16 Substitutes for Evaporated Milk in 4 Categories

Diana Barkley (Senior Editor)

Are you ever excited to replicate a tasty recipe, only to find that you’re missing a key ingredient? Luckily, there are alternatives for almost every ingredient out there. Including evaporated milk. Read more to learn how to make your own evaporated milk substitute.

There are multiple ways to replace evaporated milk in recipes. Almost any dairy product will do the trick. Still, you should consider the flavor profile and the texture of the dish you’re making. This way, you’ll pick the right alternative.

Facts About Evaporated Milk

Facts About Evaporated Milk

Evaporated milk, or unsweetened condensed milk, is just fresh milk from which 60% of the moisture has been removed.

At first, this fairy product was produced to extend the shelf-life of milk. Canned evaporated milk is good for months, or even years, until opening.

Over time, the creamy consistency of evaporated milk made it a staple ingredient in cooking and baking. It reduces the cooking time and enriches the flavors and texture of numerous dishes.

What Evaporated Milk Is Good for in Baking and Cooking

What Evaporated Milk Is Good for in Baking and Cooking

Evaporated milk is incredibly versatile. It can be used in both baked goods and savory recipes.

For starters, this product is optimal for imparting creaminess to recipes such as sauces, stews, and soups. Yet, it doesn’t water the dish down, unlike milk.

It also plays a crucial role in desserts. If you like moist desserts with a fudgy texture, using evaporated milk in place of regular milk is the way to go.

You can also add evaporated milk to your morning coffee or tea, making for a significantly richer flavor that’ll instantly wake you up.

Is Evaporated Milk Healthy?

Is Evaporated Milk Healthy?

Evaporated milk has identical health benefits to milk, in addition to the extended shelf-life. It has plenty of calcium and vitamin D, essential for maintaining bone health.

What’s more, the protein content in evaporated milk makes it incredibly beneficial, especially for growing children.

Having said that, while evaporated milk is dense, it’s easy to drink plenty of it. A cup of evaporated milk has double the calories and fat as a cup of fresh milk.

All in all, understanding the nutritional content of evaporated milk will help you assess how much you need.

Reasons for Substituting Evaporated Milk

Reasons for Substituting Evaporated Milk

While evaporated milk is one of the greatest cooking inventions of the 19th century, it’s not always practical. Here are all the reasons why you should use evaporated milk alternatives:

• Lactose Intolerance: About 68% of the world’s population suffers from lactose intolerance. So, non-dairy alternatives, or lactose-free evaporated milk, will come in handy.
• Milk Allergy: Unlike lactose intolerance, milk allergy is a life-threatening condition. If you’re hosting a dinner party, or know someone with a milk allergy, it’s best to be safe and eliminate evaporated milk from your recipes.
• Availability: Unless you have a giant pantry, keeping evaporated milk on hand at all times is impractical. Even if you use the dairy product religiously, you’re bound to run out. For this reason, knowing the best substitutes for evaporated milk can be incredibly helpful.
• Flavor: Evaporated milk might add a rich texture to your dishes. However, it does little in terms of taste. After all, it’s just condensed milk. If you want to keep your recipes interesting, you might want to go for a more flavorful choice.

Best Substitutes for Evaporated Milk

Best Substitutes for Evaporated Milk

If you don’t have evaporated milk on hand, or you require an alternative, you don’t need to worry.

There are numerous substitutes for this dairy product, most of which are already available in your pantry.

That’s not all. You can also make your own evaporated milk in minutes. Here are the simplest and best alternatives to make evaporated milk.

Milk

Milk

The best substitute for evaporated milk has to be regular milk. Even if you haven’t gone grocery shopping in weeks, you’ll surely find some milk in your fridge.

Milk works for both sweet and savory recipes. It also has identical nutritional content as evaporated milk, resulting in the same texture.

The best part is that you can make evaporated milk out of milk. You don’t have to be a professional chef. Instead, you only have to reduce the milk until it thickens.

Typically, you’ll need about two cups of milk to get one cup of evaporated milk.

Powdered Milk

Powdered Milk

Powdered milk is another substitute that’s found in all pantries. You can adjust the consistency to your liking by reducing the amount of water you add to the powder. This way, you’ll get thicker evaporated milk or water it down a bit.

