Out of Evaporated milk, one case
Can you substitute almond milk for evaporated milk?
5 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Almond milk, simmered down
2 ¼ cups for every cup of evaporated milk
Yes, but not poured straight from the carton into anything that has to set. Evaporated milk is concentrated, so simmer 2 ¼ cups of unsweetened almond milk down to 1 cup to replace 1 cup of it. In soups, sauces and mashed potatoes, almond milk works cup for cup with a little cornstarch. It will not make fudge, and a pumpkin pie made with it sets softer.
- Verdict —
- You'll taste it
- The tweak —
- Simmer 2 ¼ cups unsweetened almond milk in a wide pan, uncovered, stirring often, until it measures 1 cup. Cool it before adding it to eggs.
- Best for —
- pumpkin pie and other baked custards
- Pantry —
- Likely in your cupboard
One casethe full evaporated milk card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 cup evaporated milk | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Almond milk, simmered downpumpkin pie and other baked custards | 2 ¼ cupsYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 2 | Almond milk, straight from the cartonsoups and chowders | 1 cupYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 3 | Full-fat canned coconut milkpumpkin pie and spiced desserts | 1 cupYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 4 | Soy milk, simmered downbaked custards and pies | 2 ¼ cupsTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | Half-and-halfpumpkin pie and custards | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
Almond milk, simmered down
lighter and faintly nutty, without the cooked-milk note
Boiling off the water is how evaporated milk is made, and the same step gives almond milk some of the body it lacks. It is still much lower in protein and fat than the dairy can.
- Best for
- pumpkin pie and other baked custards, dairy-free baking, creamy soups and sauces
- Prep
- Simmer 2 ¼ cups unsweetened almond milk in a wide pan, uncovered, stirring often, until it measures 1 cup. Cool it before adding it to eggs.
- Suits
- vegan, dairy-free
- Contains
- tree nuts
- Where it fails
- Fudge, caramel and dulce de leche, which rely on milk sugar and milk protein. It also browns less, so a pie top stays paler.
Use unsweetened, unflavored almond milk. Vanilla or sweetened cartons throw off the sugar in the recipe and do not belong in savory food.
Almond milk, straight from the carton
thin and mild; the dish is noticeably less rich
Almond milk is thinner than regular milk, and evaporated milk is thicker than both. Used as is, it supplies the liquid and little else, which is enough in a dish that does not have to set.
- Best for
- soups and chowders, mashed potatoes and casseroles, coffee and tea
- Prep
- For a sauce, whisk 1 to 2 tsp cornstarch into 1 tbsp cold almond milk per cup, stir it in and simmer 1 minute.
- Suits
- vegan, dairy-free
- Contains
- tree nuts
- Where it fails
- Pumpkin pie, flan, custard and fudge. The extra water leaves the filling loose. A cheese sauce made with it can turn grainy, because there is too little fat and protein to hold it together.
Full-fat canned coconut milk
clearly coconut
The dairy-free option that already has the thickness of evaporated milk, with no reducing. Reach for it when the reason for almond milk was avoiding dairy.
- Best for
- pumpkin pie and spiced desserts, curries and creamy soups
- Prep
- Shake or whisk the can until the thick and thin layers are one liquid before measuring.
- Suits
- vegan, dairy-free
- Where it fails
- Anywhere the milk should taste of nothing. Use the full-fat can, not light and not the carton drink, which are mostly water.
Soy milk, simmered down
mild and slightly beany
Soy milk has far more protein than almond milk, close to that of dairy milk, so a reduced cup of it behaves more like evaporated milk in a custard.
- Best for
- baked custards and pies, cream sauces
- Prep
- Simmer 2 ¼ cups unsweetened soy milk gently down to 1 cup, stirring often so it does not catch.
- Suits
- vegan, dairy-free
- Contains
- soy
- Where it fails
- It can curdle if boiled hard or mixed with acid. Not for anyone avoiding soy.
Half-and-half
a little richer and fresher than evaporated milk
If dairy is fine and almond milk was only what was in the fridge, half-and-half is the closer swap. It goes in straight from the carton.
- Best for
- pumpkin pie and custards, cheese sauces
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- It curdles more easily than evaporated milk in a hard boil or with acid, so keep the heat gentler.
Tips for substituting evaporated milk
5 tips- For a 12 oz can of evaporated milk, which is 1 ½ cups, simmer about 3 1/3 cups of almond milk down to 1 ½ cups. Pour it into a measuring cup to check.
- Use a wide pan and a gentle bubble. It reduces faster, and almond milk scorches on the bottom if it is left unstirred.
- In pumpkin pie, whisk 1 tbsp cornstarch into the sugar and spices before adding the reduced almond milk. It helps a filling with less milk protein hold a clean slice.
- Chill a pie made with almond milk at least 4 hours before cutting. It firms up considerably when cold.
- Shake the carton before measuring. The solids in almond milk settle.
Questions
4 questionsCan I substitute almond milk for evaporated milk in pumpkin pie?
Yes, with two changes. Simmer the almond milk down first, 2 ¼ cups to 1 cup, so the filling is not watery, and whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the sugar. The eggs still set the pie, but it is softer and paler than one made with evaporated milk. Chill it at least 4 hours before slicing.
Can I use almond milk in place of evaporated milk in fudge?
No. Fudge sets and colors because of concentrated milk sugar and milk protein cooked with the sugar, and almond milk has almost none of either. The batch tends to stay a sauce or turn grainy. Use canned evaporated milk, or simmer 2 ¼ cups of whole dairy milk down to 1 cup.
Is almond milk a 1:1 substitute for evaporated milk?
Only in dishes where it is the liquid and nothing has to set: soups, mashed potatoes, casseroles, coffee. There, use 1 cup per cup and thicken with 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch per cup if the dish looks thin. In pies, custards and baking, reduce it first.
Can I use sweetened or vanilla almond milk?
Only in a dessert, and expect it to be sweeter. Reducing the milk concentrates the added sugar and the vanilla along with everything else. For savory dishes, use unsweetened, unflavored almond milk.