One-Ingredient Dulce de Leche Recipe
This Instant Pot Dulce de Leche recipe couldn’t be easier! With just one ingredient, plus water, you get the sweetest, creamiest homemade caramel sauce for baking, dipping, and more.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe: This is hands-down the easiest and fastest way to make dulce de leche at home, with no watching the pot or worrying about the can.
We’ve been making dulce de leche in the Instant Pot for years. Even though you can buy this thick, sweet caramel-like sauce in a can, this homemade version is by far our favorite!
This creamy dulce de leche is delicious for dunking homemade churros! It also makes a wonderful caramel sauce to use between layer cakes, to top cheesecakes, or spoon over ice cream.
DULCE DE LECHE INGREDIENTS
You might be surprised, but there is one – yes one – ingredient in this Instant Pot recipe: Sweetened condensed milk. You don’t need to add any sugar or fat to your homemade caramel sauce when you start with this magical ingredient.
Products
You’ll need a 16 ounce canning jar for this Instant Pot dulce de leche. The 16-ounce jar will give the caramel enough room to expand while boiling.
You’ll also need a wire rack (aka low trivet) or steaming basket to hold the jar in the pot. Most brands of pressure cooker come with one.
WHY DON’T YOU PRESSURE COOK DULCE DE LECHE IN THE CAN?
Many popular stovetop dulce de leche recipes have you remove the label from the can of sweetened condensed milk, submerge the can in water, and boil the milk inside the can for several hours. With stovetop cooking, if enough water boils off, there is a risk the can could burst.
When I was creating this Instant Pot recipe, I decided to use a canning jar to completely sidestep this risk. Canning jars are ideal for pressure cooking, and they work great for making dulce de leche! Plus, it cooks in the jar you’ll use to serve and store it after cooking.
How to Make Dulce de Leche in an Instant Pot
This easy recipe will work in any brand of electric pressure cooker, including the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or Power Pressure Cooker XL.
It really couldn’t be easier to make this one-ingredient dulce de leche. However, there are a few key steps to keep in mind.
Start with a canning jar. It’s important to use a jar specifically made for canning. Thinner glass jars may not stand up to the pressure of the Instant Pot.
Note: You’re not actually canning or preserving the Dulce de Leche in the canning jar.
Next, pour the sweetened condensed milk into your jar. Be sure to wipe off any drips on the rim or down the sides (even on the inside). This can be done with a damp paper towel. These drips will likely cook faster than the rest of the milk, and may burn.
Place the lid on the jar finger tight—do not tighten all the way.
To set up the Instant Pot, place a wire rack or trivet in the bottom of the pressure cooker pot. This is important so the glass jar does not sit directly on the bottom, which can cause it to crack. If you do not have a rack you can roll and then coil aluminum foil to create one.
Finally, add your water. The water should come at least halfway up the jar of condensed milk. Then pressure cook for 40 minutes. When the cook time ends, you’ll have piping-hot and golden dulce de leche.
Important Tips for Making Dulce de Leche
Here are the most important things to keep in mind when making this recipe:
- Use a sturdy glass jar built for canning.
- Do not place the jar directly on the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- The glass jar will be hot when you remove the lid from the pressure cooker. Use a potholder!
- The caramel needs to cool for 10 minutes when it’s out of the pot. Then, before serving, stir the caramel well until it’s smooth and thick.
- The caramel will thicken up a lot as it cools!
Frequently Asked Questions about Dulce de Leche
Traditional dulce de leche is a mixture of milk and sugar that is slowly heated until it turns a beautiful golden brown. It’s not quite the same as traditional caramel, which is made from heating sugar and water.
It is very popular in Latin American countries and is spread over all kinds of baked goods. I’ve never tried a homemade South American dulce de leche, but I understand that this version made with sweetened condensed milk is sweeter than the more traditional recipes.
If you’ve never tried it, dulce de leche is a silky, smooth, creamy caramel-like sauce. It does have a different taste from caramel—the milk makes it a little richer and creamier. This makes it perfect for dipping, filling cakes, and topping treats. (Or just eaten by the spoonful—we won’t judge!)
Why use a 16-ounce jar when we only have 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk? The reason is that the sweetened condensed milk will start to bubble as it turns into caramel. The 16-ounce jar gives room for the bubbling mixture to cook without popping the lid.
If you like, you can use two 8 ounce canning jars and divide the sweetened condensed milk between them and reduce the cook time to 15 minutes.
Generally, you can use dulce de leche anywhere you’d use caramel! We love to serve it alongside homemade churros for dipping. You can also drizzle it over a cake instead of frosting, or use it as a filling for cookies, cupcakes, and other treats. It’s also SO good drizzled over popcorn!
Once the sauce is fully cooled, you can store it in the jar in the fridge for up to a week.
