown Rice Syrup. When I used to use it for baking I found I had to use slightly less than the recommended amount when substituting for white sugar.

Gina Benson - Dec. 11, 2023, 6:12 a.m.

Thank you! I’ll have to give this a try! ☺️

Dilip Trivedi - March 10, 2024, 11:31 p.m.

How about using other sugar substitutes like stevia, monk fruit, erythritol?

Reply
Ludmilla - Dec. 23, 2022, 3:36 p.m.

Love this recipe. I use it to make my homemade coquito 😊

Reply
Malissa Cavazos - Dec. 19, 2022, 12:06 a.m.

I loved the taste of this. I don’t have a heavy bottom pot so I was hoping I could still make this work. I also have a gas stove and I feel the lowest setting is still too hot so of course mine came out runny πŸ˜”. I will use it for my coffee instead of the tiramisu recepie that I wanted to try.

PUL Team - Dec. 19, 2022, 7:53 a.m.

Aw so sorry to hear, Malissa! In case you're interested, sometimes different brands of coconut milk have fillers in them and we recommend using a coconut milk can that has no emulsifier (such as guar gum) in the ingredient list. We've found this results in a more desirable consistency πŸ˜ƒ

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Kate - Dec. 17, 2022, 2:39 p.m.

I used to spread sweetened condensed milk on toast. It was such a nostalgic treat as a child, but obviously not the most nutritious option lol. Thanks for sharing a plant-based version - I can't wait to try it :)

PUL Team - Dec. 18, 2022, 2:10 a.m.

We hope you enjoy it, Kate!

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Eddie - Sept. 20, 2022, 7:07 p.m.

Thanks! This was easy and straightforward. Used this sweetened condensed milk for the vegan chocolate fudge recipe. YUM.

PUL Team - Sept. 21, 2022, 11:23 p.m.

So thrilled it's being enjoyed, Eddie, it means so much πŸ˜ƒ

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Celeste - Sept. 6, 2022, 6:13 p.m.

I've found vegan sweetened condensed milk to be frustrating uselessness. Put some in coffee, make magic cookie bars or fudge. Is that it?

PUL Team - Sept. 7, 2022, 4:54 p.m.

Hey Celeste! We enjoy adding it to drinks such as coffee or bubble tea and in an abundance of desserts such as cupcakes, fudge, tiramisu, or ice cream. For example, in our Tiramisu-Inspired Trifle here: pickuplimes.com/recipe/tirami… Hopefully, soon we can share more recipes with it πŸ˜ƒ

Reply
Shirley - Aug. 30, 2022, 2:56 p.m.

Can I use coconut sugar or any other sugar for this condense milk recipe?

PUL Team - Aug. 31, 2022, 5:11 p.m.

Hey Shirley! Yes you can use an alternative sugar, such as coconut sugar and add to the desired sweetness level. Just a heads up, the colour of the end product may vary slightly depending on the colour of the sugar used 😊

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Linh - July 25, 2022, 4:20 p.m.

Tried this a few days ago and the result is absolutely delightful. I love my iced coffee and even though I am not vegan, I'm always excited to try plant based recipes.

Gives my coffee a rich velvety coconut flavor! I'm hooked :)

I didn't pay attention to the ingredients of my coconut milk to be honest, also didn't use a heavy bottom pot but the milk still comes out very nice and thick.

PUL Team - July 26, 2022, 7:37 a.m.

We're so happy the recipe was enjoyed, Linh, thanks a bunch for taking the time to share this :D

Reply
Staci - July 11, 2022, 2:01 p.m.

Not sure what I am doing wrong? I used full fat coconut milk with no emulsifier’s listed in the ingredients, but still ended up with just a runny consistency. After letting it cool in the fridge the milk separated leaving a hard layer on top & completely runny milk underneath. I was also careful not to let the temperature get to hot.

PUL Team - July 13, 2022, 5:23 a.m.

Hi Staci, thanks for sharing your experience with it. We've found experimenting with different brands of coconut milk successful, so this may be one idea to consider. Coconut milk without an emulsifier (such as guar gum) in the ingredient list tends to promote a more desirable consistency but it may vary from brand to brand.

Another idea is coconut milk may be curdling. Ensuring the heat isn't too high (so keeping it at a lower simmer on the stove for less time if needed) and using a heavier bottom pan may help. Do let us know how it goes if you give the recipe another try 😊

Reply
Sera - June 14, 2022, 6:25 p.m.

Hello, thank you for the easy recipe! Exited to try it in my Thai Ice Tea! One question for that: can I store it as freezed icecubes? I read the milk could separate from water when doing that but maybe it's different with coconut milk? Thanks for a respond!

