Sweet Condensed Coconut Milk (Printable)

Rich, sweet dairy-free condensed milk from coconut—ideal for vegan desserts, coffee, and baking.

# What You’ll Need:

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01 - 1 can (13.5 fl oz) full-fat coconut milk
02 - ½ cup (3.4 oz) granulated sugar
03 - 1 pinch of salt
04 - ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)

# How To Make:

01 - Pour the coconut milk and granulated sugar into a medium saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and stir to combine.
02 - Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved completely and the mixture is smooth.
03 - Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer—avoid a full boil. Continue cooking for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by roughly half and coats the back of a spoon.
04 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract if using. Allow the condensed coconut milk to cool to room temperature; it will continue to thicken as it rests.
05 - Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. The condensed coconut milk will keep for up to 1 week.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It takes three ingredients you probably already have and turns them into something embarrassingly luxurious.
  • You will catch yourself eating it off the spoon before it even finishes cooling, and that is perfectly acceptable behavior.
02 -
  • Do not let the mixture boil at any point. A hard boil causes separation and gives you an oily layer on top that is difficult to fix.
  • The consistency straight from the pan will seem thinner than you expect. Trust the process, because it thickens dramatically once cooled.
03 -
  • Use the widest saucepan you own. A larger surface area means faster evaporation and a shorter cook time.
  • A silicone spatula is better than a whisk for stirring, because it scrapes the corners where scorching likes to hide.