Rich and delicious Simple Dulce de Leche Recipe is buttery, creamy and sweet. Perfect for topping ice cream and dunking apple slices.
Pressure Simple Dulce de Leche Recipe
Growing up in Miami, Dulce de Leche was every where. It was in every bakery. It was in every restaurant. It was in every deli. It was everywhere. You couldn’t get away from it. 🙂 That’s because it is SOOOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOOO very good!
I’m told that Dulce de Leche Recipe was first made popular in Argentina and then spread to other Latin Countries. Living in South Miami in the 70’s was almost akin to actually living in Cuba. By the mid-80’s you would think you were in Cuba. The food, the desserts, the coffee, oh my!!! Love.
Cast of Ingredients for Simple Dulce de Leche Recipe
My first time making this Simple Dulce de Leche Recipe, was in my Slow Cooker. I was taught to pour the Sweetened Condensed Milk into Kerr Half Pint (8 oz) Mason Jars, as opposed to cooking right in the cans. Would you believe that I am still using the same Mason Jars from years ago?
Below, I will show you the pressure cooker version using my Instant Pot, as well as the slow cooker version using my Instant Pot Slow Multi-Cooker and my KitchenAid 6-Qt. Slow Cooker.
Pro Tip: I do not suggest making dulce de leche in the can as there is too much of a chance of leeching aluminum for my comfort.
Simple Dulce de Leche 4 oz Party Favors
Marla Lackey who follows my This Old Gal Facebook Page loves to make Dulce de Leche in the small Ball 4 oz Mason Jars for party favors and hostess gifts.
Choose your favorite brand of Sweetened Condensed Milk. There are a few that I like best. I love using the Longevity Brand and like to use it in my Vietnamese Coffee. I used to like to use the La Lechera brand too, until I decided not to use Nestle products, if I can avoid. The Eagle Brand is something that is probably in most grocery stores and works really well.
Can I Make Vegan Dulce de Leche?
Yes, use Nature’s Charm Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk which is quite tasty and it makes a very nice vegan dulce de leche.
Pour Sweetened Condensed Milk into Mason Jars
How to Make Dulce de Leche
- All you will need are a couple of cans of sweetened condensed milk and a three Half-Pint Wide Mouth Canning Jars.
- For gift giving and/or to make smaller amounts, use six 4 ounce wide mouth canning jars. This size is nice for gift giving with some apples.
Is Dulce de Leche Better in Instant Pot or Slow Cooker?
- This is totally personal preference. While dulce de leche is quicker using the pressure cooker or Instant Pot, if I’m making a lot, I prefer to use my slow cooker.
- Plus, I can put them into the slow cooker and go to bed and not worry about waiting around.
Two cans of sweetened condensed milk will fit into three Half Pint Mason Jars.
Pour Sweetened Condensed Milk into Mason Jars
Can Dulce de Leche be Frozen?
- Yes, tighten the tops and after cooling off, it is safe to put the dulce de leche into the freezer.
Screw on the Bands
Make sure not to over tighten the lids.
Cover the Jars with Water
If using a Slow Cooker, cover the Three Mason Jars with water. Make sure the water is at least an inch over the top of the Jars. The bigger your Slow Cooker, the more Jars you can put into the Slow Cooker. I used my 7 Quart Slow Cooker here. They unfortunately don’t make this model anymore.
I also have two of the 6 Quart KitchenAid Slow Cookers, which I like just as much. If I told you I owned nine Slow Cookers, would you believe me? That is not even counting the Slow Cooker function on all my Instant Pot, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker.
Place a Trivet in your Pressure Cooker
Some Pressure Cookers are also Slow Cookers, so you will have the best of both Worlds. You can choose if you want to Slow Cook or Pressure Cook your Simple Dulce de Leche Recipe. I decide how I want to cook my Dulce del Leche depending on amount and/or time.
For the Pressure Cooker (I’m using my Instant Pot here, which is also a Slow Cooker), place a Trivet into the Pressure Cooker cooking pot. Place the Three Mason/Canning Jars on top of the Trivet.
Add enough water to reach about one-half inch below the Bands of your Three Mason/Canning Jars. In my 6 Quart Instant Pot, the water came up to the 6 cup mark.
You’ll have to find your sweet spot for this Pressure Cooker Simple Dulce de Leche Recipe. I like mine nice and dark, so I cook for 40 minutes. For the smaller Ball 4 oz Mason Jars, start with 30 minutes.
Carefully Remove the Jars and the Metal Rings
If using your Slow Cooker, you can take a peek after 9 hours, to check on the darkness of the Dulce de Leche. As I said, I usually go for 11 hours and start this procedure before I go to bed.
When the time is up, make sure to use some type of gloves on your hands or use a canning tongs, to remove the Canning Jars. They will be very HOT.
