Vegan Dulce de Leche

Vegan dulce de leche is a thick, sweet caramel-style sauce made with coconut milk instead of dairy, cooked slowly until it reduces into something spoonable and rich. You only need 5 simple ingredients, and it turns out beautifully creamy — perfect for drizzling over churros, ice cream, pancakes, or straight off the spoon. If you have wanted a plant-based version of this Latin American classic, this is the easy way to make it at home.

Dulce de leche is a caramel-flavored sauce that is hugely popular across Latin America, and it is often drizzled on churros. So when I made my vegan churros recipe last week, I decided to give a dairy-free version a try. My first attempt at simply swapping the milk in a traditional recipe for a plant milk did not work for me — maybe because I skipped the cow’s milk, maybe because I used less sugar. So I decided to adapt it. I reached for canned, full-fat coconut milk, which is much thicker, then added a little tapioca starch to thicken it even more. It tastes just like the original made with milk. The only difference is how it looks: mine turned out white rather than caramel-colored, but I actually prefer it that way — it looks “milkier”.

The 5 ingredients that make it work

This recipe stays simple on purpose, so each ingredient earns its place. Reach for canned, full-fat coconut milk rather than the carton kind — the higher fat content is what gives the sauce its body and lets it reduce into something thick and glossy. The sugar both sweetens and helps the mixture concentrate as it cooks down. A small pinch of sea salt keeps it from tasting flat and rounds out the sweetness, while pure vanilla extract adds that warm, caramel-like aroma. Finally, a little sifted tapioca starch is the thickening insurance that pulls everything together into a spoonable consistency. Sift the starch before adding it so you do not end up with tiny lumps.

How to get the perfect consistency

The whole method comes down to patience. Start by whisking the coconut milk and sugar together over medium heat until the sugar fully dissolves, then add the salt and vanilla. Whisk in the sifted tapioca starch, bring the mixture up to a boil, and immediately lower the heat. From there, let it simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing catches or scorches on the bottom of the pot. Keep the heat low — a slow reduction is what develops the flavor and thickens the sauce evenly. Remember that it will thicken further as it cools, so pull it off the heat while it is still a touch looser than your final target. If it ends up thicker than you like once chilled, a small splash of coconut milk or hot water whisked in will loosen it right back up.

Delicious ways to use it

I originally made this for my vegan churros, and that pairing is hard to beat — warm, crisp churros dipped into a pot of this sweet sauce. But there are plenty of other ways to enjoy it. Swirl it over a scoop from any of these vegan ice cream recipes, spoon it between layers of a cake, or use it to sandwich a batch of vegan whole grain cookies. It is also lovely drizzled over pancakes or stirred into your morning coffee for a caramel note.

Storing and making it ahead

Once the sauce has cooled, transfer it to a clean jar or airtight container and keep it in the fridge, where it will hold well for several days. It thickens as it chills, so if you want it pourable again, gently warm it in a small pot or microwave and stir until smooth, adding a little coconut milk or water if it has set too firmly. This makes it easy to prepare a batch ahead of time whenever you know a dessert is on the horizon. It is such a versatile little sauce to have on hand — I used it for my churros, but there are a bunch of other awesome recipes you can dress up with it.

If you make this vegan dulce de leche, I would love to know how it turned out — did you keep it pale and “milkier” like mine, or let it cook down a bit deeper? Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below with how you used it and any little tweaks you made.

Vegan Dulce de Leche

Here’s how you can make a delicious, vegan dulce de leche and enjoy it with your favorite desserts! You’ll need just 5 simple ingredients to make this Latin American recipe! Give it a try!

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Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Choose Serving Size 1

Ingredients 

MetricUS (Imperial)

• 400 ml coconut milk canned, full-fat
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ Tbsp tapioca starch/flour sifted

Instructions

• In a medium pot, combine the coconut milk and sugar.
• Heat the pot over medium heat and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
• Add a pinch of salt and the vanilla extract. Continue to whisk.
• Add tapioca flour/starch, sifted, and whisk to combine.
• Increase the heat until the liquid comes to a boil. Lower the heat afterward.
• Let it boil for 20 minutes on low heat while stirring occasionally.
• Let it cool and serve or store in the fridge.

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