These sweetened condensed milk cookies are simply the best. So ensure you have 25 minutes this weekend to whip up a batch. They are guaranteed to be worth it: made with just 5 ingredients, they are yummy and delicious.
There is no question about what to do with leftover sweetened condensed milk. Of course, good cookies!
Cookies with condensed milk have a lovely flavor, a milk taste that is both delicate and greedy at the same time, crumbly but perfect for soaking up.
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The dough is made in just seconds. It is beautifully soft with a smooth finish. You won't regret trying these sweet treats.
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They closely resemble Estonian condensed milk cookies (aka condensed milk biscuits) called Kondenspiimaküpsised in Estonian.
They have a slightly different flavor than traditional cornstarch-based Brazilian biscoito de maizena. Instead of flour, the Brazilian cookies use the gluten-free alternative - cornstarch.
Finally, these cookies differ from thumbprint cookies; they resemble shortbread cookies.
Why you should try this recipe
- Sweetened condensed milk cookies are easy, cut-out types of cookies made with little effort. They are fun to make with the kids.
- Shapes with St. Valentine's or Christmas themes are great for making them.
- They perfectly maintain their shape when baked, making them perfect for eating on the go.
- While the original recipe uses regular condensed milk, it could be easily adapted for those with dairy allergies.
- You can make cookies in the comfort of your own home with just a few simple ingredients.
- The humble condensed milk cookies are a family favorite. They are best enjoyed when paired up with a glass of milk. Also, they are a great option as a snack for lunch boxes.
- Finally, this easy recipe could be scaled: double it to make a big batch of cookies or halve the recipe.
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for exact amounts and instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.
- Flour: the recipe calls for regular flour - all-purpose flour. I haven't tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
- Baking powder: use fresh aluminum-free baking powder.
- Salt: a pinch of salt is essential to enhance the flavor of cookies. Omit the salt if you use salted butter.
- Vanilla extract: the recipe calls for a pure vanilla extract, but you can use alcohol-free vanilla flavor if desired.
- Butter: use unsalted butter right from the fridge. It should be chilled, not softened butter. You can replace butter with margarine or vegan butter.
- Condensed milk is the star of the recipe. Use homemade condensed milk or store-bought sweetened condensed milk, such as Nestle or MilkMaid. But please, don't confuse this with evaporated milk.
For the vegan version of the cookies, replace it with Nature’s Charm vegan condensed milk.
How to make condensed milk cookies
In a large mixing bowl, mix all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder and sift using a flour sifter.
Add cold butter, and cut into small pieces. Crush and rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until the sandy texture (photo 1). Add sweetened condensed milk and mix until it forms a cookie dough ball.
Extra tip: Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water if the dough seems too dry.
Wrap the dough in plastic film and chill in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 390 degrees F (200 degrees C). Then, using a rolling pin, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to 3-4 mm thick (photo 2).
Next, cut out the cookies using your favorite cookie cutter, for example, a round-fluted cutter.
Extra tip: If the dough gets too soft to handle, place it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
Arrange the cutouts on a baking tray covered with parchment. Optionally, add a few flaked almonds to create a flower pattern. Then, just press them down slightly (photo 4).
For the second batch, re-roll the leftover dough, chill it if necessary, and cut cookies out until the cookie dough has been used.
Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden brown.
Extra tip: Don't overbake your cookies: they tend to color quickly!
Remove them from the oven and let them cool down on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Dust with a little bit of icing sugar if desired.
Recipe variations
The condensed milk cookies recipe is straightforward, but there is still room for some variations.
- First, you can replace cornstarch with white flour in the cookie-baking process.
- Or for example, if you want to make chestnut-based cookies, replace cornflour with chestnut flour.
- Use cooked condensed milk instead of a regular one to give your cookies a caramel flavor.
- Play around with different cookie cutters, but stay within the optimal range of 1.5 inches/3.5-4 cm for excellent results.
No cookie cutters? You don't even need them! Just use a sharp knife to make diamond-shaped cookies.
Once baked and cooled, dust cookies with icing sugar, drizzle with melted chocolate, dip them in melted chocolate, or sandwich them with the filling of choice.
Storage instructions
Store cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container for one week.
Can you freeze condensed milk cookies? You can freeze plain (undecorated) cookies for up to 3 months. But first, let them cool down completely.
Then place them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag in flat layers divided by parchment paper so they don't stick together. To thaw, let cookies stay at room temperature for a few hours.
The best thing is to freeze the cookie dough to bake cookies later. Shape it into a log, wrap it with plastic film, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Expert Tips
- Correctly measure flour with a digital scale or scoop and level method.
- Don't skip the chilling time; it is essential to make these cookies.
- Use an adjustable rolling pin to get a perfectly even dough thickness.
- Use cookie sheets interchangeably with baking sheets if owned.
- Don't overbake cookies; they tend to burn very quickly. 8-10 minutes is enough for them to be fully baked.
FAQ
Condensed milk is thicker and sweeter, so it works as a sweetener and binding agent in the recipe. Unfortunately, you can't replace condensed milk with evaporated milk because they are not exactly alike.
You can make the cookie dough in a food processor at low speed, but make sure not to overmix it. Just pulse the ingredients until they come together.
Yes! The dough should be chilled for 30-45 minutes. This step facilitates cutting cookies out of the dough and helps avoid spreading the cookies in the oven.
Just replace regular condensed milk with coconut condensed milk and butter with vegan butter.
Love cookies? Try these next!
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Recipe card
Sweetened Condensed Milk Cookies
These sweetened condensed milk cookies are simply the best. Made with just 5 ingredients and 25 minutes of hands-on time, they are yummy and delicious.
- Total Time: 25 minutes, plus chilling time
- Yield: 30 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups plus 1 ½ tablespoons (200 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (50 g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2.8 oz. (80 g) cold unsalted butter
- 6.2 oz. (175 g) sweetened condensed milk
- flaked almonds (optional)
- icing sugar (optional)
Instructions
-
In a large mixing bowl, mix all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder and sift using a flour sifter.
-
Add cold butter, and cut into small pieces. Crush and rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until the sandy texture. Add sweetened condensed milk and mix until it forms a cookie dough ball.
Extra tip: If the dough seems too dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water.
-
Wrap the dough in plastic film and chill in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.
-
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to 3-4 mm thick. Next, cut out the cookies using your favorite cookie cutter, for example, a round-fluted cutter.
Extra tip: If the dough gets too soft to handle, place it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
-
Arrange the cutouts on a baking tray covered with parchment. Optionally, add a few flaked or slivered almonds to create a flower pattern. Then, just press them down slightly. For the second batch, re-roll the leftover dough, chill it if necessary, and cut cookies out until the cookie dough has been used.
-
Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden brown.
Extra tip: Don't overbake your cookies: they tend to color quickly!
-
Remove them from the oven and let them cool down on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Dust with a little bit of icing sugar if desired.
Notes
- Correctly measure flour with a digital scale or scoop and level method.
- Don't skip the chilling time; it is essential to make these cookies.
- Use an adjustable rolling pin to get a perfectly even dough thickness.
- Use cookie sheets interchangeably with baking sheets if owned.
- Don't overbake cookies; they tend to burn very quickly. 8-10 minutes is enough for them to be fully baked.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 69
- Sugar: 3.2 g
- Sodium: 8 mg
- Fat: 2.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.9 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 1.2 g
- Cholesterol: 8 mg
Keywords: sweetened condensed milk cookies
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
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