PUL Team - June 16, 2022, 6:34 a.m.

Hey there, Sera, we haven't tested it out so we can't say with absolute certainty although we suspect it would freeze okay. Usually when frozen and thawed, the solids and liquids separate in non-condensed coconut milk varieties which can turn grainy. Condensed coconut milk, though, is thicker because some of this liquid evaporates out as it simmers. Do let us know how it goes if you test it out πŸ™‚

Reply
Michelle - May 29, 2022, 3:41 p.m.

I wanted to make my own condensed coconut milk, but I see it's best to use a can without any emulsifiers? But all the cans I have found thus far have emulsifiers in them, even the Fair Trade brand one (I'm in The Netherlands). Which one do you use? I can only find cartons (18% fat content) that have no emulsifiers in them...

PUL Team - May 29, 2022, 6:09 p.m.

Hi Michelle, I just checked on our shelves here and we only have 2 cans of coconut milk (both from AH) and indeed they both contain emulsifiers, but if I'm not mistaken we got ours from our local 'toko' (Asian supermarket). I hope this helps for now. Making it with emulsifiers will still work, the texture might just be a little different from that photograph, but the taste should still be great :)

Reply
Erica - May 15, 2022, 12:24 p.m.

I'm so excited to find this! I live in Shanghai now, and "special" vegan foods are challenging to come by. Thanks so much for sharing this!

PUL Team - May 16, 2022, 2:43 a.m.

We hope you enjoy it, Erica, and sending lots of love to ShanghaiπŸ€—

Reply
Christine - March 22, 2022, 9:35 a.m.

I couldn't resist and doubled my coffee intake yesterday, because this is so so yummy! I just had the condensed milk in my morning black tea and it never has been that creamy and delicous. I just have to be extremly careful to not eat the whole jar with a spoon, it is a pure treat but a candy after all. :)

PUL Team - March 23, 2022, 5:23 a.m.

We're glad it's being enjoyed, Christine, it means so much 😊

Reply
Mihaela - March 19, 2022, 2:35 p.m.

I'm currently making it and oh my- knowing I have a sweet tooth, I won't be able to resist eating this with a spoon just like that haha! I'm looking forward to adding this onto pancakes and also, I'll try it together with coffee or matcha latte! As always, amazing recipes xx

PUL Team - March 19, 2022, 10:28 p.m.

Ooo pancakes sound lovely, Mihaela! Thanks for the kind words and for taking the time to share πŸ˜ƒ

Reply
Alla - Jan. 18, 2022, 4:26 p.m.

Can I use maple syrup instead sugar?

PUL Team - Jan. 19, 2022, 6:12 p.m.

Hey Alla! We haven't experimented with it but imagine it could work. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes! πŸ€“

Reply
Caitlin // @realswanky - Dec. 18, 2021, 8:08 p.m.

This turned out awesome! I’m going to try doubling the recipe next time, as I need a good amount to make Magic Bars. Thank you for this! :)

Caitlin
@Realswanky

Reply
Cheryl - Nov. 7, 2021, 7:46 p.m.

Could I use coconut sugar as the sweetener?

PUL Team - Nov. 8, 2021, 12:12 a.m.

Thanks for the question, Cheryl! Feel free to use coconut sugar and add to the desired sweetness level. Just a heads up, the colour of the end product may vary slightly depending on the colour of the sugar used 😊

Reply
Laura Migliore - Nov. 4, 2021, 11:59 a.m.

Hello, So excited to find this recipe. I have a question. After making the sweetened condensed milk, can I bake with it? Wanted to try a key lime pie, that typically just has sweetened condensed milk and fresh lime juice. Plan to make a brownie crust for the pie.

PUL Team - Nov. 4, 2021, 6:02 p.m.

Hi, Laura, mmm the pie sounds delicious! We've never tried baking with it, but I imagine you could. The only thing I can think of is that it may curdle, but I wouldn't know without trying it myself - so if you give it a go, let us know how it works out! 😊

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Joen - Oct. 13, 2021, 4:03 p.m.

Thank you for sharing this recipe, I've used fresh coconut milk today and it tasted good but it has a smell of coconut 😁 I'll try using this tomorrow for the coffee

PUL Team - Oct. 14, 2021, 3:11 a.m.

Hi Joen, so happy to hear 😊 Fresh coconut milk indeed tends to have a stronger coconut smell - which some may enjoy anyways! Once it's in coffee it should be more subtle πŸ€—

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Holly - Sept. 23, 2021, 7:55 p.m.

