10+ Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipes to Try for Easy and Delicious Treats

Sweetened condensed milk might just be one of the most flexible ingredients in your kitchen. It brings a creamy sweetness to desserts and even some savory recipes.

You can whip up all kinds of tasty things with it—sometimes you just want something easy, right? Other times, maybe you’re after a little showstopper.

Pulling out a can of sweetened condensed milk can totally save you time and boost the flavor of your cooking. You’ll find it in pies, cakes, puddings, and even drinks.

With just a few ingredients, you can transform a basic recipe and surprise everyone at the table.

1) Classic Key Lime Pie

Making a Key Lime Pie with sweetened condensed milk is honestly a breeze. The filling mixes egg yolks, lime juice, and condensed milk for that perfect creamy, tangy bite.

Pour it into a graham cracker crust and you’re halfway to dessert heaven. Just bake it enough to set the filling, so it stays smooth and rich.

If you want to get fancy, toss in some lime zest or a little sour cream for extra zing.

Ingredients:

• 2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 4 jumbo egg yolks
• ½ cup fresh Key lime juice
• 1 (8-inch) graham cracker crust
• Optional: lime zest or sour cream

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Whisk egg yolks until pale.
3. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and lime juice.
4. Pour filling into the crust.
5. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes until just set.
6. Cool before serving.

2) Banana Pudding

Banana pudding gets its creamy sweetness from sweetened condensed milk. You mix pudding mix with condensed milk, then layer it with banana slices and vanilla wafers.

No oven required, so it’s super quick. The pudding chills in the fridge and turns out silky smooth.

A dollop of whipped cream or a little cream cheese can make it even richer. This one’s a crowd-pleaser for sure.

For a solid recipe, check out this banana pudding recipe with condensed milk.

Ingredients

• 1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups cold milk
• 3-4 ripe bananas, sliced
• 1 box vanilla wafer cookies
• 1 cup whipped cream (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Whisk pudding mix, sweetened condensed milk, and cold milk until smooth.
2. Let thicken for 2-3 minutes.
3. Layer wafers, banana slices, and pudding in a dish.
4. Keep layering until everything’s used up.
5. Top with whipped cream if you like.
6. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

3) Fudgy Chocolate Truffles

Fudgy chocolate truffles are so easy with sweetened condensed milk. You get soft, rich bites that feel way fancier than they are.

Just melt some chocolate chips with condensed milk. Add vanilla and cocoa powder for that deep chocolate flavor.

No oven, no fuss. Once the mixture thickens, roll it into balls.

Dust them with cocoa powder or dip in melted chocolate if you’re feeling extra. Chill and they’re ready.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Cocoa powder for dusting

Cooking Instructions

1. Melt chocolate chips and condensed milk over low heat, stirring.
2. Stir in vanilla.
3. Let cool until thick enough to handle.
4. Roll into small balls.
5. Dust with cocoa powder or dip in chocolate.
6. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Check out this fudgy chocolate truffles recipe if you want more details.

4) Caramel Churros

Caramel churros made with sweetened condensed milk are basically happiness in stick form. The churros come out crispy, then you coat them in cinnamon sugar.

For the caramel sauce, just heat condensed milk, brown sugar, and cream until it thickens. Dip those warm churros right in.

You don’t need a ton of ingredients, and the steps are pretty straightforward. Share them or keep them all to yourself—no judgment.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Cooking Instructions

1. Bring water, butter, and sugar to a boil.
2. Stir in flour until dough forms.
3. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Pipe dough into oil and fry until golden.
4. Mix brown sugar, cream, and condensed milk in a pan. Heat and stir until thick.
5. Toss churros in cinnamon sugar. Serve with caramel sauce.

5) Lemon Curd Coconut Cake

This cake is all about bright lemon curd and coconut. Start with a coconut cake that stays moist thanks to sweetened condensed milk in the batter.

After baking, spread lemon curd over the warm cake so it soaks in. Sprinkle shredded coconut on top for some texture.

It’s easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for a party. The fresh lemon and coconut flavors just work.

