If you’ve been searching for a warm, nostalgic treat that feels like a comforting hug from your childhood, look no further than this Grandma-Style Condensed Milk Cookies Recipe. These cookies are delightfully soft, rich, and chocolate-studded, making them perfect for sharing with friends, family, or just savoring on your own with a hot cup of tea. The magic starts with sweetened condensed milk, which gives these cookies their incredible moist texture and chewy crumb, all while keeping things super simple in the kitchen. Get ready to fill your home with the most inviting aroma and create a batch that everyone will be asking for again and again!
Ingredients You’ll Need
What makes this Grandma-Style Condensed Milk Cookies Recipe so special? It’s the perfect balance of basic pantry staples, all coming together to create cookies that are soft, rich, and full of comforting flavor. Each ingredient plays a very deliberate role, from the creamy butter to the luscious sweetness of condensed milk, to the pockets of melty chocolate in every bite.
- Butter (450g, room temperature): The foundation of tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, providing richness and softness.
- Granulated sugar (200g): Adds just the right amount of sweetness and helps with cookie browning.
- Vanilla bean paste or extract (1 tsp): A fragrant boost that complements the sweetness beautifully.
- Sweetened condensed milk (1 can, 395g): The star ingredient that keeps the cookies incredibly moist and chewy.
- All-purpose flour (520g): Gives structure and stability without weighing down the cookies.
- Baking powder (1 ½ tsp): Helps the cookies rise gently and become light but still soft.
- Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (400g): The final touch of melty, indulgent bursts in every cookie.
How to Make Grandma-Style Condensed Milk Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Oven and Baking Sheets
Start by preheating your oven to 330°F (165°C). Line three to four baking sheets with parchment paper so the cookies don’t stick and for easy cleanup. If you only have a couple of sheets, no worries! You can bake the cookies in batches without slowing down the process.
Step 2: Cream Butter, Sugar, and Vanilla
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla bean paste until the mixture turns light and fluffy. This step is crucial because it traps air, helping create a soft texture in your cookies. It takes about 2-3 minutes, so be patient and enjoy watching the transformation.
Step 3: Add Condensed Milk and Dry Ingredients
Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and mix just to combine. Then, sift in the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Mix briefly until everything comes together, even if a few streaks of flour remain—that’s perfectly fine. Overmixing might make the cookies tough, so just a gentle hand here keeps them tender.
Step 4: Fold in the Chocolate Chips
Now the fun begins! Add the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate and gently fold them into the dough using a spatula. This distributes the chocolate evenly so every bite has those wonderful melty spots.
Step 5: Scoop and Shape the Dough Balls
Use a 1-tablespoon scoop or a #60 cookie scoop to portion out 20g balls of dough. Roll each scoop gently between your palms to form perfect little spheres and place them evenly spaced on your baking sheets. You can fit about 20 per sheet, allowing enough room for spreading but keeping the batch size manageable.
Step 6: Bake to Perfection
Bake the cookies for 14-15 minutes, watching for edges to turn a light golden brown. These cookies don’t need to be deeply browned; a gentle color shift means they’re ready. If you’re a perfectionist, take a cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie and gently press down to create beautifully round edges right out of the oven.
Step 7: Cool Before Enjoying
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10-15 minutes so they set up nicely. Once cooled, transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Repeat the baking process with any remaining dough—you’ll be enchanted by the irresistible smells filling your kitchen all the while.
Step 8: Store and Savor
Once completely cooled, store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. This Grandma-Style Condensed Milk Cookies Recipe means you can enjoy soft, delicious treats anytime, no matter your schedule.
How to Serve Grandma-Style Condensed Milk Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
Sometimes, simple is best. A light dusting of powdered sugar adds a delicate sweetness and pretty presentation. For a fun twist, drizzle some melted white or dark chocolate over the top to add visual appeal and an extra layer of flavor.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair beautifully with cozy drinks like a steaming mug of coffee, a rich hot chocolate, or a classic glass of cold milk. The creaminess of the condensed milk in the cookies makes them a fantastic match for warm beverages, balancing sweet and bitter notes perfectly.
