Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk

Author Notes

Sweetened condensed milk is easy to make at home—you just simmer milk and sugar on the stovetop to thicken and reduce. A dairy-free version, made with coconut milk, is just as simple. Combine coconut milk and sugar in a pot, then leisurely reduce by half.

Though it’s practically one-step, the mixture does require a little babysitting as it cooks. Stirring frequently keeps it smooth and prevents scorching. Put a separate, heatproof utensil (not the one you’re stirring with) into the mixture at the beginning, note the level that the liquid comes up to on the utensil, and remove. This will serve as a handy guide as the mixture reduces. Remember that it will thicken more as it cools, and ultimately should be thick enough to coat and slowly fall off a spoon.

Use sweetened condensed coconut milk as a one-to-one replacement for classic sweetened condensed milk (either store-bought or homemade) in any kind of recipe. Stir into iced coffee or tea, fold into a no-churn ice cream base (such as this coffee one from Nigella Lawson), whisk into pumpkin pie custard, or whip into frosting or soft cream.

While totally optional, a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, both adjusted to taste, add a delicious flavor boost to the condensed milk. You can double or triple the recipe to make a larger batch. But in that case, you may want to use a larger pot to increase surface area and prevent it from taking hours to reduce. —Erin Jeanne McDowell