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5 Foolproof Ways to Make Homemade Caramel from Sweetened Condensed Milk (No Fail Methods!)

Did you know how ridiculously easy it is to make homemade caramel from sweetened condensed milk?

I’ve got some sweet tricks, troubleshooting tips, and a few “what could possibly go wrong?” moments to share with you.

sweetened condensed milk caramel

Microwave Method

For those who love instant gratification but also a bit of risk:

  • Pour your sweetened condensed milk into a massively oversized microwave-safe bowl. And I mean massive!
  • Cover the bowl with cling wrap, but leave a little gap for steam to escape.
  • Microwave on medium power. Start with 30 seconds, then give it a stir.
  • Keep going in short intervals (15-20 seconds), stirring between each, until you hit that golden caramel color.

Tip: Caramel thickens as it cools, so stop just before it looks perfect—trust the process!

Tip: If it’s bubbling like a middle-school volcano project, you probably need to shorten those bursts and stir more. And use a bigger bowl.

Troubleshooting:

Caramel explosion in the microwave?
Been there, done that. It’s usually because the bowl is too small or you’re living on the edge with high power. Dial it down, and use a larger bowl.


Slow Cooker Method

For those who like their caramel like their Netflix binges—low and slow:

  • Put those cans of sweetened condensed milk into your slow cooker and completely submerge them in water. And by completely, I mean not a single bit of that can should see daylight.
  • Set it to low and walk away. Seriously, just leave it for 8 hours (or 10 hours if you want an even deeper, dreamier caramel).
  • Let the cans cool for 30 minutes or give them a quick dip in cold water for 10 minutes if you are in a hurry. Be careful removing the cans!

Tip: Keep those cans fully submerged in water. If they peek out, they might overheat and burst… and no one wants caramel on their kitchen ceiling.


Oven Method

For the caramel traditionalists (you fancy, huh?):

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
  2. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a baking dish, cover it with foil, and place it in a water bath.
  3. Bake for 60 to 90 minutes. Keep an eye on the water level of your water bath—don’t let it dry up.
  4. Remove when you’ve reached the color and consistency you want and let it cool all the way.
making homemade caramel with sweetened condensed milk

Stovetop (Boiling Method)

For the OGs who’ve been caramelizing since forever:

  1. Boil the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot of water. Again, make sure the can is completely submerged, or things could get dramatic.
  2. Let it simmer for 2 to 3 hours. The longer you boil, the darker it gets.
  3. Let it cool completely before opening the can. Seriously, let it cool completely.

Trouble Shooting:

  • Worried about burning your pots? As long as you keep that can submerged you won’t have trouble.
using sweetened condensed milk to make homemade caramel. With the microwave, oven, stovetop, pressure cooker

Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot Method

For the brave souls who live on the edge:

  1. Place your unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot and completely cover it with water. I can’t stress this enough—drown that can!
  2. Cook on high pressure for 18 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally.
    • Tip: If you’re too trigger-happy and release the pressure too fast, you might be in for a sticky surprise. Let it cool down nice and easy.
    • Tip: If you’re not happy with the color, pressure it for a few more minutes. But make sure it’s submerged the whole time.
  3. Once you’re done, let that can cool for a bit before opening it.

Troubleshooting:

  • Overcooked? You might have gone overboard with the pressure. Add a splash of cream and whisk it back to smooth goodness.
  • Some folks have reported Instant Pot disasters, so always keep the water level up and inspect your cans before cooking. Don’t use dented cans.

Troubleshooting Tips for All Methods:

  • Too Thick? Stop cooking just before you hit the consistency you want. Caramel is sneaky and thickens as it cools.
  • Boiling Over? This is mostly a microwave issue. Use a bigger bowl and shorter bursts, and your kitchen will stay safe.
  • Burning? Happens to the best of us. Keep stirring, keep watching, and lower that heat if you need to.
  • Grainy? No one likes grainy caramel. Stir constantly, and if you find yourself with some graininess, whisk in a teaspoon of butter or cream to smooth things out.

How to Store Your Homemade Caramel:

Pop your caramel into a mason jar or a plastic container, seal it up, and store it in the fridge. It should last about a week, but let’s be real—it probably won’t make it that long before you eat it gone.

Recipes perfect for your homemade caramel: 

Mini Pecan Pumpkin Pie Bites

A little drizzle of caramel on top of these would be the ULTIMATE!

Caramel Cardamom Latte

One of my favorite coffee drinks, this uses caramel to make it absolutely delightful!

Apple Pie Bars with Streusel Topping

ANYthing with apple tastes better with caramel, wouldn’t you agree? Just imagine these with some ice cream and a drizzle of caramel. YUM!

14 thoughts on “5 Foolproof Ways to Make Homemade Caramel from Sweetened Condensed Milk (No Fail Methods!)”

  1. Tried with sweetened condensed coconut milk for my dairy free daughter. Used the microwave method. Definitely use a bowl much larger than the amount of s.c. milk. I was watching and it nearly bubbled over when I first had it in a cereal type bowl. Started with 2 min then kept going in 30 second increments, stirring each time until I got a color change. I was trying to do this for an apple dip but when I let a little cool and tried it it was already too thick. I think it will end up like a soft Carmel candy, still delicious. Next time I’ll just do it for less time but so glad for this technique and that it pretty much works. Thanks!

  2. Bummer! Can you be more specific about what happened and which version you had trouble with? Thanks!

  3. This does not destroy any pots , OMG someone just done it wrong
    maybe the pot was bad, I have made this for over 20yrs and none of
    my cookware was destroyed, this recipe is Great.

  4. Oh no!! That is no fun. I didn’t, however, put it up unverified. In fact a quick Google search finds many have tried it and love it… Instant Pot Sweetened Condensed Milk and you’ll get a long list. I didn’t list it as one of the best methods because I hadn’t personally tried it. I will most certainly mention that you had a horrible experience with it as a warning. That is no fun.

  5. I should have never tried your unverified suggestion of sweetened condensed milk. It destroyed my instant pot. I’m so so upset as I saved hard to purchase my instant pot. Please take this off your blog to save other people from destroying their instant pots.

  6. The can doesn’t need to be opened. In fact, it shouldn’t be. I use my instant pot for this.

  7. With a pressure cooker would you fill up the water over the can and does the can need to be opened?

  8. I like the idea of 30 sec intervals. That seems really smart. I’m going to add that tip. Thanks for coming back to comment!

  9. I honestly don’t know. Might have been the time was too long? Maybe go 30 seconds intervals instead of 2 minutes? Maybe my microwave was too high of voltage?

  10. Oh my! That’s a bummer. And you were probably left with a giant mess! Any idea what may have gone wrong?

  11. Tried the microwave method. Didn’t get caramel. Got a mess in my microwave as the sweetened condensed milk boiled over the bowl. I had maybe a 3 Tbsp of it left in the bowl after the second 2 minute increment.

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