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Home » Recipes » Shaped Cookies

Condensed Milk Cookies

Published: Oct 13, 2022 Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022 by Marye 1400 words. | About 7 minutes to read this article.

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
Easy, sweetened condensed milk cookies made with Eagle Brand are buttery but not too sweet. Perfect for holiday giving!
Cookies on a plate with text overlay for Pinterest.

So perfect with a cup of hot chocolate on a chilly night!

Overhead shot of Christmas cookies.
Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you'll love it
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 🥫 Storage
  • 📖 Variations
  • 💭 Things to know
  • 👩‍🍳 FAQs
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 🍽️ Serve with...
  • 🥄 Equipment
  • 📞 The last word
  • Condensed Milk Cookies
  • 💬 Comments

❤️ Why you'll love it

  • A simple cookie, perfect for beginner bakers, busy moms, and kids
  • Makes a great addition to the holiday dessert table
  • Buttery, sweet flavor without tasting like a sugar-overload

Using satisfying, simple ingredients, this condensed milk cookies recipe is easy enough to whip up in a few minutes, but enjoyable enough to spend the afternoon making with your family. Decorate them any way you want—with Christmas sprinkles, team/school colors, or even for Valentine's day!

🧾 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

Labeled ingredients for this recipe.

🔪 Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Step by step picture
  1. Cream softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.
  2. Mix in the condensed milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
  3. Combine the dry ingredients, then blend them into the batter.
  4. Chill the soft dough to make it easier to portion onto a baking sheet.

🥫 Storage

Store leftover condensed milk cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They'll keep for almost a week—but I bet you'll eat them all before then!

This is an easy recipe to scale if you want to make a big batch of cookies with just a little effort. You can freeze the dough and save it for up to three months! Just wrap it tightly with cling wrap, and let thaw in the fridge just until you can handle it again.

Cookie dough balled up with sprinkles

📖 Variations

  • Use sanding sugar, sprinkles, or nonpareils to give each cookie dough ball a unique decoration.
  • Satisfy chocolate chip cookie cravings by stirring in some of those extra chocolate chips you have sitting in your cupboard.
  • Mix in some white chocolate chips and dried cranberries for a festive, delicious cookie recipe upgrade.
  • Press a small, round candy (like a chocolate kiss, Rolo, or peanut butter cup) onto the top of each cookie before baking for a fun flavor bite.

💭 Things to know

Expert Tip: Condensed milk is not interchangeable with evaporated milk when it comes to these sweetened condensed milk cookies. You'll be disappointed if you try to use evaporated milk, so shop carefully!

  • Don't forget to set your butter out to come to room temperature! If your kitchen is cold, move the butter closer to your preheated oven.
  • When using basic ingredients, you want good flavors to shine through. Splurge on a high-quality butter or gourmet vanilla—it's worth it!
  • Make sure your baking powder isn't close to expiration, or your cookies won't puff as much.
  • Line your baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
  • If you do a lot of baking, consider using a silicone baking mat to line your cookie sheet.
  • You can use a large mixing bowl and some good 'ol muscle power, but it's much easier to mix up the dough using a stand mixer on low speed.
  • Don't forget to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally when using an electric mixer. You want all of the ingredients to blend perfectly!
  • The chill time is important, both when resting the dough initially and after shaping the cookie dough balls. So, don't skip it!
  • If you prefer larger cookies, you can use a medium cookie scoop or even an ice cream scoop! However, thicker cookies may take a little bit more time to bake.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

What do condensed milk cookies taste like?

The texture is sort of in between shortbread cookies and thumbprint cookies. Unlike hard, flat sugar cookies, these are tender and slightly chewy cookies. The flavor is mild, buttery, and just sweet enough to satisfy a dessert craving—without a tragic sugar crash!

Is vanilla essence the same as extract?

Nope! Vanilla essence is generally a synthetic flavoring agent, while vanilla extract is a natural flavor that is extracted from vanilla beans. If you can, use vanilla extract for a better flavor. Or, upgrade to vanilla bean paste for the best flavor!