I made it yesterday night and this morning I'm having the best coffee EVER!!!!!

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Fathima - Aug. 27, 2021, 2:06 a.m.

Hi there, I have a quick question. Can I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk?

Thank you : )

PUL Team - Aug. 29, 2021, 1:07 a.m.

A lovely question, Fathima! We haven't had a chance to test it out although we imagine it would work. You could try adding water if the texture is too thick than desired. Do let us know how it goes if you test it out πŸ˜ƒ

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Morgan Ramos - Aug. 7, 2021, 2:42 a.m.

Oh I can't wait to make this! May have to turn some of it into dulce de leche :)

PUL Team - Aug. 7, 2021, 3:04 a.m.

Mmm, let us know how it goes, Morgan!

Morgan Ramos - Dec. 1, 2021, 8:33 p.m.

It was wonderful! I have had your videos playing on a loop and feel super inspired to get back into a plant-based lifestyle! Thank you for your wonderful content and for being such a consistently beautiful presence in this crazy world.

PUL Team - Dec. 2, 2021, 1:12 a.m.

Aw we appreciate this so much, Morgan, and all the best with your plant-based journey ✨

Reply
Emily - Aug. 5, 2021, 7:03 p.m.

We are on our 3rd batch of the condensed milk recipe, but this one has tons of fat floating on the top?? It is not incorporating into the mixture like before. Any tips?

PUL Team - Aug. 5, 2021, 10:14 p.m.

Hi Emily, thanks for the question! How disappointing about the fat separation. Did you use coconut milk with an emulsifier (such as guar gum) in it? We recommend using a coconut milk can that has *no* emulsifier in the ingredient list as we've found it helps the consistency stay more desirable.

Another idea is coconut milk may be curdling. Ensuring the heat isn't too high (so keeping it at a lower simmer on the stove for less time if needed) and using a heavier bottom pan may help! Do let us know how it goes if you give the recipe another try πŸ€—

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Myria - Aug. 4, 2021, 5:14 a.m.

I am going through all your iced coffee recipes and they are great.

I could only find coconut milk with guar gum but it came out fine 😊

Love the condensed milk and because I love the flavour of vanilla i added a tsp of vanilla sugar! Perfect!

Thank you

PUL Team - Aug. 5, 2021, 5:18 a.m.

Hey Myria, thanks for sharing this! We're so happy to hear the recipe still worked out 😊

Myria - Aug. 12, 2021, 3:26 p.m.

Just thought I'd keep you updated, it seems that it depend on the other ingredients in the coconut milk as I've tried making it with a different brand and it was quite disgusting, definitely not the guar gum unless its the amount they put in the milk πŸ€·πŸ½β€β™€οΈ

Thanks again for all your great recipes β™₯️

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Rashi - Aug. 2, 2021, 2:30 p.m.

I made this today.
So creamy and delicious!
I had to be very careful with the temperature because a batch had curdled when I tried a few months ago.
But, it was a success today :)
I immediately made a cold coffee drink and a coffee-chocolate fudge with it. Smooth!

Thank you

PUL Team - Aug. 5, 2021, 3:57 a.m.

Super glad it was a success this time, Rashi, thanks for sharing!

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Gabrielle - July 27, 2021, 9:59 p.m.

Easy and very yummy!

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Fanny - July 27, 2021, 6:29 p.m.

I was a huge fan of sweetened condensed milk, in another life, and I'm glad to be able to prepare a vegan version thanks to your recipe. Very easy to prepare, with only two ingredients (that are always in my pantry), and it tastes delicious. I'm sure it's awsome in a vegan chaΓ― tea latte too.

PUL Team - July 28, 2021, 4:08 a.m.

Thank you for taking the time to share the wonderful review with us, Fanny! Adding it to lattes is a lovely idea 🀀

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Carin - July 26, 2021, 9:19 p.m.

Prepared the milk today for the first time in advance for the Iced Coffee recipe I plan to do tomorrow. Tried it today with some Ayurvedic tea, came out perfectly! Thank you :)

PUL Team - July 28, 2021, 4:04 a.m.

So glad to hear! We hope you love the iced coffee, Carin ☺️

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Maria - July 25, 2021, 9:59 p.m.

This was so easy to make and absolutely delicious πŸ’•

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Rachel - July 24, 2021, 11:32 p.m.

Delicious, easy, and perfect for recipes that require condensed milk!

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CYRINE BOUSSETTA - July 24, 2021, 2:32 a.m.

