One Ingredient Caramel is a simple and decadent treat you can make in minutes!
This is one of our favorite caramel sauces for topping desserts, dipping apples and eating with almost everything!
Once you give this easy recipe a try, you may never purchase store bought caramel again!
© SpendWithPennies.com
Ok, ok I know… its not technically “CARAMEL”.. maybe more along the lines of a dulce de leche.. but it is dang delicious with that sweet caramely goodness!
In this recipe, sweetened condensed milk is cooked until it creates a deliciously rich caramel sauce! The best part is this recipe has ONE ingredient! Just one! Easy huh?
I personally LOVE sweetened condensed milk in any dessert and this has to be one of my favorites!
You’re going to simply pour condensed milk into a pie pan or casserole dish. Cover it with foil and place it in a larger pan of water and bake. SO easy! I put my water level about 1/2″ to 3/4″ (depending on your pan) so just check the oven every now and then to make sure the water hasn’t evaporated.
One more thing, you may get a little crust on the top once your caramel bakes (which is delicious). You can either just serve it as it, just eat the caramel underneath or blend it with an immersion blender.
In the image below my caramel has been blended with an immersion blender while warm. Any little crusty bits on the top just melt right into the caramel.
Please note that this recipe has been adapted from the original recipe which included cooking a can of unopened sweetened condensed milk fully submerged in a large pot (1″ above the can) and boiled for 3 hours. There has been some question as to the safety of the original method (although, like many of you, I’ve been doing it for years and years). I’ve decided to err on the side of caution and try another method.
I’m more than happy to report that not only was it easy, it was quicker than the original method and it tastes just as amazing. You won’t be disappointed.
One Ingredient Caramel
Ingredients
- 1 can of sweetened condensed milk (regular or low fat)
- apples for dipping optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Pour one can of sweetened condensed milk into a casserole dish or pie plate. Cover with foil.
- Place in a larger pan and fill to ¾" with water. (Fill water as needed while baking)
- Bake 60-90 minutes or until condensed milk has reached a golden brown color.
- Cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Sweetened Condensed Milk Caramel!
I was raised with “Sweet Stuff”. My Grandma made this in the 1920’s. My Mom spread this on toast and used it as a sandwich filling. Instead of PB&J you can have PB&C! Or just “C”!
I only boil it about 1 hour, no more than 1.5 hours if I had to add more water and it wasn’t hot enough and I thought I lost time. If you stand it in your pan try to turn it over about half-way through because it gets a thicker, sugary layer on the bottom where stove heat is more intense. I often lay it on it’s side and move it occasionally. Since you need to keep an eye on the water level it is easy to turn it then too. It takes a long time to cool, so plan ahead.
Scrape it into a ZipLock or similar covered container and keep it in the refrigerator. It will last several weeks but we usually use it up way before that! LOL
You’ll want to pull it out of the refrigerator at the beginning of your breakfast or lunch prep to just take a bit of the chill off so it doesn’t tear the bread. Probably good as a dip too – warmed up or cold.
For other who have asked – this is not a hardened caramel. It is fluid and will leak out of a sandwich so don’t send it in a school lunch. I can see it as an excellent glaze, flavoring ingredient, dip. Think of it as a thick ice cream topping that is thinner than Hershey’s Fudge but thicker that Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup.
Thanks for bringing back memories.
I have caramelized sweetened condensed as far back as I can remember. I learned to caramelized this milk from my mother. I always put the cans in my fridge after they cool. I have never had sugar crystals in the caramel. I always boil the water at medium. The cans must be covered with the water the entire time it boils; 8 hours.
I’m going to try this for a community fall party this Sunday! How much does one can of sweetened condensed milk serve with apples? Looking to make quite a bit. And does it stay pretty creamy if not eaten right away?? For example, if I cook it on Saturday, will it still be creamy Sunday, or does it harden like caramel does?
It will stay creamy Natalie, I’ve left it cooked in my cupboard for a long time! Each can will make about 1 cup of dip.
Can this be stored in cupboard instead of fridge. That would be wonderful if so! I wanted to make as gifts and do not have a place to refrigerate.
Originally this recipe featured the can being boiled unopened to make the caramel sauce. As the can was unopened, I would store it in the refrigerator.
There were concernts about the saftey of boiling a can so the recipe was retested and updated with the new method. Using this methough, I would store this in the refrigerator.
