How to Make Cajeta (Easy Mexican Dulce de Leche)
Learn how to make the authentic Mexican cajeta recipe (dulce de leche or milk caramel sauce). This easy slow-cooked recipe is worth every minute.
You’ll love drizzling it over all your favorite desserts!
What is Cajeta
Cajeta is going to become one of your favorite sweet things in the world!
So what is Cajeta? It’s a sweet thick milk caramel sauce or syrup. In Mexico goat milk is typical used.
The milk is combined with sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and a little baking soda.
In Mexico, this sweet confection is known as cajeta and in other Spanish speaking countries, it is called dulce de leche.
Dulce de Leche
Dulce de leche means “milk candy”. But it’s not an actual candy, it’s more like a milk caramel sauce.
The term “dulce de leche” is made with regular cow’s milk. It’s also more commonly called this in central and Southern Latin American countries.
I grew up calling it cajeta so that’s the name I prefer, but I do realize that in some other Spanish speaking Latin American countries the word cajeta is considered to be a not so nice word.
Who Invented It
The word cajeta can also mean little wood boxes, and traditionally the cajeta was packaged and stored in wood boxes.
So as you can see it has many different meanings and uses depending on the region or dialect of Spanish. There are several areas in Mexico that claim they invented or that cajeta originated there.
But since the indigenous people did not really consume dairy products, most likely the sweet originated in Spain and brought to Mexico or introduced by the conquistadores.
Different Types of Mexican Cajeta
There are several different types of cajetas. Though if you live outside of an area that produces cajeta, you may only find “regular” cajeta. Sometimes this is also just called cajeta quemada.
Envinada
Some cajeta recipes will had an alcohol added to the recipe. They can be called “cajeta envinada” or occasionally “cajeta borracha”.
The alcohol used can be either rum or brandy.
Cajeta Coronado
A popular brand of cajeta quemada and envinada is Cajeta Coronado.
Ways to Use It
My family uses cajeta as a topping on almost anything we want. My personal favorite is to eat it right off the spoon like peanut butter or Nutella.
One of the most popular ways of eating cajeta, in Mexico, is by spreading it on a piece of bolillo. It’s just like you would spread jelly on a piece of toast. Delicious!
Another of my favorite ways of eating it is on “hot cakes” or pancakes. This is like an American-Mexican fusion treat.
In my family, it was a special treat and the kids went crazy for it. We were lucky too because, after we moved to the States, my mother would buy and bring back plastic tubs from her trips to our hometown.
Recipes to Drizzle it Over
- cajeta on crepes (or crepas) is another favorite of mine, though I didn’t discover it until I was older, it’s such a great dessert.
- You can drizzle cajeta over ice cream
- you can make a cajeta milkshake
- use it as cajeta cookie or empanada filling
- use it on cajeta tamales
- add a tablespoon to your coffee
- drizzle over waffles and pancakes
- use it on cajeta frosting for cupcakes
- stir into rice pudding or even oatmeal
- dip your favorite fruits into
There are many different uses for cajeta and it’s pretty much something to use as you’d like.
How to Make Cajeta
The authentic traditional Mexican recipe for cajeta uses a mix of goat milk and cow milk. And while you may be put off by the goat milk, don’t be.
Really, don’t be.
It’s very similar to cow milk and actually just has a slightly more savory taste to it than “regular” milk.
You won’t be able to differentiate between the two kinds of milk once the cajeta is prepared!
With Cow Milk
If you skip the goat milk and only use cow milk then it becomes dulce de leche. The taste is different than the traditional Mexican cajeta recipe.
So if you wanted to make the cow milk cajeta recipe simply swap out all of the goat milk in my recipe for regular milk. The remaining cajeta recipe and ingredients would stay the same.
Cajeta Recipe with Condensed Milk
In this case the cajeta would also become dulce de leche. The reason being that condensed milk is made with cow milk.
There are two methods for cajeta or dulce de leche with condensed milk.
- Submerge a can of condensed milk in a pot of water and simmer for hours. This allows the condensed milk to thicken further and turn that brown cajeta caramel sauce color.
- Pour the canned condensed milk into a pot and simmer to cook down the milk. This in turn caramelizes the sugars and turns the milk a thick caramel consistency with that golden brown color.
You could also use a slow cooker (or crock pot) with the regular cajeta recipe or with the canned condensed milk.
Cajeta Recipe
You’re going to love my easy cajeta recipe!
Below is my recipe for my small cajeta portion. But if you have a larger family you could try the larger version.
Either way, these are standard recipes that are used by many people.
Cajeta Recipe (Easy, Authentic & Delicious)
Video
Equipment
- 1 large heavy pot
- 1 wooden spoon
- 8 oz glass jar very clean
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 cups or 16 oz. or 500 ml goat milk*
- ⅓ cup or up to ½ cup white sugar
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract or ¼ tsp bourbon vanilla powder
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- pinch of salt
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- 2 tbsp whole fat cow milk
Equipment Needed
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour the goat milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon (if using) into a large heavy pot and bring to a light boil over medium heat. Stir to make sure all of the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat.
