These easy, homemade condensed milk biscuits or cookies are thick, soft, and slightly chewy.
These cookies or biscuits are flavored with sweetened condensed milk. Once rolled out, these cookies are then pressed down with a fork to give them that really cute old-fashioned look and feel.
These egg-free condensed milk cookies are perfect holiday cookies. These cookies pair well with my plain vanilla cookies and my spicy ginger cookies.
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Recipe Updates
I grew up baking this sweetened condensed milk biscuit recipe, coming from the Kei Road Women's Association Centenary Recipe book, along with the Romany Creams recipe.
However, this recipe needed to be converted from pounds to metric, and subsequently also into cups and spoons. I bumped up the amount of vanilla extract, added a bit of salt, and also tested out reducing the sugar content of the biscuits.
Ingredients
- White granulated sugar is used for additional sweetness and texture in these cookies or biscuits. The original recipe calls for 340 grams in total, but I have tested and preferred the recipe at 300 grams of sugar.
- These biscuits are made with sweetened condensed milk, which also adds sweetness and that delectable condensed milk flavor. This cannot be substituted with evaporated milk, which has a different texture and thickness. I have, however, used the "light" or lower-fat version of condensed milk, and the cookies turned out perfectly fine.
- Butter adds flavor, softness, and moisture to these biscuits. I used a New Zealand butter with a butterfat content of about 82%, similar to a European or Irish butter. However, I grew up making these with Stork baking margarine, so this can be used instead of butter.
- Vanilla extract adds a bit of vanilla flavor and enhances the flavor of the butter and sweetened condensed milk.
- These biscuits are made with plain flour, standard-grade, or all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder gives these cookies a bit of lift.
- This recipe contains no eggs.
★★★★★
Community Comment
Jennifer says - "Easy to make, very easy to munch in one sitting.🤣"
Making the Condensed Milk Cookies
Step 1 - Line two large baking trays or sheets with baking paper or parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
Step 2 - Cream together the room-temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This can be done by hand, using an electric hand mixer, or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. This will take 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Note - if the butter is a bit hard, microwave in 10-second intervals until it is soft enough to cream. Do not melt.
Step 3 - Add in the sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla essence. Mix in until well combined.
Step 4 - Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Then add in a third of the flour, mixing through until combined, repeat twice more with the last two thirds. Once all the flour has been mixed in, it may knead to be kneaded a few times to ensure all the flour is mixed through. You should have a soft cookie dough.
Step 5 - Portion or divide the cookie dough using a cookie scoop (I used a 5cm cookie scoop, and then divided each scoop in half). Or roll out balls of dough approximately 3cm in diameter. Place the rolled cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet about 4cm (1.5 inches) apart. Press the cookies down until they are about 1cm tall using your fingers or the back of a fork.
Note - I like to portion all my cookie dough before baking, and I will store the cookie dough balls on a plate or a board lined with parchment paper.
Step 6 - Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes or until the cookies are a beautiful light golden brown color.
Note - If your cookie dough feels a bit soft, you can place the portioned cookies on a plate or baking sheet in the fridge for 10 to 30 minutes to firm up.
Step 7 - Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes or until the cookies are a beautiful light golden brown color.
Step 8 - Allow the cookies to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before lifting onto a wired rack to cool completely.
Making Levain/New York Style Cookies
To make thicker Levain/New York-style cookies, portion the cookies out using an ice-cream scoop. Rest the cookies for 30 minutes in the fridge and then bake for 25-25 minutes.
Making Cutout Cookies
Recently, I decided to test this particular cookie recipe as a cutout cookie. I placed the cookie dough between two sheets of baking paper and rolled the dough out to about 7mm thick. Then I refrigerated the dough for an hour.
I then cut them out using plain rounds as well as a few shapes. And baked them for 15-20 minutes. This resulted in a soft sugar cookie.
But they do expand or spread approximately 3mm out from the edge during baking. So this recipe, while can be used for cutouts, I would stick to simpler shapes.
Expert Tips for This Recipe
- Use room-temperature butter for this recipe. This will make it easier to cream the butter and sugar together. Sometimes when the weather is cooler you may need to warm up the butter a bit to make the creaming easier. I do this by popping it in the microwave in 10-second intervals until the butter is soft but not melted.
- Preheat your oven for around 20 minutes before you start to bake these cookies.
