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This Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche recipe is better and cheaper than store-bought! Even better, it’s some of the best milky smooth caramel you’ll ever eat. You only need one ingredient to make it, and there are about a thousand ways to use it – my favorite is straight from the spoon!
Table of Contents
- Easy Crockpot Dulce de Leche Recipe
- Why THIS Recipe is the BEST
- What is Dulce de Leche
- ONE Ingredient Dulce de Leche
- How to Make Dulce de Leche in a Crock Pot
- Why This Recipe Works
- How to Store Dulce de Leche
- Can You Freeze Dulce de Leche?
- Expert Tips
- Recipes That Use Dulce De Leche
- Dulce de Leche {slow cooker} Recipe
Easy Crockpot Dulce de Leche Recipe
Years ago, I attended a conference and, on every menu, there were different kinds of dulce de leche desserts, and I fell in love with the rich caramel sauce. Since then, I’ve been obsessed.
For a long time, I bought dulce de leche at the grocery store and tried to look past how pricey it is – like three to four bucks a can! Finally, I decided to make my own homemade dulce de leche and, you know what? It’s pretty easy!
Well, it’s easy if you use condensed milk – I’ve tried different from-scratch recipes, and they’re always high maintenance and error-prone. That means I’ve burned my fair share.
But making dulce de leche from sweetened condensed milk and with a crock pot means it is so easy, and it’s fantastic. I am going to show you how to do it!
I’ve known for years about making your own dulce de leche using sweetened condensed milk. People do it in the oven, in a pot, in a slow cooker. With the can, without. Every recipe is pretty much the same: cook the SCM for several hours, and it turns into dulce de leche, like magic.
Why THIS Recipe is the BEST
I’ve tested all kinds of methods, and hands-down, the easiest is in the slow cooker. I love it for a few reasons:
- Because the heat is easy to control, making this crock pot dulce de leche is practically fool-proof.
- Unlike the stove or oven method, you don’t need to babysit it. I never leave my house with the oven or stove on, but the slow cooker? No problem. When I make a batch, I pop them in, leave them, and then hours later, they’re ready without any work from me.
- It’s so much cheaper than buying prepared dulce de leche, so I just load up on the sweetened condensed milk and make a batch in the crockpot whenever I want some.
What is Dulce de Leche
Okay, so if you’re not familiar with this magical thing, all you really need to know isdulce de leche is quite possibly the best stuff ever.
It’s Mexican caramel that is creamy, milky, and so, so good. It’s also pretty simple – just sugar and milk boiled down until it’s thick, sweet, and rich.
There are so many ways to use it – use it to make desserts, spread it on graham crackers, dip fruit in it, warm it up and use it as an ice cream topping. Or, my favorite, enjoy it straight from the spoon!
Instead of using milk and sugar, there is an easy shortcut: sweetened condensed milk. It already has both ingredients, so all you have to do is cook it. As I mentioned, there are several ways you can do this, but the easiest way is in the crock pot.
In addition to a slow cooker, you’ll need some mason jars with lids. You can use 8-ounce jars or 4-ounce jars. Just make sure they fit in your slow cooker.
From there, you are all ready to make the best easy dulce de leche!
ONE Ingredient Dulce de Leche
You just need ONE ingredient: Sweetened Condensed Milk. Grab 2 (14-oz) cans sweetened condensed milk – not low fat.
How to Make Dulce de Leche in a Crock Pot
- Divide the milk evenly among the mason jars. Seal the jars with clean rings and lids and then place them, spaced apart, in the crock pot.
- Add enough water to the crock pot to cover the jars by one to two inches. Place the lid on top.
- Cook them on low for 10 hours.
- Once they are done cooking, remove them with tongs. Be very careful because the water will be hot. Leave the jars at room temperature until they are cooled.
Why This Recipe Works
Now that I’ve spilled the beans on this super easy dulce de leche recipe, let me share why it’s so perfect:
- It’s so easy. I mean, it’s one ingredient, dulce de leche – just add some jars and a slow cooker, and you are ready to go.
