What To Know Before You Substitute Milk With Evaporated Milk

Versatile and shelf-stable, evaporated milk is good for so much more than tres leches cake. It is great to have on hand when you need a hit of creamy dairy in sweet and savory recipes, and it can even stand in for regular milk. So the next time you reach into the fridge, only to find your carton of milk has spoiled, head to your pantry instead of back to the grocery store.

However, it is important to note that evaporated milk cannot stand in as a one-to-one swap for regular milk, because it is more concentrated. To make it, milk is cooked down until more than half of the water evaporates out, leaving behind a product that is slightly more viscous and has a rich, milky flavor. But you may be asking: Wouldn't this richer taste and texture make baked goods even better? Actually, the higher fat content and amount of caramelized lactose in evaporated milk affects how breads, cakes, and more come together. The result of a one-to-one swap will be denser, harder, and overly browned. As such, you need to dilute evaporated milk to properly use it as a substitute.

For a standard 12-ounce can of evaporated milk, add anywhere from 12 to 18 ounces of water. The end product won't have a flavor and consistency that makes you want a tall glass alongside irresistible oatmeal cookies, but it is perfect to use in recipes like oatmeal, coffee, soups, and baked goods (so long as they're not too complicated).

Evaporated milk can stand in for even more dairy products, such as half and half or heavy cream. Half and half is simply equal parts whole milk and cream, so it does have more fat than evaporated milk — 12% compared to about 6.5%. However, the textures are very much comparable, so you can successfully substitute half and half with evaporated milk using a one-to-one ratio and get a similar end result.

The same proportion holds true for heavy cream, with some caveats. Since evaporated milk has much less fat, it will not whip up for whipped cream or create the most thick and luscious texture. It is also too different to stir directly into baked goods that call for cream, like cakes or cookies. However, if you want to add a creamy finish to a tomato sauce or casserole, evaporated milk will lend a lighter but still richly-flavored touch. Evaporated milk is also great to use in slow cooker soups, because it will not separate like higher-fat heavy cream does.

The faintly sweet, caramelized flavor of evaporated milk may slightly change how the final product tastes, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. In savory applications, it plays well with flavors like caramelized onions, mushrooms, nutty cheeses, root vegetables, and more, and it also tastes great in drinks.