Evaporated Milk vs. Condensed Milk: What’s the Difference?

Evaporated milk is a shelf-stable, concentrated form of milk sold in cans. Evaporated milk was developed in the 1890s, shortly after the invention of sweetened condensed milk. It is made by heating milk at reduced pressure until the water content has decreased by about half. Evaporated milk is sterilized after it is reduced and homogenized. As a shelf-stable alternative to fresh milk, evaporated milk was designed to be diluted with an equal amount of water. Evaporated milk is used in desserts like ice cream, cheesecake, and puddings.

Condensed milk, also called sweetened condensed milk (there is no unsweetened condensed milk), is a concentrated milk product made by heating cow’s milk at reduced pressure. The milk is heated until the water content has reduced by half, then sugar is added to bring the sugar content up to 55 percent. The resulting product is shelf-stable and used in a variety of dessert recipes. Canned sweetened condensed milk was developed in 1861 in the United States, but the history of cooking fresh milk with sweeteners to increase its stability goes back thousands of years to Indian milk sweets known as mithai. Condensed milk can be used in recipes like lemon meringue, fudge, and custard.

Both evaporated and condensed milk start with cow's milk and are made by removing about sixty percent of the water to form a concentrated, shelf-safe form of milk. However, there are a few key differences between evaporated milk and condensed milk regarding sugar content, color, flavor, and texture.

• Sweetness. Evaporated milk is unsweetened, and sweetened condensed milk is sweetened with added sugar, which acts as a natural preservative. Evaporated milk is about 10 percent sugar by weight because fresh dairy milk naturally contains about five percent sugar, mainly in the form of lactose. Sweetened condensed milk typically contains 55 percent sugar.
• Flavor. Due to its high sugar content, condensed milk does not need to be heat-sterilized like evaporated milk is. As a result, it does not achieve the same caramelized flavor as evaporated milk.
• Color. Evaporated milk has a tan color due to the concentration of lactose and protein that occurs during cooking. Sweetened condensed milk is lighter in color due to the high concentration of sugar.
• Texture. Evaporated milk adds a lighter, airier texture to baked goods like pies and cakes, while condensed milk provides a dense creaminess.

Evaporated milk and condensed milk can be used in a number of savory dishes or dessert recipes. However, if you don’t have one or the other in the pantry, there are a few ways you can make evaporated milk or condensed milk out of other pantry staples.

• Condensed milk substitute: Combine three-quarters of a cup of sugar with 12 ounces of evaporated milk and bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop over medium-high heat, then reduce, simmer, and cool. You can also use sweet, thick cream of coconut in a 1:1 ratio as a substitute.
• Evaporated milk substitute: Condensed milk is highly sweet, so it should not be used as an evaporated milk substitute (especially if the recipe calls for mostly savory ingredients). Instead, you can make your own evaporated milk by mixing two cups of milk with a pinch of salt, then reducing it over medium heat for thirty minutes. For some recipes, you can substitute coconut milk for evaporated milk in a 1:1 ratio.

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