Caramel in the Instant Pot

Also commonly known as Dulce De Leche, this amazing jar of sweetness wont last long, so its wonderful that it’s so effortless to make in the Instant Pot!

You will need:

1 Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 Mason jar with screw on lid (Make sure that it is safe for canning, I use Ball Mason Jars)

Begin by opening the can of Sweetened Condensed Milk, and pouring it into the clean, dry, Mason Jar. It will be thick and pour slowly, so I like to rest mine for a couple minutes as pictured below.

Cover the lid loosely, do not screw the top on all the way, and place it on the trivet in the Instant Pot. Fill with water until the water level reaches the level where the top of the Sweetened Condensed Milk is. (See Picture Below- Notice that the water is at the same level as the ingredients in the jar)

I am using a 2 cup Mason jar, and its filled a little over halfway. If you are using a smaller sized mason jar, such as 4oz or 8oz, you will want to fill to the fill line specified on the jar. Do not overfill. You will then put the lid on, lock it into place, make sure the vent is set to Sealing, NOT venting, and set the Instant Pot for Manual 45 Minutes. If you use High Pressure, that will work fine and produce a nice dark caramel color. If you have the option of choosing low, you can cook on Low Pressure for the same length of time and you will also get an amazing jar of this rich and luscious Caramel. Low Pressure reduces risk of the glass fracturing under pressure. Know that there are risks with Pressure Cooking, and make sure you’ve read the manual if you are unfamiliar, jars can break/shatter under pressure, which is why I make sure to use Ball or Kerr Mason Canning Jars. I have made this Caramel recipe many times, and have cooked it both on High Pressure and low. If you like darker Caramel, cook on High Pressure, I personally like it lighter, so I cook on Low Pressure.

After the 45-minute cook cycle is finished, the Instant Pot will switch to keep-warm mode. I like to let it rest for at least 30 minutes, before even thinking of opening that lid. When the Pressure is completely released, I open the lid, and dry the cap of the mason jar using a dish cloth. DO NOT remove the mason jar from the Instant Pot until it has cooled for at least 1 hour after cooking, so you’ve got about another 30 minutes before you can bring the jar out of the Instant Pot safely. I leave the lid off and turn off the Instant Pot, until it has cooled enough to lift the jar out. If you bring the jar out of the Instant Pot early, be careful, extreme temperature changes can crack the jar, and you may also notice if you bring the jar out too soon, that the Caramel will still be gently boiling- more like bubbling very slightly, because it’s still cooking after the original 45-minute cook time is finished. Patience is key for rich and creamy Caramel.

The Caramel is ready when it’s cooled, just make sure that no water got inside of the Caramel before storing it in the fridge. You can check by opening the lid, and if there’s any water, you can gently blot with a dry paper towel before stirring.

I recommend stirring before moving the Caramel to the fridge to ensure its nice and creamy, so give it a nice stir, put the lid back on and place in the fridge until you are ready to use.

This Caramel is good for 5-10 days in the fridge, but good luck! We usually eat all of ours within the first 2 days.. and by “we”, I mean myself. This Caramel is just soooooo good! Super velvety and rich and tastes great on apple slices, yogurt, cheesecake, and anything really.

These are the Mason Jars I like to use for this recipe..

When splitting this recipe up to give as gifts, they look lovely in these 4 oz jars

These jars hold 8 oz of Caramel and are another option

Don’t forget the labels!