- In a separate bowl mix the cow milk and baking soda until the baking soda has dissolved. Remove pot from burner, pour baking soda mixture into the goat milk, stirring fast, be careful because the liquid will quickly froth and overflow. Stir until the bubbles have subsided then turn the heat to medium and bring the pot back to the heat.
- Continue to cook the goat milk mixture, stirring very frequently because the mixture may bubble and pour over the pot. After another 20-30 minutes the mixture should begin to a darken and start thickening into a thick sauce consistency. Continue simmering and stirring frequently until the mixture turns a dark caramel color and coats the wood spoon, this may take another 20-40 minutes depending on liquid left in the pot. The cajeta should the same consistency as maple syrup.
- Pour into a jar and allow to cool completely. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. The cajeta will keep fresh in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
- The cajeta taste best if warmed up a little bit before using as desired.
Notes
Large Portion Ingredients: 2 quarts or 1.90-liter goat milk
2 cups white sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract or ¾ tsp bourbon vanilla powder
one Mexican cinnamon stick (ceylon cinnamon)
pinch salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp whole fat cow milk ***The process is the same whether making the small or large version. The only difference is that it may take a bit longer for the larger version. (P.S. I forgot to include the cinnamon stick in the ingredients photo. Oops!)
Nutrition
As you can see, though it will give your arms a workout and you must be patient, making cajeta at home really isn’t complicated at all.
It’s so worth the effort and way better than the stuff available at the grocery store.
Now if you live in a place where you can get it locally made, then maybe just make cajeta once so you say you’ve done it, then support the local artisans.
Nancy Lopez is a food blogger and author of the cookbook Mexican Tamales Made Meatless. Born in Mexico, raised in the US, and currently living in Southern Mexico, she has followed a meatless diet for almost 10 years. It is her passion and mission to share all she has learned about vegan Mexican cooking and vegetarian Mexican recipes. Mexican Made Meatless is a blog dedicated to preserving the authentic flavors of Mexican cuisine just without the meat. It’s a place to celebrate Mexican culture and all it’s delightfully delicious traditional foods. Read more…
Just found your site while looking for a recipe for dulce de leche…the long version (i.e. not using a can of sweetened condensed milk…)
Thank you for posting this one and, I love your photos.
Here are my questions. What is the shelf life of dulce de leche before it goes bad ?
Which part of Mexico did you come from? I would love to visit that town if they have a dulce de leche festival as in Papantla, Veracruz at vanilla harvesting time.
And, third, what kinds of alcohol where people putting in to their dulce de leche? I never thought of doing that but I imagine rum or cognac would be great.
Hi Cheryl,
Glad you found my recipe and I hope you give it a try soon. I never keep mine longer than a couple of weeks — we usually eat it before then. Well, I am not from there but I know Celaya in the state of Guanajuato is the most famous place for cajeta. I’m sure they have many festivities around cajeta. As for the alcohol I’ve seen red wine but I think rum and cognac would work fantastically. Enjoy your cajeta!
I made this the first time Monday. Had to use all cows milk as its all I had. It was very good. BUT! Today, I used a qt of goat milk and 2 cups of cows whole milk and fantastic! On the weekend I am planning on using 3qts of goat and 6c of whole cows because anyone who stopped by wanted to taste and taste and taste. It cooks down quite a bit. This is so very wonderfully delicious! Thank. You. So. Much.
Hi! Thanks for the detailed recipe. I think I may’ve cooked it too long though. It’s still cooling and is very stringy. Is there something I can do to bring it back to a more syrupy consistency? I browsed the comments, and didn’t see anyone with this issue, so I apologize if this is a repeat question! Thanks again for the awesome recipe! I’m planning to drizzle it over my husband’s tres leches birthday cake 🙂
You could try adding some more milk and see if that thins it down. Yum, the cake sounds like it will be wonderful.
Absolutely amazing, made a large batch just yesterday using this recipe and it filled the house with the most wonderfully spiced aroma. Thank you ever so much for sharing this family gem.
My pleasure Olive, glad to hear you enjoyed both making it and, I’m sure, eating it too.
Just made this recipe with my cousin, The Freckled Foodie….our lives are forever changed. I can honestly say there will never be a time when there isn’t a jar of this amazing stuff in my fridge.
Hi Germaine! Hehe, I know exactly how you both feel. Thank you and enjoy putting cajeta on just about everything.:)
I meant to ask, mine actually turned out a bit gelatinous; is that normal or did I do something wrong!
Hi Germaine,
I’m sorry to hear that your cajeta turn gelatinous. That has never happened to me and I don’t really know how that could have happened.
Did you add extra ingredients or used different ones than called for in my recipes? Did the gelatinous texture happened after cooking or when did it happen? Let’s see if we can get to the bottom of it so that it doesn’t happen again.:)
~Nancy
So happy I found your page. Beautiful!