Can I use white or brown sugar instead of powdered?

I wouldn't substitute powdered sugar with another variety. The ultra-fine texture of confectioner's sugar makes these condensed milk cookies extra light and delicious.

Will I have leftover condensed milk?

Nope! I've written this recipe to perfectly use up one whole can of 14 oz Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk. However, if you scale the recipe and have leftover sweetened condensed milk, store it in the fridge and use it as a decadent coffee creamer! It's the perfect addition to your morning cup 'o joe.

Wait, is unsweetened condensed milk the same as condensed milk?

I know it might sound confusing. Sweetened condensed milk is usually the same thing as condensed milk. There really isn't a such thing as "unsweetened condensed milk," since that would just be evaporated milk.

However, read the label carefully. Eagle Brand condensed milk is always a safe bet, and a perfect way to ensure your cookies are great every time!

Can I use self-raising flour, instead of AP?

Self-rising (sometimes referred to as self-raising) doesn't only have added leavening agents, but it also has a different protein content than all-purpose flour. That means your cookies will have a different texture. My family agrees that this is the perfect recipe as written, so I'd recommend sticking with AP flour.

Hand picking up Christmas cookie from plate

📚 Related recipes

  • Christmas cookies that truly have it all, Santa's Whiskers Cookies are simple to make, easy to freeze, and packed with nutty, buttery flavor.
  • Earl Grey Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are a classic sweet treat—and for good reason. They're scrumptious, so addictive, and they even ship well so you can spread the holiday cheer to faraway friends and family.
  • Upgrade the classic cookie-swap treat with these delicious Peppermint Blossom Cookies—they're pretty, unique, and mint-tastic!
  • closeup of soft sugar cookies with pink icing.
    Lofthouse Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
  • Heart shaped sugar cookies with frosting on a table.
    How to Store Buttercream Frosted Cookies
  • Closeup of cookies for the feature image.
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  • Overhead view of cookies on a cooling rack.
    Bakery Sugar Cookies Recipe

🍽️ Serve with...

  • Holiday Apple Cheddar Appetizer
  • Southern Candied Yams
  • Christmas Charcuterie Sweets Board
  • Chocolate Peppermint Martini

🥄 Equipment

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I recommend the following items to make this recipe successfully.

  • cookie sheet
  • cookie scoop

📞 The last word

One of the best things about Christmas is the traditions -holiday cookies, making gingerbread houses, caroling...

So much fun!

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A plate of cookies with coffee cups in the background.
4.72 from 7 votes

Condensed Milk Cookies

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Easy, sweetened condensed milk cookies made with Eagle Brand are buttery but not too sweet. Perfect for holiday giving!
Course cookies
Cuisine American - Vintage
Servings:48
Calories:109
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups butter, room temperature
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon salt

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

  • Beat the butter until smooth.
  • Add the sweetened condensed milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
  • Mix on medium speed, scraping sides of the bowl often, until smooth and all ingredients are mixed in well.
  • Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • With mixer on low, stir in the dry ingredients just until well blended.
  • Dough will be soft.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or overnight.
  • Remove dough from refrigerator.
  • Drop by small cookie scoop or teaspoonfuls to the prepared baking sheet.
  • Top with sprinkles as desired.
  • Put into freezer to chill while the oven is preheating to 325F.
  • Bake 12-15 minutes.
  • Cool on cookie sheet for at least 5 to 10 minutes before removing to wire racks.

Notes

Storage:
These will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a week. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Tips:
  • Be sure to use sweetened condensed milk - like Eagle Brand.
  • Don't forget to set your butter out to come to room temperature.
  • When using basic ingredients, you want good flavors to shine through. Splurge on a high-quality butter or gourmet vanilla—it's worth it!
  • Make sure your baking powder isn't close to expiration, or your cookies won't puff as much.
  • Line your baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
  • If you do a lot of baking, consider using a silicone baking mat to line your cookie sheet.
  • The chill time is important, both when resting the dough initially and after shaping the cookie dough balls. So, don't skip it!

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 81mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 199IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

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