Creative Ways to Present
For parties or gift-giving, stack the cookies in mason jars tied with twine or place them in decorative boxes layered with parchment paper. You can also sandwich two cookies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or peanut butter for an indulgent treat everyone will rave about.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep your cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay soft and flavorful for up to one week, making them ideal to bake in advance for weekend treats or small gatherings.
Freezing
If you want to stretch your batch or save some for later, freeze the baked cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet first, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. They’ll keep for up to three months without losing their wonderful texture.
Reheating
Not quite ready to indulge? Simply reheat frozen or room temperature cookies in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. This brings back that fresh-from-the-oven softness and melty chocolate effect, making every bite taste like it was just baked.
FAQs
Can I use unsalted butter instead of salted?
Absolutely! If you use unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt to the dough to enhance the flavors. Salt balances the sweetness beautifully, even in this sugary cookie recipe.
Is there a substitute for sweetened condensed milk?
The condensed milk is key to this recipe’s unique texture and flavor, so it’s best not to skip it. However, if needed, you could try using evaporated milk with added sugar, but the results won’t be quite the same.
Can I make these cookies gluten-free?
You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Just make sure the blend has xanthan gum or similar binders for proper texture. The baking powder remains the same.
How can I make smaller or larger cookies?
Feel free to adjust the size of your cookie dough balls! Keep an eye on the baking time—smaller cookies may bake in 8-10 minutes, while larger ones might need a few extra minutes. Just look for that light golden edge for perfect timing.
Why do these cookies stay soft even after cooling?
The sweetened condensed milk in this Grandma-Style Condensed Milk Cookies Recipe keeps moisture locked in, resulting in that beloved chewy texture that doesn’t harden as much as other cookie recipes.
Final Thoughts
This Grandma-Style Condensed Milk Cookies Recipe is truly a treasure to have in your baking repertoire. Its simplicity, paired with the nostalgic flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture, makes it a winner for any occasion. Once you make a batch, you’ll understand why it’s a family favorite for generations. So go ahead, gather your ingredients, and fill your kitchen with these heavenly cookies today—you won’t regret it!
Print
Grandma-Style Condensed Milk Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 90 cookies
- Category: Dessert, Snack, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Grandma-Style Condensed Milk Cookies are a nostalgic treat made in a massive batch, perfect for sharing or keeping on hand for any occasion. Rich and buttery with a tender crumb, they feature sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips for a delightful twist on classic cookies. Soft and chewy with a lightly crisp edge, they bake beautifully at a low temperature and are simple to prepare in bulk.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 450g butter, at room temperature (salted preferred)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk
Dry Ingredients
- 200g granulated sugar
- 520g all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
Add-ins
- 400g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 330°F (165°C). Line 3 to 4 baking sheets with parchment paper. If you don’t have enough baking sheets, plan to bake the cookies in batches, transferring the baked cookies off the sheets once done.
- Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric mixer in a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla bean paste or extract for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add condensed milk and dry ingredients: Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and mix until fully incorporated. Then sift in the all-purpose flour and baking powder, and mix briefly just to combine; it’s okay to have a few flour streaks at this point.
- Incorporate chocolate chips: Add the chocolate chips to the dough and fold them in gently by hand with a spatula to evenly distribute without overmixing.
- Portion dough: Using a 1 tablespoon (#60) cookie scoop, portion out approximately 20g balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly. Roll each dough ball between your hands into a smooth round shape.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes until the cookies are set and lightly browned at the edges. For best results, bake one pan at a time. Optionally, while still warm, use a slightly larger cookie cutter to gently reshape them into perfect rounds.
- Cool the cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store the cookies: Once fully cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep fresh for up to one week.
Notes
- Using salted butter enhances flavor, but if using unsalted, you might add a pinch of salt to the dough.
- If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, pure vanilla extract works perfectly.
- Baking at a low temperature allows the cookies to bake evenly without burning.
- Rolling the dough balls helps them bake into uniform, round cookies.
- Chocolate chips can be substituted with chopped chocolate or even dried fruit for variation.
- Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container to maintain their softness.
