Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche
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Updated Mar 03, 2025, Published Dec 13, 2013
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If you’ve ever tasted Dulce de Leche, you know how irresistible its creamy, caramel-like flavor is. But did you know you can make it at home with just one ingredient and almost no effort? That’s right—your slow cooker does all the work while you go about your day (or even while you sleep!).
No stirring, no mess, just perfectly smooth, golden dulce de leche ready to enjoy in as little as 8 hours. Whether you’re using it as a spread, a drizzle, or a homemade gift, you’ll never go back to store-bought again!
What is Dulce de Leche?
Literally translated, dulce de leche means “candy of milk.” This creamy, sweet spread is made by slowly cooking milk and sugar until the sugars caramelize, creating a silky-smooth texture similar to caramel but with a more complex flavor and a balanced sweetness.
Because of the slow cooking process that coaxes out the flavors from the milk and sugar, it’s the perfect project for your trusty slow cooker!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
No mess, no fuss – The slow cooker does all the work!
Make it while you sleep – Set it and forget it overnight.
Only one ingredient – No extra steps, just sweetened condensed milk.
Perfect homemade gift – Add a tag and ribbon for a thoughtful treat.
Ingredients & Substitutions
For such a rich and delicious recipe, the ingredient list couldn’t be simpler! You only need:
- Sweetened condensed milk – The key ingredient that transforms into creamy dulce de leche.
- Small glass jars with lids – Helps create individual portions and makes gifting easy.
Note: You can also use a can of sweetened condensed milk and cook it directly in the slow cooker, but the jar method is safer and just as easy!
The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche
Step 1: Prep the jars. Gather six 4-ounce glass jars with lids and bands.
Step 2: Fill the jars. Divide two 14-ounce cans of sweetened condensed milk evenly among the jars. Secure the lids tightly.
Step 3: Slow cook: Place the jars in your slow cooker and add water until it reaches just below the lids.
Step 4: Set and forget: Cook on low for 8–10 hours. The longer it cooks, the deeper the caramel color and flavor.
Step 5: Cool and enjoy. Carefully remove the jars from the slow cooker and let them cool before opening.
Optional Variations
While this recipe is perfect as-is, here are some fun ways to mix it up:
- Add a pinch of sea salt for a salted dulce de leche.
- Stir in vanilla extract after cooking for extra depth of flavor.
- Use coconut sweetened condensed milk for a dairy-free alternative.
(This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions. If you try them, let us know in the comments!)
Serving & Topping Suggestions
Dulce de leche is delicious on its own, but here are some ways to enjoy it:
- Drizzle over buttermilk pancakes, cornmeal waffles, or Mexican Style Baked French Toast.
- Spread onto gorditas de harina, homemade flour tortillas, or gorditas de azucar.
- Stir into Mexican coffee for a sweet caramel café de olla latte.
- Make dulce de leche brownies or alfajores (dulce de leche cookies).
- Use as a dip for strawberries, apples, or pretzels.
- Swirl into ice cream or yogurt.
Dulce de Leche Expert Tips & Tricks
For a deeper caramel flavor, cook the dulce de leche for the full 10 hours.
Avoid overfilling jars, leaving a little room at the top for expansion.
Use tongs to remove hot jars from the slow cooker safely.
Storage Instructions
Store properly – Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks. To reheat, place jar in a saucepan filled with water half-way up the jar and bring to simmer.
Freeze – Store it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, dulce de leche is not the same as caramel, though they are both sweet and can be used in similar recipes.
Canned dulce de leche and sweetened condensed milk are not the same thing. The key difference? Caramelization. Sweetened condensed milk is just milk and sugar, while dulce de leche is what happens when those sugars slowly cook and caramelize, giving it that rich, deep flavor and golden color.
Yes! You can cook unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk in a pot of simmering water for 3 hours, but the slow cooker method is safer.
The dulce de leche should be a rich golden brown. If you want a deeper caramel, cook it longer.
Enjoy dulce de leche
If you tried this Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! This recipe is also featured over at Betty Crocker.
Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche
Ingredients
- 6 (4-ounce) glass preserving jars with lids and bands
- 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Start by washing your preserving jars, screw bands and lids with hot soapy water; rinse well with warm water.
- Open the cans and pour the sweetened condensed milk into the jars. The two cans should fill six small jars.
- Place the lids on the jars and screw on the ring tops tightly. Place the jars in the slow cooker and fill with hot water so one-inch of water covers the tops of the jars. Cook on low for 10 hours.
- After 10 hours, remove the jars with tongs. Be careful—it’ll be hot!
- Place the jars on a dish towel until they cool down to room temperature. Gently remove the ring, and wipe off any water or rust that may have accumulated.
- Store your cooked and cooled dulce de leche in the fridge for up to four weeks. To reheat, place jar in a saucepan filled with water half-way up the jar and bring to simmer.
Notes
- Avoid overfilling jars, leaving a little room at the top for expansion.
- Use tongs to remove hot jars from the slow cooker safely.
- Store properly – Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks. To reheat, place jar in a saucepan filled with water half-way up the jar and bring to simmer.
- Add a tag and some ribbon or twine, and your homemade gift is complete.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photos: Yvette + Jeanine
Hi!
Your post is 5 years old so I’m doubtful you’ll even see this comment but I’ll ask anyway! In this recipe you’re using 120ml jars and the cooking time is 10 hours. Do you think that I’ll have to increase the cooking time if I use 160ml jars (and decrease it for 80ml jars)?
I’m really impressed by your method! I have an Instant Pot and I’m planning on producing several dozens of jars and sell them in a fundraising event for a physical rehabilitation center 🙂
Hi!
This took a while to find – I was looking for “cajetas” which I take is not mexican but originates from South America (???) but both basically a great caramel variant!
A question however, what was used prior to the availability of condensed milk? I like to stick to “traditional” ingredients and methods as much as practical for any cultural foods.
Thanks.
Richard
Hi Richard,
Dulce de Leche is a milk preserve and a Latin America and Central America treasure! Its basically made with a good quality milk cooked with sugar and reduced until its a caramel brown color. Using condensed milk and slow-cooker method is a shortcut. Otherwise you will need to be stirring a pot for about 2 hours.
Cajeta is made using goats milk. Hope that makes sense 😉
This sounds amazing and I love that you can make it in a slow cooker!
Wow, this is amazing upon amazing! I can’t wait to try it!!
Yvette – what a brilliant idea! This has to be one of the easiest recipes I’ve made and I loved that there was nothing to clean afterward. The dulce de leche delicious on toast.
Making these today! Can’t wait to taste it! Giving them away as gifts to friends & family.
I’m going to make this today and bring along with me for x-mas gatherings! Looks yummy!
This looks amazing! My girlfriend, who is from Argentina, got me hooked on Dulce de Leche. I would love to try the homemade version 🙂
I already started on this easy method of making dulce de leche. These are going to be in my gift baskets, Its so good, I especially like it with apple slices, ummm.
What a great way to make homemade gifts! I’ve only seen this idea when you put the whole jar of sweetened condensed milk in the crock pot but your method of pouring it into the individual jars makes it mess-free when it is done. Love it!