Sugar-Free Condensed Milk Recipe – How to Make Low Carb Condensed Milk

You’re going to love this creamy sugar-free condensed milk recipe which is Keto, gluten-free and so easy to make!  Just try not to pour it all over everything!

So I am excited to tell you guys about our Sugar-Free Condensed Milk recipe. I know a lot of you bakers out there always have a can of condensed milk in your pantry, but now if you are on keto or just not eating sugar then I’m sure you probably don’t have much of this stocked up anymore.

However, I have good news…I’m here to tell you that you now don’t have to go without it anymore! 

Because baking has never been my forte, I’m still experimenting and figuring out things I can make with keto condensed milk, so stay tuned.

There will be more recipes coming in the near future but for now, you have to try my Keto Magic Cookie Bars. They are a must-have and this easy sugar-free condensed milk has been a staple in my fridge since I made it the first time.

What is Condensed Milk Anyways?

I’ve never really known what exactly condensed milk is but after making this recipe I’ve learned more about it. You may have heard it called condensed milk or sweetened condensed milk but they are the same thing. 

It’s a form of concentrated milk, that 60% of the water content has been taken out, then sugar is added before it’s canned.

It’s thick and rich consistency makes for a very sweet yummy flavor. 

Condensed milk contains about 40-45 percent sugar, and is commonly used for baking desserts like pies, cookie bars, puddings, and even your morning coffee.  

How Can I Make a Sugar-Free Substitute for Condensed Milk?

As you can see, a can of condensed milk is full of sugar! Not acceptable for you diabetics, low carb eaters or whoever is on keto. But don’t worry it’s ok! Making your own sugar-free condensed milk is a breeze. 

With just 30 minutes of your time and 4 simple ingredients including, heavy cream, butter, vanilla, and your favorite low carb sweetener you have just opened a whole new world for yourself and expanded your baking desires.

What Ingredients are in this Recipe? 

Heavy cream – Regular condensed milk is made from milk, not cream. I use heavy cream for 2 reasons…it thickens up great and is keto-friendly. 

Low Carb Sweetener – I chose to use Powdered Swerve because it mixes so well with the heavy cream. It’s mixed in better than the granulated kind.

Butter – You only need a little bit. I used 2 tablespoons and that was plenty. 

Vanilla – I love adding vanilla to this recipe, I feel like it’s the perfect flavor.  

Is this Recipe Low Carb/Keto?

Yes, it is low carb and keto-friendly. Keto condensed is made with heavy cream instead of regular milk, and a low carb sweetener instead of regular sugar.

Those small changes makes it only 1.7 NET CARBS for 2 Tablespoons!   

What Sweetener is Best for Keto Condensed Milk?

I personally feel that Powdered Swerve worked the best for me when making Keto condensed milk. Just like in whipped cream, powdered sugar blends much better than granulated.

That’s not to say that granulated won’t work, but it is better to use a powdered sweetener for this recipe.

What if you don’t have powdered and you are in a bind? You can use the granulated the way it is, or you can use a mini food processor and grind the granulated into powder. 

I’ve read that some like to use BochaSweet as a sweetener. I’ve only used it sparingly, so I don’t have much knowledge of it. The little I do know is that it can make things a little goopy, so if you choose to use this sweetener, then maybe try to use only have BochaSweet and maybe half Swerve.

Be warned though, BochaSweet is very very expensive. One more reason to only try using a little at a time. 

Different Ways to Make Condensed Milk:

Normally I like to try and give you guys a bunch of different variations to my recipes but for this sugar-free condensed milk I don’t have too many. That’s mostly because it’s perfect the way it is.

However, I do have a couple of changes you can make to this keto condensed milk if you like:

• Coconut Milk – to make this recipe dairy-free,  instead of using heavy cream use coconut milk, but make sure it’s full fat coconut milk.  
• Don’t add the butter – again if you’re looking to make this dairy-free don’t add the butter. 

So if you are dairy-free or even vegan, then make these 2 simple changes to your sugar-free condensed milk…see it’s that easy. 

How to Make Sugar Free Condensed Milk – Instructions

Making sugar-free condensed milk so easy I promise! The only trick to it is, don’t leave the room. You don’t need to stir it constantly, but every couple of minutes it needs a little stir.

Here are our step by step instructions. 

1.) Place a large frying pan on the stove and turn the burner on to medium heat.

2.) Next, measure out the heavy cream and slowly pour it into the pan. 

3.) Add the powdered swerve and vanilla. Add butter and let melt. 

4.) Using a whisk, combine all the ingredients together. Once mixed well, turn the heat up to high, and bring to a boil. 

5.) Once it’s started to boil, turn the heat down to a simmer. On my electric stove, I turned the dial all the way down to a 2 or 3.

Keep in mind at this point it will still continue to slowly boil, and that is what you want. 

6.) Continue to stir every few minutes. You will start to see the consistency change and thicken. It should take about 30 minutes in total to cook.

Once thickened to your liking, remove it from the stove. 

7.) At this point, you can leave it in the pan to cool, or you can transfer it into a mason jar.

