Can You Freeze Sweetened Condensed Milk?
Updated on March 2, 2023
Q. I like to make Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk from time to time. The recipe only calls for a small amount of sweetened condensed milk, but I must open up a whole can. Then I have a ton left over, which inevitably goes bad in the fridge because I only make the coffee once in a while. I don’t like having to throw away almost an entire can every time I use some for coffee, and would like to freeze individual serving sizes of it for when I need it. I’m not sure if this will affect the quality or the texture of product. Can you freeze sweetened condensed milk?
A. Yes, you can freeze sweetened condensed milk! Although many people do not recommend it as the milk can become thicker, it can be successfully frozen. Freezing it in such small individual serving sizes shouldn’t affect it much, and it should thin out when added to hot coffee. The milk may still stay a bit sticky when frozen, but that doesn’t affect the quality or the taste of the product.
How to freeze sweetened condensed milk?
To freeze sweetened condensed milk in individual serving sizes, be sure to start with fresh condensed milk. Do not freeze sweetened condensed milk that has been sitting open in your fridge for several days. Pour the condensed milk into ice cube trays, either the hard sided ones or silicone ones that you can turn out. Once the condensed milk is frozen, turn them out into freezer bags or hard freezer-safe containers. If you are worried about the cubes sticking, they can be wrapped in plastic wrap or parchment paper, but that is not a requirement for successful freezing.
Seal the packages, then label and date them before placing them in the freezer. Frozen sweetened condensed milk is good in the freezer for about 3 months.
To use, simply remove the desired number of cubes and add them directly to your coffee. You can also thaw frozen sweetened condensed milk in the fridge before adding it to your recipe or your coffee. It may be a bit thick, so you can stir it first if you prefer.
Thawed sweetened condensed milk should be consumed within 24 hours for best results and kept in the fridge until needed. It is not recommended to refreeze previously frozen sweetened condensed milk, and never thaw it on the counter.