Short answer: the best evaporated milk substitute is regular whole milk simmered down until it’s less than half its volume. That’s all evaporated milk is: milk with about 60% of its water cooked off. Simmer 2¼ cups of whole milk down to 1 cup and it swaps in cup for cup. No time to simmer? Half-and-half, light cream, powdered milk and canned coconut milk each work in the right dish.
Below you’ll find a quick chart, then each swap explained, then which one to use in pumpkin pie, mac and cheese, soups, fudge and coffee.
On this page: The chart · What evaporated milk does in a recipe · The 7 swaps · Not condensed milk! · Recipe by recipe · Mistakes to avoid · Quick questions
Evaporated milk substitute chart: what replaces 1 cup
Every amount below replaces 1 cup of evaporated milk. A standard 12-ounce can holds about 1½ cups, so multiply by 1½ when a recipe calls for “one can.” Need a smaller amount? Our guide to how many teaspoons are in a cup will help.
| Swap | Replaces 1 cup | Best in | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole milk, simmered down | 2¼ cups whole milk, simmered to 1 cup | Everything: pie, fudge, sauces, soups | Takes about 25 minutes; stir so it doesn’t catch |
| Half-and-half | 1 cup, straight swap | Pumpkin pie, custards, soups, coffee | A little richer than evaporated milk |
| Light cream or heavy cream | 1 cup light cream, or ¾ cup heavy cream + ¼ cup water | Pies, sauces, mac and cheese | Heavy cream on its own makes a very rich, dense custard |
| Powdered milk | ¾ cup nonfat dry milk powder whisked into ¾ cup warm water | Baking, pies, casseroles | Whisk until no lumps remain |
| Whole milk, as is | 1 cup, straight swap | Soups, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese | Thinner, so pie fillings and fudge won’t set the same |
| Canned coconut milk (dairy-free) | 1 cup full-fat, straight swap | Pumpkin pie, curries, soups | A light coconut taste; shake the can well first |
| Soy milk, simmered down (dairy-free) | 2¼ cups unsweetened soy milk, simmered to 1 cup | Baking, sauces, pies | Use plain, unsweetened; vanilla versions will flavor the dish |
What evaporated milk does in a recipe
Evaporated milk is plain, unsweetened milk that has been heated until about 60% of its water is gone, then canned. That gives it three jobs:
- Creaminess without much fat. It feels rich in the mouth, like light cream, but it’s still milk.
- Less water. A pumpkin pie or a fudge sets better because there’s less liquid to firm up. That’s why it’s in so many custard pies.
- A gentle caramel note. The long heating lightly browns the milk sugars, which is part of the flavor of a classic pumpkin pie.
The closer a swap gets to “milk with less water,” the better it works. That’s why reduced whole milk comes first.
The 7 evaporated milk swaps, explained
1. Whole milk, simmered down (the best all-rounder)
Pour 2¼ cups of whole milk into a wide saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Keep it bubbling softly, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom, until it has reduced to 1 cup. It takes about 25 minutes. A wide pan is quicker than a deep one, because more surface means faster evaporation.
Pour it into a measuring cup to check: once you hit the 1-cup line, it’s ready. Let it cool before it goes into a pie filling or a batter with eggs. You’ve just made evaporated milk the same way the factory does, only in a pan.
2. Half-and-half
Half-and-half is half milk, half cream, and it swaps in cup for cup with no cooking. It’s a touch richer than evaporated milk, which most people like in a pumpkin pie or a custard. If you want to stay closer to the original, use ¾ cup half-and-half and ¼ cup whole milk.
3. Light cream, or heavy cream thinned
Light cream swaps in cup for cup. Heavy cream is much fattier, so thin it: ¾ cup heavy cream plus ¼ cup water gets close. Used straight, heavy cream makes a very rich, dense filling and a heavier sauce. That’s not wrong, just different.
4. Powdered milk
Dry milk powder is the pantry hero here. Whisk ¾ cup of nonfat dry milk powder into ¾ cup of warm water until completely smooth. That makes about 1 cup of concentrated milk, very close to evaporated in body. Keep a bag in the cupboard and you’ll never be caught short before a holiday bake again.
5. Regular whole milk, as is
In a soup, a pot of mashed potatoes or a quick mac and cheese, plain whole milk swaps in cup for cup and nobody will notice. In a pie filling, a fudge or a flan it’s a different story. There’s more water, so the filling comes out looser and may take longer to set. For those, simmer the milk down first (swap 1) or use half-and-half.