Gently remove the Bands, leaving the Lids and wipe off any rust that may have formed.
Delicious Dulce de Leche
Leave undisturbed until the Canning Jars have cooled. You can then stir them up if you like, or just put right into the refrigerator.
If you would like some labels to use for gifts, you may print these out, if you like.
Marla @thegadgetgourmet gives her Dulce de Leche with apples
What a wonderful idea, Marla. This makes such a perfect gift for teachers, mailmen, parties, housewarmings and more. Thank you for sharing your photo!
If you want to package your gifts like this, check out these awesome Gift/Treat Bags. They are adorable and the price is right!
Slow Cooker Simple Dulce de Leche Recipe Image
There are so many uses for this Simple Dulce de Leche Recipe. Top one of my Pressure Cooker New York Cheesecakes with this sticky goodness. We like to dip in apples, for a nice and cool snack. Drizzle over ice cream, warm and pour over pancakes and waffles. Add a dollop to your coffee (Cuban and Vietnamese Coffee recipes posting soon).
More Dessert Recipes to Make:
- Quick Air Fryer Doughnuts [Glazed & Cinnamon Sugar]
- Pressure Cooker Red White and Blue Cheesecake Singles
- Instant Pot Apple Crisp + Video
- Instant Pot Pumpkin Bundt Cake w/Butterscotch
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker
- KitchenAid 6-Qt. Slow Cooker
- Kerr Half Pint (8 oz) Mason Jars
- Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Gift/Treat Bags
- Stainless Steel Trivet
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 cans Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 oz each)
Recommended Products
Instructions
- Pour the Sweetened Condensed Milk evenly into three Mason Jars.
- Place on the lids and tighten.
Pressure Cooker
- Add a Trivet to the Pressure Cooker cooking pot. Place Jars on Trivet. Fill Pressure Cooker with water to 1/2 inch below the rim of the Jars.
- Lock on Lid and close Pressure Valve.
- Cook at High Pressure for 40 minutes.
- When Beep sounds, allow a full Natural Pressure Release.
- Carefully remove jars to a cooling rack. Remove rings and after 15 minutes, remove lid and stir. Place lid back on and leave undisturbed, until cool. Transfer to the refrigerator.
Slow Cooker
- Place jars in Slow Cooker and fill with water to at least one inch above the jars.
- Cook on LOW for 9-11 hours, checking at 9 hours to see if the color is to your preference.
- Carefully remove the jars from the Slow Cooker to a cooling rack. Remove the rings. Leave undisturbed, until cool. Transfer to the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
PIN this Simple Dulce de Leche Recipe {Pressure or Slow Cooker}!
Simple Dulce de Leche Recipe (Pressure & Slow Cooker Method)
Hi Jill,
I tried to make this today in my All Clad Slow Cooker, on low for 11 hours. After letting it cool, I opened one and when I tried to stir it, it was almost completely solid. Even after stirring, it was still lumpy and not at all fluid.
Do you need to put the jars on a trivet in the slow cooker? I didn’t do that. I also used an off brand (all I had in the house this morning). Could that have been the problem? Maybe I should try a seriously reduced time? Any advice would be helpful to me. Thanks!
I’m hoping to make them for the holidays.
That is not usual. Are you able to whisk to get them creamy and smooth? Jill
I just tried posted and the site failed so sorry if this comment is a duplicate but I do have a question…
I made this today and it’s absolutely divine!
But it came out thick and not drizzle like shown in the pictures. Did I do something wrong or does it need to be heated up before you drizzle it on something.
Thanks so much for sharing your recipes! I just got my first IP and I’ve tried 6 of your recipes already and love them all!
This weekend I plan on making yogurt and a cheesecake from your recipes.
I’ll definitely be buying your cookbook! 🙂
Nikki, try adjusting the cook time and brand of the condensed milk. Also, stir really well. Jill
I’ll try adjusting the time since I bought the exact kind of condensed milk you have in the picture (same as for other recipes I use it in). I’m assuming to cook it less time? If yes, do you have a suggestion on by how much?
Thanks again!
Hi again, would love to know if your suggestion is to cook for less time and by how much time?
Came out PERFECT. I added a little dash of vanilla. Yummy
This was so easy and came out so great!
Thank you for another fabulous recipe.
Hi, I made these yesterday in the instant pot and they came out great. 30 min was a perfect light brown color. I made these in the 4 oz jars. You should adjust your instructions as you keep referring to half-pint mason jars while showing a picture of 4 oz jars. Two cans of condensed milk is way too much for three 4 oz jars. One 14 oz can fits perfectly in 3 of the 4 oz jars (which you have pictured).
My jars are half-pints, as pictured. 🙂 Jill
Thanks Jill! If my husband wasn’t an IP fan before, after the New York Cheesecake and the Dulce de Leche, he sure is now!!!
