Discussion » Questions » Food and Drink » Those of know a lot about cooking, why are condensed milk and evaporated milk not interchangeable with each other in food preparation?
Randy D

Those of know a lot about cooking, why are condensed milk and evaporated milk not interchangeable with each other in food preparation?

 

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Posted - May 23
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Responses


  • 10985
    Basically it comes down to sugar content.  Evaporated milk has little to no sugar, while condensed milk is sweetened (taste them and you'll instantly understand).  If you have no other choice, you "can" substitute evaporated milk for condensed milk by adding sugar, but you should NOT substitute condensed milk for evaporated milk (finished product will be gross in both taste and texture).  
      May 24, 2026 7:53 AM MDT
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  • 53942

     

      What if I use a pair of tweezers to painstakingly remove each and every grain of sugar from the condensed version? It could happen, it could happen!
      Where there’s a will, . . .
      Grrrrrrrr. 
      ~

      May 24, 2026 9:24 PM MDT
    2

  • 10985
    IF you have a microscopic pair of tweezers (not cosmetic style) and an electron microscope (or very good eyesight), by all means, knock yourself out.  Just remember, the sugar isn't dry "grains" (like table sugar), rather it is combined with a liquid at the molecular level.  That means you're looking for molecules of C12H22O11.
      May 25, 2026 7:49 AM MDT
    1