I tried this and I loved it, It's my go too for my hot and cold coffee

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Vivian H. - July 23, 2021, 11:11 a.m.

Thank you so much for this recipe - this is the best vegan condensed milk I've tried in a while!

PUL Team - July 27, 2021, 6:27 p.m.

Such a huge compliment, Vivian, thank you!

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Aida - July 23, 2021, 4:43 a.m.

Easy and straight forward!

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Lia - July 15, 2021, 4:37 p.m.

So tasty!

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Anushka Saksena - July 15, 2021, 1:39 p.m.

This is so delicious! I used Dark Brown Sugar to make this, as that was the only kind of sugar I had on hand an it came out amazing! I made some Vietnamese coffee with it, and my mum loved it. Thank you so much!

PUL Team - July 18, 2021, 1:52 a.m.

Ooo thanks for the insight, Anushka, we're so glad to hear the recipe was enjoyed πŸ₯³

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Athy - July 14, 2021, 7:17 p.m.

This looks so amazing, cannot wait to try it! Thank you for posting this!!

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Jenny - July 13, 2021, 9:47 a.m.

So delicious....I just have to try not to eat the whole lot at once straight from the jar!

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John - July 12, 2021, 11:28 p.m.

I'm so excited to make this! I don't have a heavy bottom saucepan although I have a large enamel coated dutch oven.. but will try it on my stainless steel saucepan for now and see how it goes.

PUL Team - July 16, 2021, 1:25 a.m.

We hope you enjoy it, John! Let us know how it goes. It may be helpful to keep a closer eye on it in case it burns easily πŸ€—

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Heather - July 11, 2021, 11:35 p.m.

So delicious! It came out perfectly.

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L. - July 11, 2021, 11:29 p.m.

Can I make this with other plant milks? Unfortunately, I have a coconut allergy.

John - July 12, 2021, 11:32 p.m.

"Make It Dairy Free" on YouTube has a video on just vegan condensed milks and they said carton plant milks are okay but you will want to maybe double inputs and reduce the whole thing for a longer time to get the right consistency.

L. - July 13, 2021, 7:33 a.m.

Thank you so much! I'll look up their video!

PUL Team - July 17, 2021, 1:53 a.m.

Lovely question, L, and thank you for the insight as well, John! We haven't had a chance to test it out with many other kinds of milk so do let us know if you give it a try πŸ˜ƒ

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Jay - July 10, 2021, 2:54 p.m.

Hi Sadia, thank you for sharing these wonderful recipes. Yesterday I tried the vegan condensed milk recipe, but I ran into an issue. After 30 minutes of heating or so, oil started separating from coconut milk. Any tips on how to avoid that in the future? I used organic coconut milk

Klara - July 11, 2021, 5:09 p.m.

I have the same problem, looking forward to a solution :)

PUL Team - July 16, 2021, 3:16 a.m.

Hello Jay and Klara! It sounds like the coconut milk may be curdling. Ensuring the heat isn't too high (so keeping it at a lower simmer on the stove for less time if needed) and using a heavier bottom pan should help 😊 Let us know how it goes if you give the recipe another try!

Aria - July 21, 2021, 2:16 a.m.

I have a similar issue! I think the simmering went well (although it was acting kind of weird with occasional geysers so maybe not...) but once it cooled in the fridge that block of oil formed at the top like it does in the can. Should I be using a different brand or something?

PUL Team - July 21, 2021, 3:41 a.m.

This feedback is so incredibly helpful - thanks to everyone for sharing! We've just made the sweetened condensed milk again, but using different brands of coconut milk this time to see if there was a difference, and indeed there was! We noticed a small amount of fat separation in coconut milk cans that included an emulsifier (such as guar gum) in the ingredients list. The coconut milk cans that included only coconut and water as ingredients created a more desirable consistency. In both cases, the taste was still delicious, but if you're looking to make the consistency similar to that in the video, try to use a canned coconut milk that does not include an emulsifier πŸ₯₯ If you try it out and find this works (or doesn't) let us know! πŸ€“

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Acquline Cladious - July 9, 2021, 5:46 a.m.

Delicious

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Ashley Pike - July 9, 2021, 12:24 a.m.

Tried today! So delicious πŸ˜‹ thanks pickuplimes!!!

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Tushar - July 8, 2021, 7:18 p.m.

Thanks for this recipe. The flavor is just divine.

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Martyna - July 8, 2021, 7:07 p.m.

This looks great. I can't wait to try it!

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Michelle - July 8, 2021, 6:41 p.m.

Love this recipe!

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Pearl - July 8, 2021, 6:23 p.m.

looks greaaaat!

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