There are various types of powdered milk out there. Accordingly, if you’re vegan, you can still use this alternative. If you have coffee creamer on hand, you can also substitute the evaporated milk for it.

Keep in mind that powdered milk can have a slightly different flavor than evaporated milk. That’s why you should taste-test the milk before adding it to your recipe.

If it’s slightly off, adding some sugar or butter will improve the flavor.

Heavy Cream

Heavy Cream

Evaporated milk and heavy cream are the perfect substitutes for each other. Many recipes call for evaporated milk as the healthier version of heavy cream. They have similar consistencies and identical uses.

That said, heavy cream has significantly more fat than evaporated milk. So, if you’re on a health journey, this might not be the right substitute for you.

If there are no other options available, you might still use heavy cream by adjusting it. Just use half the heavy cream the recipe calls for and water it down.

This way, you’ll reduce the fat content while getting the creamy consistency and mouthwatering taste of evaporated milk.

Half-and-Half

Half-and-Half

For a healthy twist on heavy cream, use half-and-half milk. This simpler product is equal parts cream and milk, making it comparable to evaporated milk in terms of texture, flavor, and uses.

You don’t have to adjust any recipes when opting for half-and-half. It contains about the same amount of fat as evaporated milk, ranging from 10% to 18%.

Even if you don’t have half-and-half, you can easily make it at home. As the name suggests, you’ll need to mix half a cup of milk with half a cup of light cream.

There’s no need for heat or special equipment, as the mixture will come together in seconds.

If you only have heavy cream available, you can still enjoy healthy desserts. Make half-and-half by adding ¾ parts milk and ¼ part heavy cream.

Unsweetened Evaporated Milk Substitutes

Unsweetened Evaporated Milk Substitutes

Whether you’re making a savory or sweet dish, your best course of action would be to use unsweetened evaporated milk alternatives. That’s because you’ll get to adjust the sweetness, resulting in a perfectly balanced dish.

Here are some of the options you could use.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk

Buttermilk is a byproduct of butter production, containing little fat. While it won’t make your recipes creamier, it’ll add the necessary moisture to baked goods.

Additionally, buttermilk can help baked goods rise better due to the acid content. If you’re using buttermilk for cooking, it’ll add the perfect tangy flavor. Just make sure to simmer it until it thickens.

As for the richness, you can add a tablespoon of butter to replicate the creaminess of evaporated milk. You might also reduce the amount of liquid you’re using in the recipe, as the buttermilk will supply enough moisture.

Cream Cheese

Cream Cheese

Cream cheese has been a staple for cooking and baking for a good reason. It provides an ideal texture and a sublime taste that suits both sweet baked goods and savory main dishes.

This substitute is slightly heavier than evaporated milk, though. You’ll need to thin it out by increasing its liquid content.

To do so, simply blend the cream cheese with a liquid of your choice, typically milk. Start with a small amount of liquid, and increase until you get the desired texture.

Naturally, you shouldn’t expect cream cheese to taste the same as evaporated milk. It has a slightly tangy flavor that’s easy to balance out using sweeteners and seasonings.

Oat Milk

Oat Milk

Not only does oat milk have a similar flavor to evaporated milk, but it’s also vegan and lactose-free, making it suitable for all dietary preferences. It’s thinner than evaporated milk, but reducing it over low heat will do the trick.

Oat milk has a lower fat content than evaporated milk. So, if your goal is to enrich your baked goods or add creaminess to your recipes, you might need to add a tablespoon of butter or vegetable oil.

If this all seems like too much work for you, don’t worry. Even beginners can use oat milk to create delicious recipes without compromising the texture. A teaspoon of cornstarch per cup of oat milk will thicken it, and a teaspoon of nut butter will enrich your recipes.

Butter

Butter

Butter might not be your go-to option as an evaporated milk substitute, but it’ll work if you’re in a pinch. It makes recipes richer and creamier, even if you use a tiny amount of butter.

That said, you’ll need to balance the butter with another liquid. Ideally, you should go for skimmed milk or regular milk. Mix room-temperature butter with the milk until reaching the desired consistency.

