
This dulce de leche comes packed with complex flavor (cinnamon, lemon zest and a pinch of salt) and is crazy easy (this is another ‘just throw it in the pot’ kind of deal). Perfect for turning pretty much anything into a legit dessert.
Got an Instant Pot for Christmas that you’re dying to use (that was me last year), or just plain love a good Instant Pot recipe (that’s me now)? Then this is the perfect dessert recipe for you.
Why you should make Instant Pot Dulce de Leche
I first created this recipe to use in my dulce de leche and peach tart over the summer, and kept tweaking and tweaking based on my own preferences and what I felt would make a great pair for the flavor of the peaches. Turns out this dulce de leche was AMAZING by itself (seriously, I even got my roommate hooked on it) and now I eat it on basically everything. I love this recipe, here’s why you will too:
- There’s little room for error: Many Instant Pot recipes are reliant on having JUST the right balance of liquid so that ingredients don’t get stuck to the bottom of the pot. But because this recipe cooks in its own container within the Instant Pot (and on a rack), you don’t have to worry about that!
- Can be made in a 3-quart Instant Pot: only got a baby pot? Me too! I can confirm that unlike other recipes, this one was actually meant for those of us with smaller Instant Pots.
- Quick prep, and big flavor: this is not your mama’s dulce de leche. It’s my own special concoction that’s with a flavor between salted caramel and a spiced dulce de leche with a citrus kick. The best part? It only takes about 5 minutes to prep before going into the pot.
- Dulce de leche is incredibly versatile: Eat it on cookies, cakes, toast, pancakes, pasta (Buddy the Elf, looking at you). I’m not here to judge! And it lasts in the fridge for up to two weeks!
- It’s faster than traditional methods (obviously): with the help of the pressure cook function, you can cut 3-4 hours worth of boiling or oven time to just 50 minutes!

What Is Dulce de Leche?
Dulce de leche (aka “candy of milk”) is a sweet sauce with Latin American roots that’s made from cooking sweetened condensed milk in a container (some people cook it in its original can, some in a separate container—always covered) that is submerged in boiling water. The result is a sweet saucy substance that goes great on a variety of desserts and breakfast items.
What Ingredients Do I Need To Make Instant Pot Dulce de Leche?
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Lemon (for zesting)
- Salt

How Do I Make this dessert?
It’s so easy a caveman could do it. Adapted from this recipe.
Please keep in mind, this recipe was created for 3-quart Instant Pots, so if you have the 6 or 8-quart recipe, you can double this recipe and use up all the sweetened condensed milk in the can at once with the same cook time. Because of the limited space in the 3-quart, I only use half a can of sweetened condensed milk at a time.
- Place sweetened condensed milk into mixing bowl. Empty half of a 13 oz can of sweetened condensed milk into a mixing bowl.
- Add water, baking soda and season the sweetened condensed milk. In a separate container, mix ¼ teaspoon of baking soda into 1 ½ tablespoons of warm water (to help better incorporate with the sweetened condensed milk). Once combined, pour on top of sweetened condensed milk in mixing bowl and whisk until fully combined. Add ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon of lemon zest and ¼ a teaspoon of salt and whisk again to thoroughly combine.
- Place sweetened condensed milk mixture in a pressure-cooker safe bowl. Empty sweetened condensed milk mixture into a pressure cooker safe container. This could be a sturdy 2 cup glass or metal container (when testing this recipe, I used a Pyrex bowl). If you are doubling this recipe, you want the bowl to be able to hold about double the amount of liquid you’re using in this recipe to prevent any spillage because the milk will bubble while it cooks.
- Cover bowl with foil and rubber band. Get a piece of foil that will cover the entire top of the container, as well as the sides (this keeps too much condensation from getting in) and secure the foil with a rubber band near the top of the bowl to keep the foil tightly in place as it cooks.
- Place bowl into Instant Pot. Fill the Instant Pot with 1 ½ cups of water and place the trivet that comes with your Instant Pot into the water. Place the covered bowl with the sweetened condensed milk mixture on top of the trivet and secure the lid. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure and set the pressure cook time for 40 minutes. Be sure your ventilator is closed on the top of the lid.
- Turn off Instant Pot and allow for natural pressure release. Once the timer is up, turn off the Instant Pot and open the ventilator valve and allow the pressure to release naturally (about 15 minutes). Open lid and use oven mitts to remove the dulce de leche from the Instant Pot.
- Open container and whisk (or blend) dulce de leche. Remove foil from bowl and whisk the dulce de leche. You’ll notice that the thicker part of the sauce is sitting on top of the thinner part and there may be some coagulation (gross word, I know). THIS IS NORMAL! Whisking or blending the dulce the leche will break it up and help it look like the sweet dessert we all know and love.

