Evaporated Milk vs. Condensed Milk: What's the Difference? (2024)

FAQs

Evaporated Milk vs. Condensed Milk: What's the Difference? ›

Both are concentrated, shelf-stable milk products that have been heated until at least 60 percent of their water content has evaporated. The main difference between evaporated milk and condensed milk is that evaporated milk is unsweetened while condensed milk is sweetened.

Substitutions. While we don't recommend substituting condensed milk for evaporated milk or vice versa, you can make your own condensed milk when you're in a pinch. Simply heat together 1½ cups of sugar and one can of evaporated milk until the sugar has fully dissolved.

Evaporated milk and condensed milk are both shelf-stable canned milks that are easily found at most grocery stores. The main difference is that condensed milk is very sweet, and evaporated milk is unsweetened.

Evaporated milk starts out as fresh milk and is heated to drive off more than half of the water. Add water and use it as milk or pour it straight out of the can and use it as half-and-half. Creamy, rich and perfect for baking, custards, soups and even ice cream.

However, condensed milk has much more sugar in it. This is the reason why you get a sweet coffee when you add condensed milk to it. Evaporated milk does not make your coffee this sweet. It is more about neutralizing the coffee bitterness than making it acquire sweet taste.

Don't Substitute One for the Other

Thus, using condensed milk in a recipe that requires evaporated milk will yield an overly sweet dish.

Even though these are both concentrated forms of milk in which approximately 60% of the water content has been removed, the two are quite different and can't be used interchangeably. The most significant difference between condensed milk and evaporated milk is the degree of sweetness.

Potential downsides

Evaporated milk may be problematic for people with lactose intolerance or cow's milk allergy (CMA), as it contains more lactose and milk proteins per volume, compared with regular milk. Lactose is the main type of carb found in milk and dairy products ( 20 ).

There could be gas, cramps, and stomach discomfort. Because condensed milk is more concentrated than the same volume of regular milk, it contains more lactose. Sweetened condensed milk includes a lot of calories, but it also has a lot of saturated fat, which is dangerous for people with diabetes and heart issues.

Both are concentrated, shelf-stable milk products that have been heated until at least 60 percent of their water content has evaporated. The main difference between evaporated milk and condensed milk is that evaporated milk is unsweetened while condensed milk is sweetened.

What else can you use evaporated milk for? ›

Evaporated milk gives body to smoothies, thickens up and sweetens coffee, and adds nuance and richness to creamy soups and chowders, not to mention savory sauces and even oatmeal. If you don't have much of a sweet tooth, you can also use it in place of sweetened condensed milk in plenty of desserts.

You can drink evaporated milk by itself, many people prefer to drink evaporated milk due to its taste, and it doesn't contain extra ingredients you will find in pasteurized fresh milk. It is rare to drink straight out of the bottle, but most people drink it once they've added water.

The key here is typically to use less than you would with cow's milk since it's a much heavier product. But, if you have the urge to drink evaporated milk straight from the can, go right ahead; it's completely safe to do so. Read the original article on Tasting Table.

And while milk might only last a week in the refrigerator, unopened evaporated milk that is properly stored can last up to two years. But how can you tell when it's gone bad? In short, by looking at it. If your milk has turned dark yellow or brown, don't use it.

In summary, evaporated milk is unsweetened and has a similar nutritional value to regular milk, while sweetened condensed milk is very sweet and has a higher calorie count due to the added sugar.

In fact, each fluid ounce of evaporated milk contains less than half the amount of calories and about one-fourth the amount of fat as heavy cream. “It works best in a 1:1 substitution in recipes like casseroles, soups and sauces, offering a similar texture but lighter consistency,” explains Brigham.

If this has happened to you, and you've suddenly find yourself with a can or evaporated milk when your pumpkin pie recipe calls for condensed—or vice versa—do not panic, my friend: You can make pumpkin pie with either one. Either milk can be used to add rich, creamy body to your pie.

For the same consistency as drinking milk, mix ½ cup Evaporated Milk and ½ cup water to make 1 cup of regular drinking milk. How can I use Evaporated Milk for extra richness and creaminess in my recipes?

Take the ice tray out of the freezer and pour the slightly frozen evaporated milk into a pre-chilled bowl. Whisk the ice cubes with the chilled beater until a thick texture forms that resembles cream. Use in place of cream for dessert, cake filling etc.

Sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk cannot be used interchangeably in recipes due to their different properties and flavors. Condensed milk adds sweetness and creaminess to recipes, while evaporated milk provides richness and a creamy texture without added sweetness.