If there isn’t enough milk to thin out the butter, you can also use water to create an emulsion. In this case, you’ll need to heat the butter and water in a pan and whisk thoroughly.

Sweetened Evaporated Milk Substitutes

Sweetened Evaporated Milk Substitutes

Sweetened evaporated milk, or condensed milk, is often confused with evaporated milk.

Yet, the evaporated milk you buy from the supermarket has no sugar, while condensed milk is just the sweetened version of the product.

This means you can make condensed milk out of evaporated milk and sugar. Still, if you don’t have either of the dairy products, here are some exceptional alternatives.

Coconut Milk

Coconut Milk

Full-fat coconut milk can be used as a 1:1 substitute for evaporated milk. Its flavor is sweet and creamy, which will significantly enhance any dish.

You can use coconut milk as it is or reduce it slightly to mimic the consistency of condensed milk. You might also add a couple of teaspoons of sugar while reducing the milk to get a nearly identical flavor.

Coconut milk isn’t just for desserts, though. Instead, it pairs perfectly with spicy and tangy flavors, adding a tropical twist to your recipes.

In fact, if you have both coconut milk and evaporated milk on hand, we’d suggest giving coconut milk a try.

Whipping Cream

Whipping Cream

Whipping cream and heavy cream can be used interchangeably. In turn, you can use whipping cream instead of evaporated milk by slightly diluting it.

This substitute will make your dishes super rich and creamy, complementing both savory dishes and desserts.

To properly use whipping cream in your recipes, start by diluting it with an equal amount of liquid. You should dilute whipping cream with water, as it’s already thick enough.

Then, use the same amount of whipping cream as you would use evaporated milk. Accordingly, you’ll need to substitute each cup of evaporated milk with half a cup of water and half a cup of whipping cream.

Canned Cream of Coconut

Canned Cream of Coconut

If you’re making dessert, canned cream of coconut would be a great alternative. It’s sweet, thick, and creamy. It won’t alter the texture of the dish, but it’ll add an appetizing coconut flavor that complements most pastries.

Similar to whipping cream, canned coconut cream requires dilution. You might use water or milk, depending on your preferences. There’s no specific ratio to dilute cream of coconut, as it depends on the brand and consistency.

For this reason, you’ll have to start slowly and mix thoroughly until you reach the desired texture. If you’re not a fan of sweet desserts, you can reduce the amount of sugar you’re using, making sure you’re tasting as you go.

Soy Milk and Sugar

Soy Milk and Sugar

Here’s the thing: You can replicate the flavor of sweetened evaporated milk, or condensed milk, with some dairy and sugar. Even if it’s your first time stepping foot in a kitchen, you can make sweetened evaporated milk from scratch.

If you’re vegan or lactose-intolerant, nut milk is also a suitable alternative. Keep in mind that nut milk heats up faster than dairy. So, if you want to reduce them, keep the heat low and stir the milk consistently.

Healthiest Substitutes for Evaporated Milk

Healthiest Substitutes for Evaporated Milk

Evaporated milk isn’t particularly unhealthy. Still, if you’re on a health journey, you might find that replacing this minor ingredient will do wonders for your health.

This way, you’ll get to have your cake and eat it too. Not only will you enjoy your favorite recipes, but you’ll consume less fat and calories.

Here are our top healthy substitutes for evaporated milk.

Skimmed Milk

Skimmed Milk

Similar to regular milk, skimmed milk can be used in place of evaporated milk. It contains significantly fewer calories and no fat.

Accordingly, you can’t get the creaminess of evaporated milk from skimmed milk. Since skimmed milk is significantly thinner than evaporated milk, you’ll run into some texture issues.

For this reason, you’ll want to adjust the thickness of skimmed milk. You can do this by adding some butter or cornstarch. Alternatively, you might simmer the milk on low heat until it reduces.

Almond Milk

Almond Milk

Almond milk is one of the healthiest nut milks you can drink. It has plenty of calcium and vitamin D, with significantly fewer calories. The best part is that you can make it at home if you have some almonds and a blender.

This milk has a noticeable nutty flavor, which can be desirable in numerous recipes. Unsweetened almond milk is also optimal for savory dishes, such as soups.