Recipes that Use Dulce de Leche
If you love caramel, try these other sweet treats next:
- Dulce de Leche Triple Layer Cake is a stunning tiered cake that’s the perfect birthday dessert for a caramel lover.
- These Crumb Topped Caramel Zucchini Muffins have a swirl of Dulce de Leche hiding inside!
- Alfajores are adorable Argentinian sandwich cookies filled with Dulce de Leche and usually served for Christmas.
- Dulce de Leche Lava cakes (page 65), Raisin Pecan Spice Cake (page 79), and Coconut Flan (page 148) of Instantly Sweet, our pressure cooker dessert cookbook.
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Easy Dulce de Leche Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 can 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 16 ounce canning jar with lid and ring
- 8 cups water
Instructions
- Pour sweetened condensed milk into a 16 ounce canning jar. Place the lid on the jar and screw on the ring.
- Put a rack in the pressure cooking pot and place the jar filled on the rack. Add 8 cups of water; the water should reach half way up the jar.
- Lock the pressure cooker lid in place, select high pressure and 40 minutes cook time. When the timer beeps, turn off the pressure cooker and let the pressure release for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove the jar from the pressure cooking pot. Let the jar cool for 10 minutes, then using a hot pad, open the lid and whisk until smooth.
Notes
Nutrition
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Can a 16 ounce wide mouth ball jar be used?
Hi Dianne – yes, a wide mouth ball jar should work well.
Can this be frozen ?
Hi Susan – yes, it should freeze well.
And of course, if you are my husband’s family, after “boiling” the milk for 3 hours on the stove, you fold in whipping cream and top with Nilla Wafers—“Burnt Milk” really good!
Thanks for sharing Joleen – sounds like a great way to serve it.
How about cooking time?
If you’re cooking 14 ounces, the cook time will be the same in a smaller jar.
Just finished making this in 2 8 oz canning jars and it turned out GREAT! Pressure cook for 15 minutes natural release for 10 minutes. my question is after seeing the amount of the finished product why can’t I put the whole can in 1 8oz canning jar there seems like there would be plenty of room(lots of head room)! If I do this what would you recommend for the cooking time?
sure, if you have plenty of headroom, give it a try.
Your recipe says 40 minutes cook time but in the body of your article you say 30 minutes cook time which is correct?
I was going to us the smaller jars any how so I went ahead and made it with them for 15 minutes. Sure it will turn out well!!
Hi Herbert – yes, I’ve corrected the article. To get the thick, golden dulce de leche 40 minutes works better. For smaller jars, 15 minutes should be great. Enjoy!
The discussion states cook 30 minutes, the recipe states 40 minutes.
Is 40 the correct amount of time?
Hi Jackie – yes, 40 minutes is the correct time. If you want a thinner less golden dulce de leche for drizzling, you can use the 30 minute cook time. Enjoy!
I am wondering if anyone has tried making this with sweetened condensed coconut milk? If so how did it turn out? Same cooking time? I hate wasting food so if that doesn’t work I will stick with the traditional milk.
Hi Beth – I did try it with sweetened condensed coconut milk and it didn’t work for me.
Hello, here in Canada, the cans are 10 ounces (300ml), would that change the recipe and it’s timing?
Hi JP – yes, you’ll want to change your cook time. I haven’t tried it with 10 ounces, but 15 minutes should be about right.
I do not have a rack to put in the bottom of my pressure cooker. Will it ruin the recipe to just place jars on the bottom of the pot?
Hi Julie – if you have aluminum foil, you can create a rack to put the jars on. Just make a long snake with the foil and place it in the bottom of the inner pot and set the jars on top.
A few years ago, I made a similar recipe in the IP; it did not call for a trivet. I ended up with 1 jar broken and another that didn’t break. I can see the wisdom in using this tip.
Would this work with an empty jam jar instead of a canning lid/ring? Just curious!
Hi Emmy – it would depend on the jar, but I would stick with canning jars and lids just to be safe.
Mine was perfect for dulce but I want it thinner and ppourable. Can I heat it and add more condensed milj?
Hi Susan – I haven’t tried it, but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work.
If you want it thinner doubt add condensed milk! It will give you a different texture and flavour.
You just need to cut the boiling time. I’d try 20 minutes and adjust accordingly to taste. The more you boil it, the thicker it gets
Heating it will thin it. I just did that for cake drizzle.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe Barbara! I fit four (8 oz) jars in my IP, and your instructions worked like a charm! My Dulce de Leche was used to make Banoffee Cake (https://lifearoundthehouse.com/best-banoffee-cake/). I don’t think I’ll ever buy Dulce de Leche in a can, all thanks to you! 🙂
Hi Cat – it looks amazing. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’m so sacred my instant pot is going to explode! I’m making this right now and pray everything works out perfect. I’m using a ball, wide mouth 16 oz jar. How does the pressure not cause the lid to explode off? Arghhhhh.
