Dulce de Leche: What It Is and How to Make It at Home

Dulce de leche is milk and sugar cooked slowly until the milk browns and thickens into a glossy, spoonable caramel. Argentina and Uruguay treat it as a national treasure: it goes on morning toast, inside alfajores and between the layers of birthday cakes. All you need to make it at home is four pantry ingredients, a wide pot and about two hours of easy stirring.

Dulce de Leche at a Glance

AmigoFoods may earn a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases made through links on this page.

What is dulce de leche?

The name means “sweet made from milk” in Spanish, and that is exactly what it is. Milk and sugar simmer together for a couple of hours. As the water evaporates, the milk’s sugars and proteins react and brown. This is the Maillard reaction, the same one that browns a bread crust, and it gives dulce de leche its toasty color and flavor.

The finished texture is thick, smooth and spreadable, somewhere between a jam and a soft caramel. In Argentina it is an everyday food rather than a special-occasion one. A jar sits on the breakfast table next to the butter, and it fills crêpes, cookies, pastries and cakes.

What does it taste like? Like milky caramel with notes of toffee and vanilla. It is sweet, but rounder and gentler than caramel, with a creamy richness from the cooked milk.

Dulce de leche vs. caramel vs. cajeta

They look similar in a jar, but they are made in very different ways.

For a deeper side-by-side, read our guide to dulce de leche vs. caramel vs. cajeta.

Ingredients for homemade dulce de leche

• Whole milk. The fat and protein give the body and flavor, so skip low-fat milk. Lactose-free milk works and browns faster.
• Sugar. Plain granulated sugar. The classic Argentine ratio is about 300 grams (1½ cups) for every liter of milk.
• Baking soda. Just half a teaspoon. It neutralizes the milk’s natural acidity so the proteins do not curdle, and it speeds up browning for a deeper color.
• Vanilla. A split vanilla bean simmered in the milk is traditional. A teaspoon of extract stirred in at the end works too.
• Corn syrup or glucose (optional). Commercial makers add glucose to stop sugar crystals from forming. One tablespoon keeps homemade dulce de leche silky for weeks.
• Salt. A pinch at the end sharpens the flavor.

How to make dulce de leche (traditional stovetop method)

This is how it is made in Argentine home kitchens: a wide pot, a wooden spoon and some patience. Here is what to expect at each stage. Exact amounts and timings are in the recipe card below.

1. Dissolve the sugar in the milk

Combine the milk, sugar and split vanilla bean in a pot that holds at least 4 quarts. The milk foams up later, so a big pot is your insurance against boil-overs. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the milk steams.

2. Add the baking soda

Pull the pot off the heat before you stir in the baking soda (dissolved in a spoonful of water). The milk will foam up for a few seconds. That reaction is what protects the milk from curdling during the long simmer.

3. Simmer and stir

Keep it at a lively simmer, uncovered, and stir every few minutes, scraping the bottom and corners. For the first hour it looks like nothing is happening. It is: the milk is losing water and slowly turning beige.

4. Stay close as it thickens

Once it turns golden and starts to coat the spoon, lower the heat and stir almost constantly. This is when dulce de leche can catch on the bottom and scorch. A heatproof spatula that scrapes the whole base of the pot is the best tool here.

5. Know when it is done

It is ready when it is deep amber and thick enough that a spoon dragged across the bottom of the pot leaves a trail for a second. Drop a little on a cold plate: it should hold its shape and not run. Pull it off the heat slightly looser than you want, because it thickens a lot as it cools.

5 easy ways to make dulce de leche from sweetened condensed milk

Sweetened condensed milk is milk and sugar that have already been cooked down, so all that is left is the browning. These methods are far more hands-off than the traditional recipe, although the flavor is a little less complex. One 14-ounce can makes about 1¼ cups. Nestlé La Lechera is the brand most Latin home cooks use.

For a step-by-step guide with photos, see how to make dulce de leche from condensed milk.

