Everyone needs shortcut recipes in the kitchen and I’ve found a fantastic ingredient to help with that. Dulce de leche! These are the best dulce de leche dessert recipes around and I guarantee that you’ll love them.
Let’s Unpack What Dulce de Leche Is
If you’re unfamiliar with the amazingness that is dulce de leche, let me briefly explain.
Dulce de leche translated to English means sweet milk and it’s as familiar in Latin and South American cooking and baking as caramel sauce and peanut butter are in the U.S.
It’s a rich and creamy sweet spread that can be sandwiched between cookies, mixed into buttercream frosting, drizzled over ice cream, or used in dozens of other ways.
Dulce de Leche vs. Caramel Sauce
Where caramel sauce is made with sugar, cream, and butter, my dulce de leche recipe is made with a single ingredient: sweetened condensed milk. You’ll simmer the milk for a few hours so that the sugar in the milk caramelizes and turns the milk from a creamy white color into a deep golden brown.
Traditionally, dulce de leche is made with milk and sugar but I find that a ready-to-go can of sweetened condensed milk is a much simpler option.
What Can you Make with Dulce de Leche?
Many of the recipes in the list below are my favorites from right here at Smells Like Home and they’re ones that I’ve been making again and again for years. The rest of them are from a few of my blogger friends, all of whom have a deep love for dulce de leche just like me!
So pull up a comfy chair and maybe an iced latte and dig in to these absolutely fabulous recipes!
The Best Dulce de Leche Dessert Recipes
Homemade Dulce de Leche Recipe
Dulce de Leche is a deliciously sweet treat made from 1 simple, easy to find ingredient. To make this homemade dulce de leche recipe, it will cost you about $2 so you can forget about spending over $6 in specialty food stores the next time you need it!
Dulce de Leche Pretzel Linzer Cookies
These linzer cookies are made with pretzels and filled with creamy dulce de leche for a delicious salty and sweet treat! They turn the classic jam-filled linzer cookie on its end!
No Bake Banana Dulce de Leche Mousse Cake
This No-Bake Banana Dulce De Leche Mousse Cake has layers of delicious dulce de leche mousse, fresh sliced bananas, and banana pudding mousse.
Peanut Butter Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
For these cupcakes, I ramped up humble, yet always delicious, chocolate peanut butter cupcakes with an elevated dulce de leche filling recipe. These Peanut Butter Dulce de Leche Cupcakes are OUTSTANDING and I guarantee they'll disappear quickly from your dessert table!
Dulce de Leche Stuffed Cookies
These Dulce de Leche Stuffed Cookies are made with a wonderful brown sugar cookie dough and stuffed with creamy, sweet dulce de leche caramel inside. You’ll find yourself craving them as soon as they are gone!
Espresso Dulce de Leche Brownies
If you've never swirled dulce de leche into brownies, you have been totally missing out! These Espresso Dulce de Leche Brownies are deep, dark, fudgy, and utterly delicious. They're an outstanding way to use dulce de leche and they're so good that you'll be making batch after batch after batch!
Butter Cookie Sandwiches with Dulce de Leche Cream Filling
Butter Cookie Sandwiches with Dulce de Leche Filling are simple and elevated at the same time. These classic butter cookies are kicked up a notch with the addition of a dulce de leche buttercream filling and a dip in some dark chocolate.
Dulce de Leche Apple Pie
This dulce de leche apple pie is a fun and delicious twist on the classic. And the mini apple cutouts, which make the top crust, are simply gorgeous and easy to make than a regular crust!
No Bake Dulce de Leche Wafer Cake
This easy Dulce de Leche Wafer Cake is made with just THREE ingredients and requires no baking. It can be prepared 1-2 days ahead and feeds a crowd. The easiest dulce de leche dessert you will ever make!
Alfajores
Alfajores are sweet and simple dulce de leche sandwich cookies made of two buttery cookies filled with a dulce de leche filling. Roll yours in coconut, dust with powdered sugar, drizzle with chocolate, or just enjoy plain like I do!
Dulce de Leche Mousse Recipe
Creamy and mouthwatering, this dulce de leche mousse is a dessert you won’t stop eating. Serve it to your friends and family and wait for the compliments.
Dulce de Leche Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Dulce de Leche Overnight Cinnamon Rolls are a fantastic way to start your day! With all the prep done the night before, you an wake up and pop these rolls in the oven while the coffee is brewing.
Dulce de Leche Brownies
These Dulce de Leche Brownies are chewy, fudgy, and swirled with dulce de leche.
Peach Filled Cake with Dulce de Leche Buttercream Recipe
This Peach Filled Cake with Dulce de Leche Buttercream Frosting is the perfect way to celebrate ripe and juicy summer peaches. The cake and filling are studded with fresh peaches and the frosting is just bursting with sweet and rich caramel-y flavor. Here's your next favorite summer cake!
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