Reducing almond milk to the desired creamy texture is straightforward. That said, if you’re using it to make a sauce or soup, there’s no need for this additional step. The milk will simply evaporate while cooking.

Yogurt

Yogurt

Whether you’re looking after your health or you don’t have any other dairy options at hand, yogurt is a lifesaver, allowing you to enjoy all your favorite dishes.

Yogurt is slightly less runny and creamy than evaporated milk. A simple tablespoon of vegetable oil will do the trick to enhance the consistency. Yet, you might also add some water or milk.

There’s no denying that yogurt is one of the healthiest dairy options. Unfortunately, it imparts a tangy flavor to recipes, making it the alternative that tastes the least like evaporated milk.

Still, this flavor is great for savory dishes. You should add some sugar as well if you’re making desserts.

Cornstarch

Cornstarch

Lastly, cornstarch is the ideal, multi-purpose thickening agent. It’s perfect for all healthy recipes, as it has no flavor, calories, or fat.

A cornstarch slurry is simple to make by mixing a tablespoon of cornstarch with ¼ cup of water. Once the cornstarch dissolves fully, you can use it.

Unfortunately, cornstarch isn’t suitable for desserts. Instead of adding a creamy texture, it’s a common anti-caking agent, which means it makes for crumbly desserts.

Furthermore, cornstarch doesn’t do much to enhance the flavor of your recipes. For this reason, you’ll need to also use a splash of milk or some butter.

Tips for Substituting Evaporated Milk

Tips for Substituting Evaporated Milk

We get it. Replacing ingredients in recipes, especially in baked goods, can be daunting. Once you learn the following tips, you’ll know exactly how to substitute dairy producers for each other.

Consider Your Recipe

Consider Your Recipe

Since most substitutes are readily available in your pantry, you should be mindful when picking the right one. Not all alternatives fit every recipe.

The first thing you should consider is the flavor: Will the milk choice complement the dish? Then, make sure the substitute you chose won’t affect the consistency of the dish.

For example, if a dish calls for extra creaminess from the evaporated milk, using cornstarch or yogurt won’t do. On the other hand, heavy cream will ruin any fluffy desserts, such as cakes.

Check the Fat and Sugar Content

Check the Fat and Sugar Content

Understanding the chemistry of your ingredients can do wonders for your cooking and baking abilities. Well, when it comes to evaporated milk, the two most important attributes are the fat and sugar content.

Evaporated milk has more fat and calories than whole milk. This is only natural, as evaporated milk is just reduced regular milk. This fat is responsible for the richness the evaporated milk imparts on recipes.

There’s usually no sugar in evaporated milk. Instead, sweetened condensed milk is the evaporated milk variety containing sugar. Many beginners confuse the two, resulting in numerous kitchen mishaps.

Enhance the Texture

Enhance the Texture

You don’t have to go for just one evaporated milk substitute. Now that you understand the fat content and creaminess of each alternative, you should be able to mix and match.

In turn, combining multiple evaporated milk choices will give you a similar consistency as well as flavor.

You should try to match the fat content of evaporated milk. Still, if this seems too complicated, try to get a similar consistency by mixing heavier substitutes with liquids.

Adjust the Flavor

Adjust the Flavor

Each milk substitute has a different taste. This can be a great opportunity to experiment with your dishes and alter the seasonings and sweetness.

Alternatively, you might start with the milk option, matching its flavor to the evaporated milk of your choice.

To do so, you’ll need to have butter and milk on hand. Additionally, you must add the mixture to a saucepan, heating it until it thickens.

Properly Store Homemade Evaporated Milk

Properly Store Homemade Evaporated Milk

It’s best to make as much homemade evaporated milk as you need. That’s because both canned and homemade evaporated milk are only good for three to five days.

So, this isn’t an ingredient you want to make in large batches, nor will you need that much milk in a few days.

Still, if you’ve made too much milk, don’t waste it by throwing it away. Instead, store the homemade dairy product in an airtight container, and refrigerate.

Make sure to use the evaporated milk within no more than five days. It’s great for cakes, pies, creamy chicken, and pasta sauces.

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