Tips and troubleshooting

• It is taking forever. The width of the pot matters more than the heat. A wide pot or skillet can finish in under 2 hours; a tall, narrow saucepan can take more than 3.
• It boiled over. The pot was too small, or the heat was too high when the baking soda went in. Use a pot at least four times the volume of the milk.
• It is grainy. Those are lactose crystals. Blend it with a tablespoon or two of hot milk, and add corn syrup the next time you make it.
• It is lumpy. Whisk it hard while warm, or push it through a fine-mesh sieve. Lumps usually come from a skin or from bits stuck to the pot.
• It set too hard in the fridge. Warm it gently with a splash of milk. Here is more on what to do when dulce de leche is too hard.
• It is too runny. Put it back on the heat and keep cooking. Check it on a cold plate every 5 minutes.
• It tastes burnt. The bottom scorched. Pour it into a clean jar without scraping the bottom of the pot, and the rest is usually fine.

What dulce de leche is called around Latin America

Almost every Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking country makes its own version, and many give it their own name.

A brief history of dulce de leche

Milk-and-sugar sweets were cooked in Spain and across colonial Latin America long before anyone called them dulce de leche, so nobody can pin down who made it first. Argentina, though, has a favorite story.

According to the legend, on October 11, 1829, the Argentine leader Juan Manuel de Rosas received his rival Juan Lavalle at his estancia, La Caledonia, in Cañuelas outside Buenos Aires to sign a peace pact. A maid was heating lechada, a sweet drink of milk and sugar, when she was called away. She left the pot on the fire and came back to find it had cooked down into a thick, brown jam.

Uruguay has always disputed the claim. In 2003 the two countries agreed to register dulce de leche as a product of both. Argentina had already named it part of its national food heritage in 2002, and every October 11 it celebrates World Dulce de Leche Day. Argentina produces about 128,000 tons a year, and Argentines eat roughly 3 kilos (6½ pounds) of it per person every year.

Best ways to use dulce de leche

In Argentina, dulce de leche turns up in almost every bakery case. These are the classics, plus a few easy everyday ideas.

• AlfajoresTwo tender cornstarch cookies sandwiched with thick dulce de leche. Get the alfajores recipe.
• ChocotortaA no-bake cake of coffee-dipped chocolate cookies layered with dulce de leche and cream cheese. Make chocotorta.
• PanquequesThin crêpes rolled around dulce de leche, a fixture on Argentine restaurant dessert menus.
• Flan con dulce de lecheArgentines serve flan with a big spoonful on the side. Try dulce de leche flan.
• Ice creamDulce de leche and dulce de leche granizado (with chocolate flakes) are Argentina’s favorite flavors. Make it at home.
• Medialunas and facturasArgentine pastries are filled or glazed with it. Bake medialunas.
• BrowniesSwirl it into the batter for a Latin twist. See the brownie recipe.
• MilhojasLayers of crisp puff pastry and dulce de leche. Make milhojas.
• ObleasColombia’s thin wafers spread with arequipe. Learn about obleas.
• Tres lechesDrizzle it over the top of a tres leches cake.
• CoffeeStir a spoonful into café con leche, or try Café Bustelo Dulce de Leche coffee.
• Breakfast toastThe Argentine way: toast with butter and a thin layer of dulce de leche.

Looking for more? Browse 13 dulce de leche desserts and 7 more dulce de leche recipes.

Best store-bought dulce de leche

Not up for two hours at the stove? A good Argentine jar is the next best thing. For baking, look for the word repostero on the label, which means the thicker, pastry-grade style.

We compared more jars in our guide to the best dulce de leche brands.

How to store dulce de leche

Homemade: Keep it in a clean, sealed glass jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, and always use a clean spoon. It also freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw it overnight in the fridge and stir.

Store-bought: Unopened jars and cans keep in the pantry until the date on the label. Once opened, refrigerate them. For signs of spoilage and more detail, see does dulce de leche go bad?

Cold dulce de leche is stiff. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, or warm it for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave, to make it spreadable again.

Dulce de leche FAQ

What is dulce de leche in English?

It translates as “sweet made from milk.” In English it is sometimes called milk caramel or milk jam, but most cooks and shops simply use the Spanish name.

Is dulce de leche the same as caramel?