- If using a fan-assisted, convection, or air-fryer, reduce the temperature by 20°C/25°F.
- Remember that all ovens work slightly differently and bake times may need to be adjusted for your specific oven.
- Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven for best results.
- I recommend using an oven thermometer for increased accuracy.
- Bake one tray or sheet of cookies at a time.
Storage
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 weeks. Preferably a beautiful cookie tin!
Condensed Milk Cookies FAQ
Condensed milk adds tenderness, moisture, and flavor and adds to the color of the biscuit crust.
Yes! This recipe contains no eggs. The condensed milk adds moisture.
No, the sugar is important to the overall structure and taste of the cookie. The original recipe contained 340 grams of sugar, however, I have also tested it with 300 grams and this also produces a really delicious cookie.
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Recipe Card
Condensed Milk Biscuits (Cookies)
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- 2⅔ tablespoon scoop (No. 24)
Ingredients
- 450 grams butter (soft room temperature)
- 300 grams white granulated sugar *Note 1
- 395 grams sweetened condensed milk (395 grams=14oz) *Note 2
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 680 grams plain flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt
Instructions
- Line two large baking trays or sheets with baking paper or parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Cream together the room-temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This can be done by hand, using an electric hand mixer, or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. This will take 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. (Note - if the butter is a bit hard, microwave in 10-second intervals until it is soft enough to cream. Do not melt. )450 grams butter, 300 grams white granulated sugar
- Add in the sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla essence. Mix in until well combined.395 grams sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Then add in a third of the flour, mixing through until combined, repeat twice more with the last two thirds. Once all the flour has been mixed in, it may knead to be kneaded a few times to ensure all the flour is mixed through. You should have a soft cookie dough.680 grams plain flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon table salt
- Portion or divide the cookie dough using a cookie scoop (I used a 5cm cookie scoop, and then divided each scoop in half). Or roll out balls of dough approximately 3cm in diameter. Place the rolled cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet about 4cm (1.5 inches) apart. Press the cookies down until they are about 1cm tall using your fingers or the back of a fork.
- Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes or until the cookies are a beautiful light golden brown color. (Note - If your cookie dough feels a bit soft, you can place the portioned cookies on a plate or baking sheet in the fridge for 10 to 30 minutes to firm up. )
- Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes or until the cookies are a beautiful light golden brown color.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before lifting onto a wired rack to cool completely.
Notes
- The original recipe called for 340 grams of sugar (1 ¾ cups), if you prefer it a bit sweeter then add in the extra sugar for a single batch.
- Sweetened condensed milk - NOT evaporated milk
Tips
- If your cookie or biscuit dough feels a bit soft, refrigerate the cookies for 10 to 30 minutes before baking.
- This recipe makes approximately 4 dozen cookies, depending on the size of your cookie dough balls.
- For a smaller batch of cookies, simply make a "half batch" by clicking on the "½x" button.
- This recipe makes approximately 4 dozen cookies, depending on the size of your cookie dough balls.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 weeks.Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate. If scaling the recipe remember to scale your cook and bakeware accordingly. All temperatures stated are conventional, unless otherwise stated. Recipes tested in grams and at sea level.
Jill Kennard
Friday 5th of July 2024
Followed the recipe and they are good. Next time I pressed a small square of chocolate or a Hersheys Kiss onto the centre top of each and they were even better.
Shannon
Saturday 15th of June 2024
Condensed Milk cookies have become a favorite in our home.....can I freeze the mixture and if so for how long?
Mary-Lou
Sunday 16th of June 2024
Hi,
Thank you so much! I usually freeze cookie dough or biscuit dough for up to three months. You can freeze either as portioned out cookies or just in a container and let it defrost before you portion for baking.
Not Needed
Wednesday 24th of April 2024
So much of this recipe is perfect. The dough came together very nicely. The scoop created round cookies. The bake time was dead on. The only complaint I have is that they are entirely flavorless. I used twice the amount of vanilla called for and they still taste like nothing. I will try them again with some almond extract to see if that helps.
Peggy
Thursday 4th of April 2024
My daughter made these. Easy recipe and delicious perfect results.
Jennifer Anne Fox
Friday 13th of October 2023
Easy to make, very easy to munch in one sitting.🤣
Shannon
Friday 13th of October 2023
The condensed milk cookies are our favorites too....can't keep the cookie jar full