6 Evaporated Milk Substitutes You Probably Already Have at Home
If you have 2% milk, you're in luck.
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Coconut-lime donuts, pumpkin pie, coconut rice pudding — it seems like all of the sweetest and most indulgent desserts call for a cup or two of evaporated milk. But if you find yourself mid-recipe without a can of evaporated milk in sight, that doesn't necessarily mean that you're out of luck. With a few of these evaporated milk substitutions and replacements, your recipe in process can be salvaged. In fact, you may even be able to make evaporated milk at home, but more on that later.
While it goes by a fancy name, evaporated milk is really just regular milk with about half of the water naturally found inside the dairy product evaporated — which leaves you with a dense and creamy product perfect for cooking. From light, low calorie replacements to rich, cream-based substitutions, you won't be able to taste the difference in your final recipe. Here are the best evaporated milk substitutes that you probably already have in your fridge.
DIY Evaporated Milk
If you don't have a can of evaporated milk on hand, it's actually pretty easy to make your own batch. Simply measure out 2 ¼ cups of regular milk, and then boil it down to one cup — these are the exact measurements and method used to make commercial evaporated milk. While the kind you typically buy is made with 2% milk, this method should work with whole or skim milk, in addition to a non-dairy milk of your choice like almond or soy milk.
Dairy-Free Evaporated Milk
If you're avoiding buying evaporated milk because you have a dairy-free diet, we've got a simple fix. If you have time, you can avoid the DIY process by buying some vegan, dairy-free evaporated coconut milk — like this can from Nature's Charm.
Lactose-Free Evaporated Milk
Same goes for your lactose-free options! This box from Nestle Carnation is instead made with Lactase, which makes it the perfect option for those with a lactose-intolerance.
Powdered Milk
If you don't have any fresh milk to boil, you can also make a pretty close replacement with powdered milk — all you have to do is add a little less water than you usually would, which will give you a thick consistency like that of evaporated milk. Mix 1½ cups of warm water with 1 cup of powdered milk. Once the powder is fully dissolved, you're good to go!
Half-and-Half
Because of its creamy consistency, half and half can work as a replacement for evaporated milk in a pinch. Just use the same about of half and half as the recipe calls for evaporated milk.
Heavy Cream
If you don't have half-and-half, heavy cream can work, too. Though it's higher in fat, it will provide a similar consistency to evaporated milk. The flavor of your final product will definitely be richer, but that's not always a bad thing.
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