Out of Evaporated milk, one case
Can you substitute regular milk for evaporated milk?
4 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Whole milk
1 cup for every cup of evaporated milk
In a pinch, yes: use the same amount of whole milk, and the dish will be thinner and less rich. For the real thing, simmer 2 ¼ cups of whole milk down to 1 cup. Half-and-half is the closest ready-made swap, cup for cup. Plain milk does not work in fudge or other candy.
- Verdict —
- You'll taste it
- The tweak —
- In a custard pie, add 1 tbsp cornstarch per cup of milk to help it set. In a sauce, simmer a few minutes longer.
- Best for —
- mashed potatoes and casseroles
- 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 | Whole milkmashed potatoes and casseroles | 1 cupYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 2 | Simmered whole milkfudge, caramel and tres leches | 2 ¼ cupsWorks | Works |
| 3 | Half-and-halfpumpkin pie and custard pies | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Milk powder + waterbaking | 2/3 cup powder + 1 cup waterTweak it | Tweak it |
| Not a swap | Sweetened condensed milk | not a swapNot for this | Not for this |
Whole milk
lighter and thinner
The quick swap. Evaporated milk is milk with about 60% of the water removed, so plain milk is roughly half as concentrated.
- Best for
- mashed potatoes and casseroles, soups and gravies, quick breads and pancakes
- Prep
- In a custard pie, add 1 tbsp cornstarch per cup of milk to help it set. In a sauce, simmer a few minutes longer.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Fudge, caramel sauce and no-bake pies, which stay runny.
Simmered whole milk
the same, slightly sweet and cooked
Homemade evaporated milk. Reducing milk by a little more than half concentrates it to the same strength.
- Best for
- fudge, caramel and tres leches, pumpkin pie, any recipe where thickness matters
- Prep
- Simmer gently in a wide pan, stirring often, about 25 minutes, until it measures 1 cup. Strain off any skin and cool.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- A rushed cook. It scorches if boiled hard or left unstirred.
Half-and-half
fresher, a little richer
Close to evaporated milk in body and richness, with no cooked flavor.
- Best for
- pumpkin pie and custard pies, creamy soups and sauces, mac and cheese
- Prep
- Use it straight from the carton and keep the heat below a hard boil; it curdles more easily than evaporated milk.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Fudge and candy recipes written for the lower water content of canned milk.
Milk powder + water
close; slightly cooked
Dry milk mixed double-strength.
- Best for
- baking, sauces and soups
- Prep
- Whisk the powder into warm water until no lumps remain.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Drinking or coffee, where the powder taste shows.
Sweetened condensed milk
It looks similar in the can but about 45% of it is sugar.
- Best for
- nothing here
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- It makes a savory dish sweet and throws off the sugar in a dessert.
Tips for substituting evaporated milk
4 tips- One 12 oz can of evaporated milk is 1 ½ cups. To replace a can, simmer 3 1/3 cups of whole milk down to 1 ½ cups, or use 1 ½ cups half-and-half.
- For pumpkin pie, half-and-half or simmered milk sets like the original. Plain milk needs the cornstarch.
- Lower-fat milk works in the simmer method but gives a thinner result; 2% is the practical minimum.
- Do not boil sauces hard after adding plain milk. It curdles more easily than the canned kind.
Questions
4 questionsCan I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk in pumpkin pie?
Yes, with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of milk so the filling sets. Half-and-half, cup for cup, is the better swap and needs no cornstarch.
How do I make evaporated milk from regular milk?
Simmer 2 ¼ cups of whole milk gently, stirring, until it reduces to 1 cup. That takes about 25 minutes.
Can I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk in fudge?
No. Fudge recipes count on the low water content of evaporated milk. Use simmered-down milk, or ¾ cup heavy cream mixed with ¼ cup water per cup.
Can I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk in mac and cheese?
Yes. The sauce is thinner and more likely to turn grainy. Keep the heat low and add the cheese off the boil.