I love this recipe & have made the large portion version many times now. I’m curious why we put the baking soda in it. Do you know why it is needed? Also, I’ve substituted Fireball bourbon & Captain Morgan Black rum for the vanilla a few times & they are both really fun! Thanks for a great recipe & easy instructions!
Hi Angie,
I’m thrilled that you enjoy my recipe and that you make the large portions. I love your addition of bourbon and rum, and can only imagine how fantastic it tastes — yum!:) I did a little checking on the baking soda, and this Mexican Chef says it is added to help prevent lumps and to enhance the brown colour.
Thanks for the recipe!
I just wish TV chefs would stop calling it “dolche de leche” as it if were an Italian thing! (Folks, it’s pronounced “dulsay”!)
Haha 🙂 Thanks, Gina!
I just finished doing this and is so good! I’m really trying to not eat everything right away!
Hi Ioana,
Thank you and am glad that you enjoyed it — I agree not eating it all straightaway is difficult! 🙂
i just did this tongue and my husband (btw, he’s mexican) liked this a lot and he said that this is the taste of Mexico. It’s my first time to try cajeta. I love it too. I think it’s better than salted caramel. I put more salt on mine because I want it like salted caramel. It’s just a lot of work stirring for an hour and half lol… can I just crock pot condensed milk instead? but how would I blend the cinnamon and salt in condensed milk while it’s on simmer?
Hi I’m glad to hear it and it’s always nice to get a taste of Mexico when you live away from it. Stirring is tiresome but I think worth the effort — at least once it’s done and I’m not doing it anymore. Lol!
If you do it with the crockpot and condensed milk it will taste good but it won’t be cajeta anymore. Cajeta needs the mixture of cow and goat milk to achieve that unique taste. The condensed milk would turn into a very similar consistency but then it is called dulce de leche and it is quite common in South American countries like Argentina.
Either way enjoy both and thank you! 🙂
It’s so delicious! I accidentally let mine on heat too long and it became more of an actual hard candy caramel though. Any idea if there’s a way to fix it?
Hi Minerva,
Sorry I’ve never fixed it so I couldn’t say, my guess would be add more milk but I don’t know if that may end up ruining it. Enjoy the candy though:)
Thank you so much I’ve been looking for an easy recipe. By the way I saw another blogger that copied your recipe.
Thank you and good to know!
Hello, I am new to your site and had to make mine with cows milk but am on hunt for goat. I doubled and now wish a had tripled. Oh my gosh! Phenom just with good old cows milk. Shopping tomorrow andbgoat milk is on the list. Delicious!!! Thank you for this simple and amazing recipe. All the stirring makes me feel righteously domestic
Hi KimQ!
Thank you for the feedback, we’re thrilled that you loved our cajeta recipe. Let us know if you get your hands on the goat milk and what you think of the it. Thanks so much!!
Tried 4 grocery stores and no goat milk. Walmart! Walmart has it….so very very glad they did. Used 1 qt of goat with 2c of whole cows milk. Vanilla, sugar, cinnamon and a lot of love stirring the pot…..Absolute divinity. Will never make just cow again. Delicious!
Tomorrow, 1 gal goat and 8c cow…..my friends will be SO. HAPPY.
Thank you!
So happy you were able to find it so enjoy your cajeta!
It is 6:59a.m. on Saturday morning…9/4/20 and you have created a monster. There are 5 qts of goat milk in my fridge waiting for me. A 10 qt. kettle on my stove. I know this will take a few hours, at the least, to condense down and my home will smell fantastic all day. Happy, happy day.
Hehe, I think you’re going to be able to sell all that cajeta at this point. Enjoy!
Thanks For Sharing this Amazing Recipe. My Family Loved It. I will be sharing this Recipe with my Friends. Hope They will like it.
You misspelled a word:
turns the milk a thick caramel consienty with that golden brown color.
Thank you for catching that, Carlos! I’ve just corrected it. Really appreciate it.
Hi Nancy! Recently we got 3 dairy goats! It has been so much fun making new things with their milk. This is the 3rd time I make your delicious cajeta. Thanks so much for the yummy and easy recipe!
Wow that’s fantastic, thanks so much Lindsay! I’d love it if you could leave a star rating. That would help me out greatly. Thanks!
Let me start with I had never heard of cajeta. When I it directly off of the spoon, I dismissed it as humor. I now understand!! I just finished making a batch and OMG!!!!! This stuff is AWESOME!! I am making it to go with arroz con leche, but I’m pretty sure my family would just like a bowl of this. thank you for this recipe!!
I meant to say when I “read eat it” directly off…
Hi Andrea! Hehe now you get the love affair with cajeta that us Mexicans have. Enjoy & it does taste amazing on arroz con leche and ice cream and crepes and so many other things.
It is delicious!!! After almost two hours of stirring and stirring, I have a jar full of delicious cajeta!!! Thank you for all your delicious recipes!
Thank you Claudia! It’s totally worth all the stirring isn’t it?! 🙂