No. Caramel is sugar cooked at high heat until it browns, often with cream and butter added. Dulce de leche is milk and sugar cooked slowly, so the milk itself browns. It tastes milkier and less bitter.

Is dulce de leche Mexican?

It is most closely tied to Argentina and Uruguay. Mexico’s version is cajeta, which is traditionally made with goat’s milk, although cow’s milk dulce de leche is also sold widely in Mexico.

Why do you add baking soda to dulce de leche?

Milk is slightly acidic. A small amount of baking soda neutralizes that acidity, which keeps the milk proteins from curdling during the long cook and helps the mixture brown into a deeper color.

Can you make dulce de leche from sweetened condensed milk?

Yes. Condensed milk is already reduced with sugar, so you only need to brown it gently, in a double boiler, in the oven, in a slow cooker or in a pressure cooker. The table above compares all five methods.

Is it safe to boil a can of condensed milk?

It can be done safely if the can stays fully under water the whole time and cools completely before you open it. If that worries you, use the double boiler or oven method instead.

Why is my dulce de leche grainy?

Graininess comes from lactose crystals forming as it cools or sits. Blend it smooth with a little hot milk. Adding a tablespoon of corn syrup or glucose while it cooks prevents it next time.

How long does homemade dulce de leche last?

Up to 3 weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge, or about 3 months in the freezer.

Homemade Dulce de Leche Recipe

Continue to Content

Homemade Dulce de Leche (Traditional Argentine Recipe)

Yield: About 1 1/2 cups (24 tablespoon servings)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Cooling Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Dulce de leche is milk and sugar cooked slowly until it turns into a thick, golden caramel spread. This is the traditional Argentine way to make it from scratch with whole milk, sugar, vanilla and a pinch of baking soda.

No Ratings

Print

Ingredients

• 1 liter (4 1/4 cups) whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup or glucose syrup (optional, for an extra-smooth texture)
• 1 pinch fine salt

Instructions

1. Pour the milk into a wide, heavy pot that holds at least 4 quarts (the milk will foam up). Add the sugar and the split vanilla bean with its scraped seeds. If you are using vanilla extract instead, save it for the end.
2. Set the pot over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and the milk starts to steam and simmer at the edges, about 10 minutes.
3. Take the pot off the heat. Stir the baking soda into 1 tablespoon of water, then stir it into the milk. It will foam up, which is normal. Return the pot to the heat.
4. Keep the milk at a lively simmer, uncovered, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom and corners of the pot. Skim off any foam. For the first hour it will look like thin, beige milk.
5. After 60 to 75 minutes the color turns golden and the mixture starts to thicken. Lower the heat to medium-low, take out the vanilla bean, and stir more often so the bottom does not catch. Add the corn syrup now if using.
6. Keep cooking and stirring almost constantly until it is a deep amber color and thick enough to coat the spoon, 45 to 60 minutes more. To test, put a drop on a cold plate: it should hold its shape and not run. For a firmer, pastry-grade dulce de leche, cook 10 to 15 minutes longer.
7. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the salt (and vanilla extract, if using). If there are any lumps, whisk hard or push it through a fine-mesh sieve.
8. Pour it into a clean glass jar. It thickens a lot as it cools, so do not over-reduce it in the pot. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate.

Notes

• Pot size matters: a wide pot evaporates faster and cuts the cooking time. A narrow pot can take over 3 hours.
• Grainy texture: blend it with 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot milk, or use the corn syrup next time; it keeps lactose crystals from forming.
• Too thick after chilling: warm it gently and stir in a splash of milk.
• Lactose-free milk works and browns faster, so start checking earlier.
• Goat milk turns this into Mexican cajeta.
• Storage: keeps up to 3 weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge. Always use a clean spoon.
• Shortcut: to make it from sweetened condensed milk, see the methods table in the article.

More Argentine sweets

Keep going with our guide to Argentine desserts, browse every recipe on our Argentine desserts page, or explore the rest of the pantry in Argentine ingredients and Argentine food.

Jorge Garcia

Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.

Please Share & Spread the Love of Latin Foods!