This vegan dulce de leche is thick and creamy and only 4-ingredients. Made with coconut and light brown sugar for a vegan take on a classic.
This vegan dulce de leche sauce is simply divine. It’s the rich, creamy and smooth caramel sauce of your dreams!
The traditional version of dulce de leche is made with sweetened condensed milk that has been boiled for many hours until it forms a thick caramel.
The vegan version is much easier than boiling a can of condensed milk for many hours! It doesn’t even involve condensed milk at all.
It’s made from coconut cream, coconut milk, light brown sugar and a little salt and it takes 30 minutes to make. Too easy.
How To Make Vegan Dulce De Leche
- Add coconut cream, coconut milk, light brown sugar and salt to a large heavy bottomed pot.
- Whisk with a hand whisk to combine and heat on medium to high heat, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to boil. Turn the heat down to medium and let it boil (uncovered), stirring every now and then, until the mixture has reduced and thickened (about 20 minutes). Keep a close eye on it so that it doesn’t boil over.
- Let the sauce cool for a few minutes in the pot before transferring to jars. Allow to cool completely in the jars before refrigerating. It will continue to thicken in the fridge into a thick caramel.
How To Serve Dulce De Leche
You can eat it with a spoon. Or use it as an ice-cream sauce, or pour it over pancakes or whatever you like.
When I gave some to my sister she immediately said ‘I’m just going to eat this with a spoon!’. So yes, it does inspire a person to do this.
Storing Instructions
Keep it stored in the fridge where it gets very thick and dreamily delicious.
It actually keeps for quite a while in the fridge, a couple of weeks and up to a month when stored in an airtight container.
Reheat it over low heat on the stovetop if you want it served warm.
More Delicious Vegan Caramel Recipes
- Date Caramel
- Vegan Caramel Sauce
- Vegan Chocolate Caramels
- Vegan Caramel Pie
- Vegan Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Dulce De Leche
Ingredients
- 14 ounces Canned Coconut Cream (400ml) Unsweetened
- 14 ounces Canned Coconut Milk (400ml) Full Fat, Unsweetened
- 1 ½ cups Light Brown Sugar (300g)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Add coconut cream, coconut milk, brown sugar and salt to a large heavy bottomed pot.
- Whisk with a hand whisk to combine and heat on medium to high heat, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to boil. Turn the heat down to medium and let it boil (uncovered), stirring every now and then, until the mixture has reduced and thickened (about 20 minutes). Keep a close eye on it so that it doesn't boil over.
- Let the sauce cool for a few minutes in the pot before transferring to jars. Allow to cool completely in the jars before refrigerating. It will continue to thicken in the fridge into a thick caramel.
Notes
- Use a large pot to prevent it from boiling over. When I tried making this in a saucepan, I turned my back for a second and it boiled over. Whereas when using a large pot, this has never happened. Nonetheless you do of course still need to keep a close eye on it.
- This recipe makes around 2 ¼ cups of dulce de leche.
Just made this using dark muscavado sugar, so obviously much darker in colour, I only wish I’d added some instant coffee granules to it as I think that would work really well. Now in jars whilst I pace the room waiting for it to cool but the scrapings from the saucepan were delish! Have you tried adding other flavours to this recipe?
Hi Amanda! I haven’t tried adding other flavorings to it, but I think you could! A coffee flavor would be super delicious! 🙂
Can I use swerve on this recipe? I cannot do any type of sugar or other sweeteners.
Hi Fabiana, sorry I have never used swerve so can’t be sure, but I suspect that it wouldn’t work great here since the sugar is a crucial part of the texture.
Does the recipe work with artificial sweeteners or does it have to be sugar?
It has to be sugar. 🙂
Does coconut sugar work instead of brown here?
Sure! 🙂
If you use coconut sugar don’t add any salt because coconut sugar is a bit salty.. (not sure why). Mine turned out a little too salty 🙂
Amazing! It thickened up beautifully and tastes amazing. I couldn’t help but eat it off the spoon 😉 Perfect for a vegan banoffee pie I am making!
Wonderful! Thanks so much for the awesome review Emma! 🙂
So I’ve got a slight problem with this recipe….I can’t stop eating it! It’s really THAT good I can eat it by the spoonful. Thank you for sharing this!!
Haha, that’s the perfect problem to have. 🙂 So glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for the awesome review. 🙂
I’m not sure what I did wrong here? I’m a fairly seasoned baker, so thought this would be easy peasy. Putting it together was, however it took waaaayyyy longer than 20 minutes of slow boiling to cook down (more like an hour, and even then it was not nearly as thick as I would have liked it to be). Thoughts?
Hi Pamela, I’m stumped, I was thinking maybe yours was on a lower heat than mine (I started on high heat then moved it down to medium) but you say it was boiling so that doesn’t seem to be it. I guess differences in ingredient brands can possibly make a difference, but also I’m really not sure. Regarding thickness – I have found it to thicken up quite dramatically when it cools down. Did this happen? How was the taste? Hope it was still good!
Thanks for your reply! I’m stumped too :/ . It eventually somewhat thickened, but not to the non-vegan version I’m used to (my parents are Chilean so I had this a lot growing up). I’m going to try a not-so-easy recipe today with almond milk (5 hour process). Wish me luck!
I feel so sad. My dulce de leche has a weird color. I don’t understand why. I wish I can show you a picture of it.
You can always tag me on instagram @lovingitvegan #lovingitvegan and I’ll see the photo, if you’re on instagram. How does it taste though?
Hi thanks for posting this i have not had this for years so I’m excited to try. How long can this be stored?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge and it will last for up to a month. 🙂
Hi, have you ever made it into a doughnut filling? If so how?
Thank you
I have not, but sounds like a fab idea! 🙂
First time I’ve found a caramel recipe I love!! After being diagnosed allergic to dairy; I thought my life was over. Now I’m trying new recipes and this ones a definite keeper!! I can enjoy caramel again ☺️ Thank you so much from the happy camper ☺️☺️☺️
Brilliant! So glad this one hit the spot! Thanks so much for your awesome comment and rating! 🙂
Light brown sugar or muscovado sugar?
Regular light brown sugar is fine. 🙂
So I INTENDED to save the leftover from this recipe (freeze it if possible??) to use in a future dessert for my family, but I drank it all—it’s that good!!
Hahaha, yes it’s super good! So glad you enjoyed it! I’m not sure about freezing it, I haven’t tried that, but I don’t see why not! 🙂
My kids are allergic to dairy and this recipe works great! So yummy!
That’s wonderful to hear Joanna! Thanks for posting! 🙂
Exquisite