What’s the Difference Between Dulce de Leche and Caramel?
This is a great question that I also had when I started researching recipes. There are conflicting reports, but here’s what I’ve found:
- The ingredients: Caramel is largely made by melting sugar, and adding butter and heavy cream. However, dulce de leche’s main ingredient is sweetened condensed milk and it is traditionally made with a number of spices like cinnamon to give it a warmer flavor.
- The cooking method: Caramel is cooked directly in a pot, on a stove top. Its ingredients are not contained in any other container while they cook, and caramel has a much shorter cooking time. Dulce de leche’s ingredients are typically cooked by boiling its ingredients in a smaller container, which is boiled for many hours (except for in this recipe). Over time, the mixture caramelizes and you’re left with more of a pudding-like substance.
Tips for Making Dulce de Leche
Here are a few key tips to help you make the dulce of your dreams:
- Don’t make it in its original can: making your dulce de leche outside of the can allows you to add in additional ingredients like seasonings, baking soda and more. Also, especially if you’re cooking this entire recipe in your Instant Pot, I wouldn’t trust a can not to crack (and explode) under the pressure. Literally.
- Add baking soda: Adding some baking soda with some warm water to your sweetened condensed milk before cooking helps give the final product dulce a deep, rich caramel color.
- Blend or whisk your final product: When you first take your sauce out of your Instant Pot it’s normal for the sauce to be a bit lumpy. Use a whisk or blender to get the lumps out.
- Add your own flavor (ahead of time): this recipe provides you with some tried and true flavors to add in, but if you’re the kind of girl (or guy) who likes to play with a recipe (cause, same)—try your own flavors! Add orange zest, try it with allspice and more! Just be sure to add flavors to the milk before cooking so that they can properly incorporate.
Dulce de leche should be stored in an airtight container (another reason I love using my Pyrex containers is because they all come with lids after cooking—no transferring the final product, and most importantly, no additional dishes!). It should keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, and should also freeze without a problem for later use—though I’m truly sure it won’t last that long.
How do I store Dulce de Leche and How Long Does It Last?
Dulce de leche should be stored in an airtight container (another reason I love using my Pyrex containers is because they all come with lids after cooking—no transferring the final product, and most importantly, no additional dishes!). It should keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, and should also freeze without a problem for later use—though I’m truly sure it won’t last that long.
The Best Instant Pot Dulce De Leche

This dulce de leche comes packed with complex flavor (cinnamon, lemon zest and a pinch of salt) and is crazy easy (this is another ‘just throw it in the pot’ kind of deal). Perfect for turning pretty much anything into a legit dessert.
Ingredients
- 6.5 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons water (warm)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Season sweetened condensed milk. Empty half of a 13 oz can of sweetened condensed milk into a mixing bowl. Add water, baking soda and season the sweetened condensed milk. In a separate container, mix ¼ teaspoon of baking soda into 1 ½ tablespoons of warm water. Once combined, pour on top of sweetened condensed milk in mixing bowl and whisk until fully combined. Add ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon of lemon zest and ¼ a teaspoon of salt and whisk again.
- Place sweetened condensed milk into glass container. Place sweetened condensed milk mixture in a pressure-cooker safe bowl. Empty sweetened condensed milk mixture into a pressure cooker safe container. This could be a sturdy 2 cup glass or metal container.
- Prepare bowl. Cover bowl with foil and rubber band. Get a piece of foil that will cover the entire top of the container, as well as the sides and secure the foil with a rubber band near the top of the bowl to keep the foil tightly in place as it cooks.
- Place bowl into Instant Pot. Fill the Instant Pot with 1 ½ cups of water and place the Instant Pot trivet into the water. Place bowl with the sweetened condensed milk mixture on top of the trivet and secure the Instant Pot lid. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure and pressure cook for 40 minutes. Be sure your ventilator is closed on the top of the lid.
- Turn off Instant Pot and allow for natural pressure release. Once the timer is up, turn off the Instant Pot and open the ventilator valve and allow the pressure to release naturally (about 15 minutes). Open lid and use oven mitts to remove the dulce de leche from the Instant Pot.
- Open container and whisk (or blend) dulce de leche. Remove foil from bowl and whisk the dulce de leche. You’ll notice that the thicker part of the sauce is sitting on top of the thinner part and there may be some coagulation. Whisking or blending the dulce the leche will break it up and make it smooth.
Notes
Prep time includes preparing sweetened condensed milk mixture and whisking after cooking.
If you are doubling this recipe, you want the bowl you place into the pressure cooker to be able to hold about double the amount of liquid you’re using in this recipe to prevent any spillage because the milk will bubble while it cooks.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 800Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 1160mgCarbohydrates: 136gFiber: 0gSugar: 135gProtein: 20g
Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Oscar F Sylican
Original dulce de leche ID done with milk and sugar, the condense milk one is an imitation that can be made at home
Sorry no cinnamon , nutmeg or lemon, on my a touch of vanilla