Quick Evaporated Milk Recipe (Homemade Substitute)

Learn how to make your own evaporated milk with just one ingredient and a few easy steps. This recipe is quick and easy to make using whole or plant based milk and comes together in under an hour. It’s a useful homemade substitute to use as a thickener and sweetener in baked goods, savory dishes and more!

Reduced milk is a staple ingredient in cultures across the globe and in many of my favorite Puerto Rican recipes.

Whether it’s used as a creamy rich substitute for milk, like we do in this traditional flan recipe, or as a shelf stable milk alternative when canned properly, it’s a delicious ingredient that has a lot to offer.

This easy evaporated milk recipe is a great one to know when you’re in a pinch and don’t have the canned stuff available.

How to make homemade evaporated milk

Straining will remove any of the milk solids that form while reducing.

Ratios

Because this recipe is so simple in ingredients and steps, the most important rule to remember is how much milk you will need to start with, versus how much evaporated milk will be yielded.

The ratio goes as follows: you will need to start with twice the amount of milk to make the appropriate amount of reduced milk.

In other words:

• if you need 1 cup of reduced milk, start with 2 cups of milk
• if you need 2 cups of reduced milk, start with 4 cups of milk
• if you need 3 cups of reduced milk, start with 6 cups of milk, and so on

Alternative Milks (Plant Based Options)

While traditional evaporated milk recipes use whole milk, there are a few alternatives I have experimented that reduce well.

Here are some options:

• Oat milk – while you can actually find evaporated oat milk at the store, it’s an easy and neutral plant based alternative that can be made with the same ratio and instructions
• Coconut milk – you can also use coconut milk to create an easy plant based reduced milk (also available at many grocery stores). If you aren’t into the flavor of coconut, try using any of your favorite plant based milks.
• Reduced fat – if you don’t have any whole milk on hand or prefer 2%, feel free to use that instead. The consistency won’t be as thick or sweet, but it will still work.

Where to Use It

This reduced milk is a great substitute for traditional milk that can be used to add depth of flavor in a variety of recipes.

Some examples include dishes like mac and cheese, chowders, soups, and of course desserts (two of my favorites being this traditional Puerto Rican flan and chocoflan).

Enjoy,

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