Hi Amy – they’ve been using pressure canners with Ball jars for canning for years – you’ll do great. Enjoy!
I’m wanting to try this is in a regular pressure cooker. Any advice?
Hi Jane – electric pressure cookers don’t start the time until they’ve reached pressure. So bring your stove top pressure cook to pressure the way you normally would and when it reaches pressure, reduce the heat like you normally would and start the timer.
Thanks for the recipe for cooking dulce de leche in a glass jar. I have done this in slow cooker, but I worried about the lining in the can leaching into the milk. Maybe that’s why the company says not to heat in can.
Did you make the loaf breads in the pressure cooker? If so could you give us the time etc doing it that way. I love your site and have learned so much!
Thanks Belinda! No, I baked the breads in the oven.
Don’t waste that pot of boiling water! Let it cool slightly and then pour it down your bathroom sink or tub to unclog them!
I made an instant Pot Tiramisu Cheesecake and topped it with IP Dulce de Leche. #winning
Sounds awesome!
Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed milk is so sweet! Is there some way to cut it and then can it? Maybe some heavy cream?
Hi Daphne – no, I don’t think heavy cream would work. If you like caramels, then you’ll probably like dulce de leche.
I just made this. I can’t stop eating it. This is a MUCH better way to cook this than a slow cooker. Thank you so much.
Thanks Lydia! I can’t stop eating it when I make it either. So many ways to use it, or right from the spoon 🙂
any reason not to cook it directly in the can?
Hi Daniel – I wanted to avoid the long cool down period and Eagle Brand says not to heat in can http://www.eaglebrand.com/recipe-detail/dulcedeleche-5925. But I know people often do successfully.
Im new to IP so forgive me for the ignorant comment. Why do you want to pressurize on its own rather than do the quick release? Curious for this as well as other recipes. Mine curdled a bit with the quick release so wondering if that is why.
Hi Amber – if you did the 15 minute natural release in step 3, most of the pressure would have been release already. Did you whisk it after opening the jar?
In coffee!
Can more than 1 jar be placed in the pressure cooker?
Hi Michelle – yes, I’ve seen people make 3 jars at once.
My canning jar just exploded inside my instant pot while trying this recipe…
That’s frustrating. Here’s some helpful information that can help you trouble shoot what went wrong. http://pickyourown.org/canning_jars_why_break.htm
Hmm, thanks for the article with tips. Not sure ifnIm going to have the guts to try again, but maybe some day!
Can you tell me if I can fill the jar almost full with 1/2 in head space?
I think that would be fine.
This sounds delicious! I would like to prepare several 8 oz jars at one time. Would I need to adjust the cooking time?
Hi Pam – you’ll need less time for an 8 ounce jar. I’d start with 20 minutes and check it and cook longer if needed depending on how dark and thick you want it. Let me know how it goes.
Thank you for your delicious recipe. I too would like to make 8oz jars. They would make wonderful gifts. On your last step you mentioned opening the jar and whisking until smooth. If I omitted this step, leaving the seal unbroken, would the contents last longer….like canned food? Or would the Carmel still need to be consumed within 1 week? Would I/the recipenant be able to store the Carmel unrefrigerated until the seal is broken? By not whisking right away, will the Carmel sauce be grainy? Wow! That’s a lot of questions! I would like to put these in Christmas baskets. As you know the Seasons can be a hectic time. Things can be forgotten, so I would want to include important instructions with the gift. Thank you for your time and consideration. Donna
Hi Donna – I haven’t done much canning but Pioneer Women said to stir it after she cooks it in the can, puts it in a jar and it lasts 1 month in the refrigerator http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/homemade-dulce-de-leche/.
I want to make this for the topping for your pecan caramel cheesecake. Does it stay pourable if I make it early, or will I need to reheat to drizzle over the cheesecake?
Thanks much!
Hi Brenda – as long as you don’t cook it until it’s very thick, it should stay pourable and will be a delicious addition to the caramel pecan cheesecake. Enjoy!
I just love your site and ideas. Love this idea about cooking it in jars. Will give this a try. I looked all over the site and can’t find the recipe for the Crumb Topped Caramel Zucchini Muffin you made in a loaf. Can you please direct me to this recipe. Thanks Karen
Thanks Karen – definitely give it a try. Here’s a link to the muffin recipe. It’s on Barbara Bakes, my other site http://www.barbarabakes.com/crumb-topped-caramel-zucchini-muffins/
Thanks for your reply. I did make this and it turned out great and so easy. This will be one of favorites to make. I also have a recipe for sweet milk so I will be doing them both together in the IP. Can’t wait to make this bread looks delicious. I have been making a banana bread with caramels and I am going to switch it up with this instead. Thanks again and have a great weekend. Karen
Is the dulce de leche thick enough to be used as a filling for alfajores? Or should I cook it for a bit longer? Thank you.
