By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
110 min
Dulce de Leche
Recipe GLPRc78eb496044bff
A rich, creamy caramel spread made by slowly baking sweetened condensed milk in a water bath until it transforms into a deep golden-brown dulce de leche. This classic Latin American treat is smooth, luxurious, and perfect for drizzling over desserts, spreading on toast, or enjoying straight from a spoon.
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Ingredients
14 ounces Sweetened condensed milk
¼ teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
Pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk into a shallow glass pie dish or small baking dish. Add a pinch of salt and stir well to combine.
Place the pie dish inside a larger roasting pan to create a water bath. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the pie dish.
Cover the pie dish tightly with aluminum foil to prevent evaporation and water from dripping into the milk.
Bake for 1 to 1¼ hours, checking every 20-30 minutes. If the water level drops, carefully add more hot water to the roasting pan. The dulce de leche is ready when it has turned a deep caramel brown and has thickened noticeably.
Remove the pie dish from the oven and water bath, then allow it to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Once cooled, whisk the dulce de leche vigorously until smooth and creamy, breaking up any lumps. Transfer to a serving jar or container and store in the refrigerator.
Comments
This is a two-ingredient dulce de leche that relies on the water-bath method, and the stated time is honest if you count the full boil—about 90 minutes of unattended heat plus 20 minutes setup and cooling. A single can of sweetened condensed milk costs $1.50–$2 at any Charlotte grocer (Harris Teeter, Kroger, Walmart, ALDI all stock it), so the per-serving cost is negligible. The real issue is attention: you cannot leave boiling water unattended, and the can must stay fully submerged or risk explosion—this is a passive but serious dish for a weeknight when you need to be home. It reheats poorly once set, so plan to serve it the day you make it, ideally over ice cream or as a dessert spread.
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