Simmer 2 cups of milk gently, stirring often, until it’s down to 1 cup, then let it cool. In a hurry? Use half-and-half cup for cup.
Pick an ingredient and the swaps appear here, with amounts. The full chart is below.
What evaporated milk is
It’s milk with about half its water cooked off. That is why New Mexico State University’s chart turns it back into milk with equal water: ½ cup evaporated milk plus ½ cup water makes 1 cup of milk. Going the other way, you cook the water out of regular milk yourself.
How to make it from milk
Pour twice the amount of milk you need into a wide saucepan. Keep it at a gentle simmer, not a boil, and stir every few minutes so it doesn’t catch on the bottom. When it has reduced by half, pour it into a measuring cup to check, then cool it. Whole milk gives the closest result.
Pumpkin pie and other holiday recipes
Most pumpkin pie recipes call for one 12-ounce can, which is 1½ cups. For that, simmer 3 cups of milk down to 1½ cups, or use 1½ cups half-and-half. Half-and-half gives a slightly richer, softer custard. Either way, bake until the center reaches 160 °F, USDA’s safe temperature for egg dishes, or until a knife comes out clean.
| Evaporated milk | Milk to simmer down | Or half-and-half |
|---|---|---|
| ½ cup | 1 cup | ½ cup |
| 1 cup | 2 cups | 1 cup |
| 1½ cups (one 12 oz can) | 3 cups | 1½ cups |
Not the same as sweetened condensed milk
Sweetened condensed milk is thick and very sweet; evaporated milk has no added sugar. If your recipe needs condensed milk, pick it in the finder above for its own swap.
Based on New Mexico State University Extension, In a Pinch Ingredient Substitution, and Colorado State University Extension, Ingredient Substitutions. Egg dish temperature from the USDA Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart. Checked on October 30, 2026. More swaps: ingredient substitutions.