Hi Elsie – you would need to cook it a bit longer. The darker the color, the thicker it will be.
Can I can this in a pressure canner for long term storage? If so, do you know where I can find a recipe with the directions? This is so good. I would like to keep some on my shelf. Thanks.
Hi Debbie – so glad you loved it. I’m sorry I don’t have much experience with canning.
I have been doing canning in my IP and as long as the jars seal then you can do longer storage. When I did mine it was sealed. I have done sauce, salsa and jam and they all came out great. Good Luck.
Can you use fat free condensed milk? Thanks!
Hi Julie – I haven’t tried it, but I don’t think it would work.
I am wondering if the consistency is the same as it is when done in a pan covered with water and simmered for 2 hours. I make caramel pies using the pan version.
Hi Leslie – the longer you cook it the darker and thicker it becomes, so you can really have it any consistency you want.
Do you lay the jar on its side or keep it upright?
Ah, I see the pic of the jar standing upright now. Got it.
I just put a jar in cooker right now. Planning to use for topping on my first IPcheese cake for Christmas! Thanks for this tip. Even though my condensed milk is organic and no BPA lining in the can, I wasn’t too keen about making it in the can. I like this ide much better.
Hi Barb, thought I might try this for gifts. Is it once opened you should use it within a week? Or use within a week of making? Actually, have never had this but sure looks very versatile. MERRY CHRISTMAS. Thank you for all your input with the IP.
Thanks Arlene! There’s some debate about how long it will last, but to be on the safe side recommend using it within one week from the time it’s made. It would be a fun, easy gift. Merry Christmas!
Do you know if you can do more than one jar at a time?
Hi Erin – I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t.
Love doing it in the jar! It’s all ready to store and no need to fuss with it in the morning.
Thanks Ingrid – I couldn’t agree more.
Can I can this? Fill The pressure cooker with water over top of the jars, would it seal, And how long you think it would last if it would worked?
I made it as stated in the recipe. After about 15 min, the jar sealed! A seal is a seal. Should be shelf stable for awhile.
The fact that the jar is sealed doesn’t necessarily mean the contents are safe. Low-acid foods need to be pressure-canned long enough to kill any pathogens and toxins that may be present.
I make it on the pressure cooker without the jar.
I remove the label from 4 cans of condensed milk place them standing in the pressure cooker (without opening the cans) cover them with water and cook them for 40 minutes, more if you like them darker less if you like them light, same procedure when opening the cooker, let them cool for a while and place them in the refrigerator, open when you are ready to use, i have kept them in the refrigerator for weeks (unopened).
I will try this soon!
Drizzle on a banana, spread on a buttered cracker or piece of baguette, pour over chocolate ice cream…
Sorry I didn’t see the reference to HipPressureCooking. Definitely will try your method. Thanks.
Another thing I should mention. I bought on line a mesh colander for the pressure cooker with feet.
My husband had to break off the handles so it would fit. It is my new best friend! Wonderful for
many applications.
Thanks Mary – I’ll have to buy the mesh colander and give it a try.
I subscribe to HipPressureCooking.com and she does the same thing but pressure cooks the can. The
important thing is not to open the pressure cooker and keep it undisturbed until the next day. Came out very nice.
Would you leave head space and put the ring on finger tight like you do when canning?
Yes, using a 16 ounce jar gives you plenty of head room and I just put it on finger tight.
very cool use of the pressure cooker – love it, barbara! thank you!
This looks so easy to make. I must invest in a pressure cooker Barbara….there seem to be so many possibilities.
Thanks Nicole – There really are so many ways to make your life easier with a pressure cooker.
I have made dulce de leche in my electric pressure cooker many times, and always with great results. BUT I will definitely try this version, as it is wayyyyy quicker than doing it in the can as I have done before. Great idea!
Barbara-I could HUG YOU right now! I am SO going to make this soon. You’re my hero. 🙂
And would you look at that beautiful bread-holy moly does that look good……LOVE the extra drizzle on top too-how can you go wrong with that? I’m so glad you liked it! It was a tough decision whether to make jumbo muffins or mini loaves-I use both sets of pans a lot.
Dulce de leche on popcorn? Ohhhh my…..heaven…..
I love Dulce de Leche! It’s so good and I can’t believe that I haven’t made it at home yet!
This sounds so tasty and what an easy recipe! I have never made Dulce de Leche. We don’t use condensed milk here in Slovenia that often..or just never. So it’s not even that easy to find it in the store. Take care!