• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
I Heart Eating
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
      • Work with Me
    • Rules and Disclosures
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Press
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Desserts » Instant Pot Dulce de Leche

    Instant Pot Dulce de Leche

    Published: Apr 25, 2022 · Modified: Apr 25, 2022 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Instant Pot dulce de leche recipe takes sweetened condensed milk and transforms it into rich and creamy caramel. The pressure cooker speeds up the process so that the dulce de leche can be made in less than an hour.

    A golden spoon dipping up dulce de leche from a glass jar.

    Dulce de leche is a rich and creamy caramel sauce. It's a simple, one ingredient recipe that is a snap to make.

    This method shortens the cooking time for making dulce de leche by using the Instant Pot pressure cooker instead of the stove top or a slow cooker. So you can enjoy this delicious caramel in less time!

    How to make dulce de leche in the Instant Pot

    A can of sweetened condensed milk with the label removed.

    Step 1: Remove the label and the adhesive from the can of sweetened condensed milk.

    Step 2: Place a trivet in the bottom of your Instant Pot inner pot.

    Step 3: Set the can of sweetened condensed milk on top of your trivet.

    Water pouring over a can and into an instant pot inner pot.

    Step 4: Fill your Instant Pot inner pot with enough water to cover the entire can.

    Top tip >> If you place the can so that it's lying down on the trivet, you can use less water.

    Step 5: Close and lock the lid. Turn the pressure release valve to sealing.

    Step 6: Cook on Manual High pressure for 35 minutes.

    Step 7: When the cooking cycle is complete, do a quick release and carefully release the steam. Unlock and remove the lid.

    A cooked can of sweetened condensed milk on a wire trivet.

    Step 8: Carefully remove the can with tongs. It will be very, very hot.

    Dulce de leche in an aluminum can with the lid open.

    Step 9: Let it cool completely before opening the can.

    Step 10: Once cool, open the can and pour into an airtight container.

    Top tip >> It's important to allow the can to completely cool down before opening so it remains silky and darkens a bit more.

    A jar of dulce de leche and a silver spoon on a wooden cutting board.

    Tips

    • Check the can: Check the check for dents and dings before using. You won't want to use a dented can in this recipe.
    • Remove the label: It's important to remove the label and adhesive so that it doesn't leave residue in the inner pot.
    • Caution: This is one recipe that you'll want to take extra caution with. The can will be incredibly hot when the cooking cycle finishes, so please be very careful when removing the can from the hot water.
    Two cans of sweetened condensed milk covered with water in an Instant Pot.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I cook more than one can at a time?

    You can! You can lay two cans on their sides on the trivet. Just make sure that both cans are completely covered by the water.

    Does it matter which brand of sweetened condensed milk I use?

    No, it doesn't matter. You may find that you prefer one brand or another, so feel free to experiment.

    Can I use evaporated milk?

    No, evaporated milk won't work in this recipe as it doesn't have the necessary sweetness.

    A gold spoon in a jar of dulce de leche next to cookies.

    Ways to use dulce de leche

    Dulce de leche can be used similarly to caramel sauce, but it has a thicker consistency. It makes a great dip for apples, can be drizzled over ice cream, and makes a delicious topping for desserts like cheesecake and brownies.

    Drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, or crepes for a special breakfast treat, or sprinkle it with a bit of sea salt and eat it with a spoon.

    It also makes a delicious filling for cookies like alfajores and for cakes.

    Overhead photo of a jar of dulce de leche next to a row of cookies.

    Storage

    Pour the dulce de leche into an airtight container, like a jar, and store in the refrigerator.

    It will keep for about a week, but it's best eaten within a few days.

    You may also like

    • Chocoflan Recipe
    • Sopaipillas
    • Flan de Queso
    • Alfajores

    If you’ve tried this buttermilk syrup recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can subscribe to receive my latest recipe newsletters or follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for even more delicious food.

    A golden spoon dipping up dulce de leche from a glass jar.

    Instant Pot Dulce de Leche

    Rich and cream dulce de leche that's made in the Instant Pot!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Latin American
    Prep Time: 1 minute
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Time to Pressure: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 46 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 99kcal
    Author: Kate @ I Heart Eating

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot/electric pressure cooker

    Ingredients

    • 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

    Instructions

    • Remove the label and the adhesive from the can of sweetened condensed milk.
    • Place a trivet in the bottom of your Instant Pot inner pot.
    • Set the can of sweetened condensed milk on top of your trivet.
    • Fill your Instant Pot inner pot with enough water to cover the entire can.
    • Close and lock the lid.
    • Cook on Manual High pressure for 35 minutes.
    • Once the cooking cycle is complete, carefully release the pressure.
    • Unlock and remove the lid.
    • Carefully remove the can with tongs. It will be very, very hot.
    • Let it cool completely before opening the can.
    • Once cool, open the can and pour into an airtight container.

    Notes

    Note: Allow to cold down completely before opening the can so it remains silky and darkens a bit more.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 33mg | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 83IU | Calcium: 83mg
    Tried this recipe? Rate it below. Mention @i_heart_eating on Instagram & tag #ihearteating!
    « Alfajores
    Chocoflan Recipe »
    • Facebook
    • Email

    About Kate

    Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this recipe:




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Kate Dean- mom to five young kids, recipe developer, and photographer. Here at I Heart Eating®, I share my family’s favorite tried-and-true recipes.

    More about me →

    Summer Favorites

    • Zucchini Bread
    • Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
    • Pasta Salad Recipe
    • Homemade Funnel Cake
    • Golden Graham S'mores
    • Broccoli Salad
    • Strawberry Jello Pie
    • Simple Turkey Burger Recipe

    Popular Posts

    • Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
    • Brownie Cookie Recipe
    • Whipped Buttercream Frosting without Powdered Sugar
    • Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal Muffins

    Subscribe via email

    to stay in the loop on new posts!

    Footer

    As Featured In

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Legal
    • Rules and Disclosures

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Press

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 I Heart Eating