Here’s a quick tip for the grocery store: condensed milk almost always says “sweetened” on the label. Evaporated milk says “unsweetened” or just “evaporated.” If you’re in a rush and grab the wrong one, don’t panic. You can still fix it—just add sugar to the evaporated milk or dilute the condensed milk with water to mimic evaporated. It’s not perfect, but it’s a lifesaver.
And please, for the love of baking, don’t confuse them when making dulce de leche. That caramel-like spread is made by slowly heating a can of condensed milk. If you try that with evaporated milk, you’ll just get warm, sad milk.