If you put it into the mason jar while hot, make sure to add a metal spoon into the jar before you pour it, which will act as a conductor and prevent the glass from breaking. 

How Can I Make it Thicker?

I haven’t found it necessary but if you feel like it’s not quite thick enough then you can add just a little bit of Xanthan Gum.

Only add ¼ tsp -½ tsp, it’s all you need. It will help to give you a gooier consistency. 

What Type of Pan is Best?

The nice thing about this recipe is that it doesn’t take hours or even an hour to cook but only about 30 minutes. Choosing the right pan is what will help make this keto condensed milk cook quicker. 

The larger your pan is the faster your milk will reduce and thicken. If you use a saucepan it’s going to take a very very long time to cook down and thicken. 

For that reason, I really recommend using a large shallow frying pan. Trust me when I tell you it’s the best way to make it, and a large frying pan is a staple in pretty much anyone’s kitchen.  

Other Tips for Condensed Milk

Making your own low carb condensed milk really isn’t hard I promise, but that being said it does require some of your attention.

You don’t need to stand there and stir it for the whole 30 minutes, but don’t walk away and leave it unattended. You don’t want it to over boil and cause a big mess on your stove. So stick close by. 

I use my coated frying pan, so to make sure I don’t scratch my pan, I like using a wooden spoon. Plus while you’re stirring it towards the end, you’ll see that the milk will coat the back of the wooden spoon and get thicker and gooier. 

These are just a few tips that I recommend doing to help make your cooking process go well. 

Other Diets this recipe is good for. Ex. Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free?

Who’s gluten-free out there?? I know there’s a lot of you out there who are, and I’m here to tell you that this super delicious sweetened condensed milk is totally acceptable for you. 

My normal recipe for low carb condensed milk is not ok for those who are vegan because of the milk and butter.

However, you can easily make it a vegan recipe by replacing the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk, and just omit the butter. There you go…totally vegan friendly!

What is the Difference between Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk?

Growing up I really didn’t know what the difference was between condensed milk and evaporated milk. All I knew was that evaporated milk is what you make pumpkin pie with…yup I know that’s not a lot of knowledge about it right? 

The funny thing is that I still don’t know a ton about either of them but here’s what I know about the difference between the two. 

Condensed milk and evaporated milk are both forms of concentrated milk in which about 60% of the water content has been removed.

The biggest difference between the two is that one is sweet and one is not.

Any guesses which one is which? Haha, that’s right, “sweetened condensed milk” obviously is sweetened and has high sugar content. 

Evaporated milk is always unsweetened. Similar to condensed milk, once the water has been removed it is properly packaged and sterilized and ready to buy in the store.

It has a creamy and dense consistency, that like condensed milk can sit on your pantry shelf for months. You can buy it in different varieties such as skim, low-fat and whole milk. 

Evaporated milk is used in dishes that need a creamy texture but don’t forget it’s not going to give you much-added sweetness. You can use it in dessert recipes such as pumpkin pie, but you can also use it in savory recipes as well. 

Can you Substitute Milk or Cream for Condensed Milk?

They are both concentrated forms of milk that are somewhat similar, but I would not recommend substituting milk or cream for condensed milk.

You could make your dish way too sweet if using condensed milk instead of evaporated, and you could make your dish just kinda bland if you use evaporated milk instead of using the sweetened-condensed milk your recipe calls for. 

So I really recommend using exactly what your recipe calls for. If you don’t have it on hand, then make your condensed milk from scratch using my recipe, or run to the store and buy your evaporated milk. 

What Recipes Can I Use Sugar-Free Condensed Milk for? 

I’ve already mentioned a few ideas in this post but I’m going to go through them with you again. 

• Magic Cookie Bars
• Key Lime Pie
• Sugar-free Ice Cream 
• Homemade Coffee Creamer
• Homemade Keto Fudge
• Iced Coffee 

Ok, so I’m gonna tell you my new addiction….

1 spoonful of my condensed milk + cup of coffee = PERFECTION! 

These are just a few ideas that you can use, but really your options are endless. You can be as creative as you want. I haven’t tried experimenting too much so far, but I have a whole laundry list of recipes I’m going to try using this Sugar-free Condensed Milk. 

How to Store Condensed Milk

Once you’re condensed milk is cooked and done cooling you have 2 options: 

1.) use it right away for your recipe 

OR

2.) store it in the fridge

I highly recommend making yourself a double or even a triple batch that way you have some leftovers to keep in your fridge.

Once you put the sugar-free condensed milk into the fridge it should firm up into a soft fudgy consistency, easy to scoop right out with a spoon. But be careful, it’s so good that you might be finding yourself getting a spoonful for a late-night snack!

Simply pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, then stir it up, and it should be ready to use for your magic cookie bars, pudding, key lime pie or even to put right into your coffee! 

Other Similar Recipes:

If you’re in the mood for some other Low Carb Dessert recipes then try our:

• Best Keto Brownies
• Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
• Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Easy Keto Cheesecake Bars

All of them are Keto-friendly and low carb, and will have your friends raving!

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