I just tried this (as in i just pulled it out of the crockpot). Its been on low since 11 am and it turned almost the consistency of flan. Did i let it go too long?
It should cook about 8-10 hours in the slow cooker.
Take a pound cake and cut in half horizontally
Spread caramel over bottom half and return the top half
Drizzle with rum
Absolutely amazing!
Sounds fabulous! Thank you for sharing!
Can you spread this Carmel on cakes?
Absolutely! This would be amazing on cakes… it would not be thick enough to be a frosting but would be fabulous as a poke cake!
A friend introduced this to me as it was her favorite dessert growing up. I’ve done it several times on the stove with success every time. I make brownies and use it as the filling and sprinkle sea salt on it before adding the last layer of brownie mix. They don’t last long.
why put the can on it’s side , can’t we let it stand?
It’s just easier to keep the water level above the can when on its side.
If you leave it standing it jumps around. I’ve done it lol
For the love of God don’t heat a can! Aluminum and BPA can leach into your food!
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earth-talk-can-dont/
Come on Shari,
Lighten up. People have been doing this for 50 plus years. I ate this all the time as a child. People think they are so much smarter now. And much sicker than they were back then.
<3
It has been said for many years that smoking cigarettes was not harmful, even recommended from doctors for some troubles. I think we can learn from new informations.
Can this be used to make popcorn balls?
I don’t think it’s sticky enough to make popcorn balls, it’s quite soft, more like a pudding consistency.
What about using this for Flan?
I haven’t tried this in flan so I can’t say for sure.
My mom used to make this for us and we would spread it on toast, I’m talking about maybe 55 yrs ago. Its wonderful..
Mmmm!! Would be delicious on toast!
will it work for carmaled apples???????
It’s a much softer type of caramel, more like a dip so it probably wouldn’t work for caramel apples. It is delicious to dip apples into it!
It actually gets really thick if you cook it longer, 3 hours or over and it is spreadable, over 4 and it is like a pudding but thicker.
I tried this once in a crock pot and it didn’t work. Has anybody tried this and it worked? Just wondering.
Hi Ericka,
This is late, but I have it is delicious. It does work in the crock pot needs to be cook longer.
I like this method, I also put mine in a jar.
Hope this helps
A friend served this in a stack on a small plate for each diner, starting with a slice of lettuce, a slice of canned pineapple, a section of the caramel, topped with whipped cream. (By the way, watch the incorrect use of apostrophe. It’s the possessive “its,” not “it’s.”)
Calm down Richard. This isn’t a website about the proper use of the English language. Before you correct peoples us of apostrophes try learning the difference between “diner” and “dinner”.
Richard was correct. He said “small plate for each diner”. Think about it, you’ll get it. :)
Too Funny!
I agree. Not a place to correct other people’s vocab. Tactless and rude.
I really like how you have a slow cooker method for this and i can’t wait to try it. Thanks so much!
How long can I keep it for?
I’m not sure how long it would last, we always seem to eat it pretty quickly!
I make this all the time. Once I made extra to keep on hand, like you recommend. It actually doesn’t keep. I mean, it doesn’t go bad, but sugar crystals start to form and it has a crunchy, sugary texture to it. I was able to salvage it some by heating it in a saucepan, but it wasn’t the same.
I do candy making.It makes a wonderful candy filling.
WARNING! This stuff can and will explode if you let the water boil off. Our family calls this Blow Up Pudding because our Grandmother blew up a can of this all over her kitchen. Fortunately no one was in the kitchen when it happened.
Deliciously Dangerous stuff.
Yikes! You definitely want to make sure it is fully submerged! Thank you for the reminder!!
Please give some suggestions of how to use this?
It’s delicious as a caramel topping on ice cream or to dip fruit in. We’ve drizzled in on cake too! I have a recipe for Banoffee Pie here!
My Mom always made this when I was growing. She would use it for icing on a devil’s food cake and top with pecans.
If you let it go for 4 hours it becomes more stiff and you can use it for pie. Scoop it out into a graham cracker crust and top with cool whip. Yummy!
I’ve been making this for years, but I’ve never cooked it for more than 90 minutes. Any longer and it will burn! I use it to make caramel tart. I make my own shortcrust base, top it with the caramel, then top with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Delicious.
This is what I use as the base for a banoffee pie. Hmm, now I think I will make one this long holiday weekend!
Yummy! I love Banoffee Pie!!