Glad you enjoyed, Sandy. Jill
Could you put this in a pie crust for a pie? Top with whip cream? Or would it be too rich as a pie? Thank you- LOVE your recipes!!
It would be too thick as a pie… However… Imagine if you made say.. An apple pie by spreading this over the bottom crust before you add the apples and other ingredients! Also look up dulce de leche cheesecake and how that is made!
I’m wondering if the consistency of my product is off. I followed the recipe exactly, and when I pulled them out (after cooling 15 minutes) the consistency is slightly more solid than your picture looks. In fact, it’s rather lumpy. I stirred, let them cool, then refrigerated, hoping it would maybe finish the process in the fridge overnight. I opened one this morning, and it still has that lumpy consistency. Did I do something wrong? Do I put the water to the height of 1/2 inch from the lower rim or upper rim of lid?
Rachel. I’m sorry. I don’t know what that happened. Jill
Thanks for the idea! We made 4 dozen jars of caramel for Christmas gifts! I added a red & green apple. I’ve given them to coworkers, the staff at my husband’s nursing home and all my kids teachers, bus drivers, principals, etc! So easy and inexpensive!
The response has been great too! My one co-worker called the caramel “orgasmic” lol
So these need to be kept refrigerated?
Thank you so much for this recipe! My regular milk turned out great, but i cannot for the life of me get the soy sweetened condensed milk to process at all! Any tips?
Hi. I followed your recipe to the letter in my Instant Pot, using 1/2 pint jars, sealing them just tight, and adding water to a half inch from the rim of the jars. That brought me to the 8 cup mark in my 6 quart instant pot. I set it to high pressure for 30 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. When I checked the first jar the condensed milk was almost still at the same consistency, except hot. I put it back for another 10 minutes at high pressure, and again natural release. 40 minutes of wait time later it’s not much better. I took off the rings, left the covers on for 15, removed the lids, stirred and resealed. I’ll let them cool then refrigerate them, hoping they’ll thicken on cooling. Would that be right?
Oops – never mind. I used evaporated milk, not condensed. I’ll try with the right milk tomorrow.
Hi France. Was the pot on high pressure or did it go to low pressure? Jill
Hi. I followed your recipe to the letter in my Instant Pot, using 1/2 pint jars, sealing them just tight, and adding water to a half inch from the rim of the jars. That brought me to the 8 cup mark in my 6 quart instant pot. I set it to high pressure for 30 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. When I checked the first jar the condensed milk was almost still at the same consistency, except hot. I put it back for another 10 minutes at high pressure, and again natural release. 40 minutes of wait time later it’s not much better. Could it be that the lids aren’t tight enough?
Just FYI – in the “recipe card” looking part, you have your “cook time” listed as 4 minutes instead of 40.
I wanted to make these but I do not have new lids and bands. I’m guessing I should make sure they are new? Would it matter if I knew they were going in the fridge to be eaten in the very near future?
Incredibly detailed instructions and it looks awesome. One tip though, I noticed you opened your pop top cans of eagle brand condensed milk the wrong way,(which is the way the company wants us to LOL).
Try using a can opener on the BOTTOM of the can ignoring the so called convenience of the pop top so you can get all the condensed milk out without having to try to get your spatula to scrape under that annoying 1/8″ lip the pop top leaves around the top.
Can I do it with just one can of milk and how l would I leave it in there….just 20 min since 2 cans are 40?
What if I would just use one can of milk? How much time would that be? And would a jelly jar work for it?
I have made this recipe but did not take my lid off and stir or put in the refrigerator. I wanted to see how the shelf life was so I opened a jar last night for my grandson and it was just as good as the day I made it. The jars are pressure sealed so why would you want to break the seal just to stir and have to put in refrigerator afterwards? I put all of my vegetables and lots of my meat in canner to preserve for later use.
Hi Patricia~
I know that does happen, but since this is not a pressure canner and I don’t want to give that kind of advice, in case some don’t seal, I don’t discuss that. 🙂
Jill
Can you buy these half-pint jars (empty) at stores.? Are you not supposed to use glass jars with normal lids (say a 16 oz. jar that jam came in?)
My jar exploded. Should it not actually be tightened?
Hi KW~
I always just close the lid until it just catches. I do not tighten completely.
Jill
How long will these be good for? Thanks!
What non-dairy milk can I use for this recipe?
After seeing mad raves about this on the Facebook IP page, I FINALLY made this today in my IP – using 4oz jars. Following some comments I saw over there, I set mine for 33 minutes, removed that bands, and let them cool until they were just slightly warm (a lot longer than 15 min, maybe 30-45?). Then I popped the lids off and stirred, reassembled the lids/bands and put in the fridge. OMG they came out PERFECT and just in time for gifts tomorrow! Will pack them with an apple and a few chocolates and peppermints in a little cellophane bag. Perfect!