Ingredients

• 1 white or vanilla cake mix
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 15 oz cream of coconut or coconut milk
• 2 cups lemon curd
• ½ cup shredded coconut

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prepare cake mix as directed, adding condensed milk and cream of coconut.
3. Pour into greased pan and bake 30–35 minutes.
4. Cool slightly, poke holes with a fork.
5. Pour lemon curd over, let it soak in.
6. Sprinkle coconut on top.

For more, check out Lemon Poke Cake with Coconut recipes.

6) No-Bake Cheesecake Slice

This no-bake cheesecake slice is smooth, creamy, and ridiculously simple. Sweetened condensed milk gives it a rich texture, and a splash of lemon juice or sour cream adds a little tang.

Make a graham cracker crust, press it in, and mix up the filling. Pour it on and chill until it sets.

No oven, no sweat. It’s a great go-to when you want something sweet but don’t feel like baking.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• ⅓ cup lemon juice or ⅓ cup sour cream

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix crumbs and melted butter, press into pan.
2. Beat cream cheese until smooth.
3. Add condensed milk and lemon juice or sour cream, mix well.
4. Pour over crust.
5. Chill at least 4 hours.

7) Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Vietnamese iced coffee is all about strong coffee and sweetened condensed milk. Brew your coffee strong, then stir in the condensed milk for a creamy, sweet kick.

Pour it over ice and you’ve got a refreshing, bold drink. Use coarse ground coffee or go for espresso roast if you’re into that.

The condensed milk sweetens and adds creaminess—no need for extra sugar or milk. Make sure your coffee is nice and hot to get all the flavor, then cool it down over ice.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coarse ground coffee
• 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 6-8 ounces hot water (200°F / 93°C)
• Ice cubes

Cooking Instructions

1. Brew coffee with hot water.
2. Add condensed milk to a glass.
3. Pour hot coffee in and stir.
4. Fill glass with ice.
5. Stir again and enjoy.

For more, see this Vietnamese iced coffee recipe.

8) Tres Leches Cake

Tres leches cake is a light sponge cake that soaks up three kinds of milk. You’ll use evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk.

Top it with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. The cake turns out super moist and sweet.

It’s great for sharing and always goes fast at parties.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 1 ½ cups whipped cream
• Ground cinnamon for topping

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Beat butter and ¾ cup sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla, mix.
3. Stir in flour and baking powder.
4. Beat egg whites to soft peaks, add remaining sugar until stiff. Fold into batter.
5. Pour into greased pan and bake 25-30 minutes.
6. Cool, poke holes with a fork.
7. Mix milks and pour over cake.
8. Chill at least 3 hours.
9. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon.

9) Pumpkin Pie with Condensed Milk

Pumpkin pie with sweetened condensed milk comes out extra creamy and smooth. The filling’s a breeze—just mix pumpkin puree, eggs, spices, and condensed milk in a bowl.

That condensed milk brings all the sweetness you need, so there’s no messing with extra sugar. Pour the mixture into an unbaked pie crust.

Start baking at a high temperature to help the filling set. After that, drop the heat to finish baking—this trick helps prevent cracks on top.

Ingredients

• 1 unbaked pie crust
• 15 oz pumpkin puree
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. In a bowl, whisk pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs, spice, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Pour filling into the pie crust.
4. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes.
5. Lower oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 35-40 minutes.
6. Let pie cool before serving.

10) Homemade Dulce de Leche

Dulce de leche’s basically creamy caramel made from sweetened condensed milk. You only need one main ingredient, which is honestly pretty great.

To make it, cook a can of sweetened condensed milk slowly. You can bake it in the oven at 425°F (220°C), sealed in a covered dish, for about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Or, if you’re feeling old-school, simmer the unopened can in a pot of water for 2.5 to 4 hours. Just make sure the can stays covered with water the whole time—don’t walk away from it.

When it’s done, the condensed milk turns thick and caramel-colored. Use it as a topping or sneak it into other desserts if you want.

Ingredients

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a pie dish or cake pan. Cover it with foil.

3. Set the dish inside a larger roasting pan.

4. Fill the roasting pan with hot water until it comes about halfway up the sides of your dish.

5. Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours. Watch for the milk to turn golden and get thick.

6. Let it cool down before you use it.