- It’s foolproof as long as you follow the instructions and the instructions are so easy.
- You don’t need to worry about exploding cans. Yes, this is a thing that can happen when you cook the milk in the cans. That’s why I like making dulce de leche in a mason jar
How to Store Dulce de Leche
Keep the caramel in the mason jar you cooked it in. Once they are at room temperature, store them in the refrigerator, and they will keep for up to four weeks.
Can You Freeze Dulce de Leche?
Yes, you can freeze it for up to three months.
Expert Tips
- Use jars with fresh rings and tight-fitting lids. You don’t want any water getting into the milk.
- You can overcook dulce de leche – even in the slow cooker! So, remember to set the timer for 10 hours and remove the jars once it goes off. The caramel should be thick and a deep golden color when it’s done.
- Be very careful when you remove the jars – the jars of dulce de leche in the crockpot will be very hot! Use tongs to lift them out.
- You may notice some rust on the rings when you take the jars out. This is normal and happens when they are in contact with water all day. Use a dishtowel to wipe off the rust, and it’s all good.
The only difficult thing about this dulce de leche crock pot recipe is not eating the entire batch within a few days! It’s happened at our house, but luckily, it’s so easy to make I whip up another batch. Give it a try, and you’ll skip the store-bought stuff – homemade is so much better!
Recipes That Use Dulce De Leche
- Dulce De Leche Revel Bars
- Dulce De Leche Gooey Bars
- Dulce De Leche Ice Cream
- Homemade Dulce De Leche Coffee Creamer
Have you made this recipe?
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Dulce de Leche {slow cooker}
Ingredients
- 2 14 ounces cans sweetened condensed milk
- 3 8-ounce jars with rings and lids or 4-6 ounce jars
- Water
- Slow Cooker
Instructions
- Divide the sweetened condensed milk among the 3 or 4 jars. (Make sure the jars you choose will fit in your crockpot with 1-2 inches of water covering them.) Seal the jars with clean rings and lids. Place in your slow cooker, making sure they do not touch.
- Fill the crockpot with water to cover 1-2 inches above the tops of the jars. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 10 hours.
- When they’re finished cooking, remove the jars carefully with tongs (they and the water will be HOT!) and place them on your kitchen counter to cool to room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate until using. Will keep for up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator.
- Some of the rings may get little rust spots from being in the water all day. Just wipe the rust off with a kitchen towel.
Recipe Nutrition
Make homemade dulce de leche in the slow cooker! Crockpot dulce de leche is so easy to make with just ONE ingredient – it’s a rich caramel that goes in so many recipes.
Last Updated on March 24, 2022
It worked! No exploding cans and once it’s been “processed” and cooked, it’s ready to roll! It’s creamy and perfect, no mess! I can’t wait to try it in a recipe! 2 cans created 3 little jam jars of dulce de leche and they look pretty too.
Can’t wait to try this!
Haven’t tried your pie yet but I can’t wait to. Just thought you might like to try my grandmother’s Caramel Cake recipe made with diy DDL that we’ve always made in the can (on the stovetop in water for at least 5 hours; longer is better and be sure to KEEP CAN COVERED).
Make any white cake in 2 round pans, cool. Spread the bottom layer with 1 can DDL. Cover cake with real whipping cream or Cool Whip.
My family used to fight over the caramel filling so much that now we divide the cake into 3 layers and use 1 can between each layer and everyone is happy!
Dulce de Leche is originally from Argentina and Uruguay, not from Mexico ?. And is made with normal milk and sugar… boiled for a long time
Dulce de leche is argentine!! I first fell in love with it in 1975 i was like 13 years old.
I Came here to see if it was okay that my kids sealed. I’m very nervous about food safety with canning. But your blog and youreven your commenters are super informative.
I added half a vanilla bean and some cinnamon to my jars before I started cooking. Do you think that could pose any food safety risks?
I’m not a food safety expert, so I wouldn’t know, but I think it would be ok.
its shelf stable for months, cook it in the sealed cans, covered with water
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