Thank you, Suze. So glad it worked out so well. Your gifts sound lovely.
Jill
Jill do you put the pressure cooker on high if it is a 1300 watt pressure cooker instead of a 1000 watts ? Thank you so much!!
James~
Yes, high pressure.
Jill
Thank you so much for the recipe and easy to follow directions. It turned out perfectly.
I also really appreciate you linking up to the sweetened condensed coconut milk. I ordered some of it on Amazon so I was able to make a dairy and soy free version for my kids. Theirs was runnier than the sweetened condensed version but they loved it anyway. (It wasn’t quite cool but they were so eager to try it!)
That way everyone in our family could enjoy a new treat. Yummy!
Hi Kendra~
That is so wonderful to hear. I am glad everyone was able to enjoy this sweet dessert.
Jill
How long will these last in the fridge?
Help please. Mine did not caramelize…the after pix are posted on IP Community page. I used the exact same condensed, sweetened milk you used, very lightly screwed the lids on. I did use regular mouth, taller, 8 oz, Ball quilted jelly jars, put two on my trivet, covered them with water up to 1/2 inch of the lid screw line, 40 minutes, manual high,then NPR in my Instant pot.It is almost uncooked looking. What went wrong? It did pressurize and it took over an hour to do the NPR. Can I process again? Was it the taller jars and more water needed, or too loose lids? My IP is cooking other things fine. Puzzled. Thanks in advance for your help, I love your recipes!
Hi Adrienne~
The process should work the same with the taller jars. I assume they were full. Did you leave the lids on until the Dulce had cooled?
Jill
Thank you! This turned out so well with the great instructions and answers to questions in the comments. I made this in 4-oz jars in the Instant Pot on high pressure for 38 minutes, NPR. They turned out super creamy and very, very delicious. My friends are gonna love them!
Jill
Just tried this in my IP. Your pictures above show it to be ‘smooth’ and creamy looking.
Mine looks like ‘curds’ or ‘bumpy’. Even when I stirred the still warm dulce de leche it still looks that way.
What did I do wrong?
Only thing I can think of is I used 2 different store brands that I had on hand (anxious to try it) instead of Eagle Brand.
Your thoughts??
Thanks
Mine just came out the same way. It looks sort of gelatinous. Not sure why.
If I make the mason jars, how long are they good form I would like to give as gifts, but want to put on the label to keep it refrigerated and an appropriate date.
I’m excited to try this! Have you ever tried making this with the chocolate or the caramel flavored sweetened condensed milk?
The caramel flavored sweetened condensed milk is my family’s favorite! 🙂
If using an electric pressure cooker, you say to add enough water to reach about one-half inch below the lids of your canning jars. I’m a little dense- the lids are the flat things you place on the jars, then you secure the rings. So…does the water come about up to the bottom of the RINGS which would be about half an inch below the lids? Or do you mean half an inch below the metal rings???
Hello, I tried this recipe in 4 ounce canning jars. Once my time was up, the jars did sit under NPR for a good 35 minutes. I was busy and didn’t make it in time to remove from heat. The caramel is good but has small lumps. I wouldn’t care if I didn’t intend to give these away. It’s hard to whisk in such a small jar but I tried with a fork. I still can’t get the lumps out. These aren’t gritty lumps either like I got when I did it in a can. Any thoughts?
Hi Jessica~
For tiny jars, less time would have helped. If you have an immersion blender, that will remove the lumps.
Jill
Thank you! I’ll adjust accordingly. So more time causes lumps?
So appreciate all of your kind help. merry Christmas
I have never had this before and while staying at my in laws, with free childcare, i raced out to buy ingrediants and gave it a go in the slow cooker. Dang! They were awesome. Thank you for this. Also, just made your key lime pie and waiting to try it in the morning, cant wait! 🙂
I say this with the utmost respect because your recipes are fool-proof, well written and practically world-renowned, but please shoot your pics with warmer lighting. There’s a green/grey to a lot of the recipes that’s unfair to how amazing they all come out. They would be circulated on Pinterest so much faster. Anyway, thanks for your hard work. Best of luck.
Jasi, I am not a professional photographer. I don’t have professional equipment or lighting.
Jill
Jill, I think your photos are just fine. I guess I must be colour blind because I don’t see a green/grey hue anywhere.
“Gently remove the lids, leaving the bands and wipe off any rust that may have formed.”
Was confused by this for a moment, until I realized that you had it reversed.
I plan on making this in my GoWise 6 qt. cooker. Damn, I love this pot. I found a used GreenPan pressure cooker at the thrift store, and bought it immediately, so I understand about having multiple appliances. I don’t do anything on the scale you do, though. I just like having two ‘burners’ at the same time.