6. Dairy-free: canned coconut milk
Full-fat canned coconut milk is thick and creamy enough to swap in cup for cup. Shake the can hard first, because the cream separates on top. It brings a light coconut flavor, which is lovely with pumpkin and warm spices and in curries and soups. Use the canned kind, not the thin coconut “milk drink” in a carton.
7. Dairy-free: soy milk, simmered down
Plain, unsweetened soy milk can be reduced exactly like dairy milk: 2¼ cups simmered gently to 1 cup, stirring often. Soy milk has plenty of protein, so it thickens nicely. Check the carton says “unsweetened” and “original,” since vanilla soy milk will flavor whatever you’re making.
Not the same: sweetened condensed milk
The cans sit side by side on the shelf, and they’re easy to mix up. Sweetened condensed milk is not a swap for evaporated milk. It’s milk that has been reduced with a lot of sugar, so it’s thick, syrupy and very sweet. Pour it into a recipe written for evaporated milk and the result will be far too sweet and won’t set the way it should.
The opposite swap is a different job altogether. If you’re out of sweetened condensed milk, it can’t simply be replaced with evaporated milk either, because the sugar is missing.
Which swap to use, recipe by recipe
- Pumpkin pie: half-and-half cup for cup is the easiest, or reduced whole milk for the closest match. Coconut milk makes a lovely dairy-free pie. Plain milk on its own gives a looser filling. Here’s our classic pumpkin pie, with a step-by-step picture guide.
- Mac and cheese: evaporated milk keeps a cheese sauce silky. Half-and-half or reduced milk does the same job, and plain whole milk works for a quick weeknight pot. Try it in a creamy homemade mac and cheese or crock pot mac and cheese.
- Soups and chowders: half-and-half, light cream or plain whole milk, stirred in near the end. Good in a corn and potato chowder or a roasted pumpkin soup.
- Fudge and caramel: reduced whole milk only. These need the low water content to set, so thinner swaps can leave you with a soft, sticky result.
- Baking (cakes, breads, muffins): powdered milk mixed with water, reduced milk or half-and-half. Plain milk works too, since a little extra liquid rarely matters in a cake.
- Coffee: half-and-half is the obvious swap. Evaporated milk in coffee is an old habit for a reason: it’s creamy without being cream.
- Dairy-free cooking: coconut milk or reduced soy milk. If the recipe also uses eggs, here’s what to use instead of eggs.
Mistakes to avoid
- Grabbing sweetened condensed milk. Check the label: it should say “evaporated,” not “sweetened condensed.”
- Boiling the milk hard to save time. A rolling boil scorches the bottom and can boil over. Keep it at a gentle simmer and stir.
- Adding hot reduced milk to eggs. Let it cool first, or you’ll get scrambled bits in your pie filling.
- Using plain milk in fudge or a custard pie and expecting it to set the same. Reduce it first.
- Using sweetened or vanilla plant milk. Plain and unsweetened only, unless you want the flavor.
Quick questions
Can I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk?
Yes, in soups, sauces, mashed potatoes and most baking, cup for cup. In a pumpkin pie, fudge or flan, simmer the milk down first (2¼ cups to 1 cup) or use half-and-half, because plain milk makes them looser.
Can I use half-and-half instead of evaporated milk in pumpkin pie?
Yes. Half-and-half swaps in cup for cup and gives a slightly richer, creamier pie. It’s one of the most popular swaps in a classic pumpkin pie.
Is evaporated milk the same as condensed milk?
No. Both have had water removed, but sweetened condensed milk also has a lot of added sugar. Evaporated milk is unsweetened. They aren’t interchangeable.
How do I make evaporated milk at home?
Simmer 2¼ cups of whole milk gently in a wide pan, stirring often, until it has reduced to 1 cup, about 25 minutes. Cool it before using.
What can I use instead of evaporated milk if I’m dairy-free?
Full-fat canned coconut milk, cup for cup, or plain unsweetened soy milk simmered down from 2¼ cups to 1 cup.
Kitchen Kit
- Nonfat dry milk powder, to keep in the pantry for an instant swap
- A wide saucier pan, which reduces milk faster than a deep pot
- A glass measuring cup, to check when you’ve reached 1 cup
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
