Vegan Dulce de Leche

Have you ever wondered how to make the best vegan dulce de leche at home? After numerous attempts to get the best result, I have finally cracked the recipe for the most amazing dulce de leche. This rich, creamy and decadent sauce with a caramel like taste will blow your mind. 

On my trip to Madeira, Spain, I tasted the most AMAZING apple pie with dulce de leche drizzled over it. I have tasted many varieties of caramel sauces in the past, but this was nothing like it. I fell in love with this sauce, found out all the details about it and had to come home and re-create it.

What is dulce de leche?

Dulce de leche is a Spanish phrase that means caramelised milk or milk jam. It is also called ‘confiture de lait’ in French cuisine and ‘kajmak’ in Polish cuisine. 

(Source: Wikipedia)

Traditionally it is made by simmering milk and sugar, constantly stirring till it turns into a thick caramel sauce. A more homemade version is caramelising condensed milk and cooking it until it is thick. 

It is very popular in Latin America, where people eat it for breakfast on their toast, on pancakes, pastries, pies, and you name it. 

Fun fact – the 11th of October is Dulce de leche day, celebrated worldwide.

What does it taste like?

Dulce de leche is a rich, smooth, thick, milky and velvety sauce that tastes like caramel but not as sweet as the traditional caramel.

This recipe is my own take on a vegan version of dulce de leche. It is NOT the traditional recipe but tastes exactly like the original dulce de leche.

It has a beautiful caramel colour, is perfectly sweet, is thick in consistency and has a great depth of flavour. 

Although you can buy dulce de leche online, in supermarkets or Latin grocery stores, making it at home using quality ingredients is hugely satisfying.

Step by step instructions to make the vegan dulce de leche

You only need four ingredients – a can of full-fat coconut milk (400ml), maple syrup, a pinch of salt and vanilla essence.

Add a can of full-fat coconut milk to a saucepan and place it on medium heat. To this, add a cup of maple syrup, half a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of vanilla essence. 

Stir well and bring this to a gentle boil. Now reduce to a low flame to prevent the mixture from burning.

Continue stirring every eight to ten minutes for about two and a half hours, till the mixture reduces to almost half. The mixture will turn from light coloured runny liquid to a thick sauce with nutty caramel colour. At this stage, the mixture should coat a spoon.

Switch off the flame. Transfer to an airtight container once the mixture cools completely. Dulce de leche will thicken further as it cools.

This recipe is

vegan

gluten-free

creamy

caramel-ly

refined-sugar free

tastes just like the original dulce de leche

and, extremely versatile

Top tips

• It is important to stir the dulce de leche every eight to ten minutes for about two and a half hours. Otherwise it can burn easily.
• Dulce de leche gets very sticky (I warned you!) once it cools. Use a spatula to scoop it from the skillet.
• Use full-fat coconut milk from a can. Light coconut milk or the drinking coconut milk will not work for this recipe due to the insufficient cream/fat content.

Serving suggestions

Dulce de leche is highly versatile, and it is perfect with pancakes, toasts, cookies, pies, ice creams and sundaes. Drizzle over your favourite dessert or make one using dulce de leche. Either way, you will be impressed by its rich taste.

Some of my favorite dulce de leche desserts are Banoffie pie and Alfajores. Let me know your favorite dulce de leche recipes in comments.

Storage instructions

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days. Or, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 

When kept in the refrigerator, dulce de leche will thicken further. Reheat in a microwave in 20-second intervals until it reaches the desired consistency.

If you try this recipe, please let me know in the comments and don’t forget to leave a rating. I love hearing from you! 

Recipe