Dulce de leche recipes

Seven easy ways to put the gold to work — from a 5-minute breakfast to the cookie South America would riot without. New to the category? Start with what dulce de leche is.

Thick swirl of dulce de leche on warm toast

The classic toast

5 minServes 1Breakfast

You need

  • 1 thick slice of bread
  • 2 tablespoons dulce de leche
  • Flaky sea salt (optional)

How

  1. Toast the bread until golden and still warm.
  2. Spread a generous, unapologetic layer of dulce de leche.
  3. Finish with a small pinch of flaky salt if you like the sweet-salty thing.

This is how South America starts the day. No further instructions needed.

Toast topped with dulce de leche, banana slices and crunchy nuts

Banana crunch toast

10 minServes 1Breakfast

You need

  • 1 thick slice of whole-grain bread
  • 2 tablespoons dulce de leche
  • ½ banana, sliced into coins
  • 1 tablespoon chopped toasted walnuts or granola

How

  1. Toast the bread until golden.
  2. Spread the dulce de leche edge to edge.
  3. Top with banana coins and scatter the crunch over everything.
Fresh strawberry being dipped into a jar of dulce de leche

Strawberries & gold

5 minServes 2Dessert

You need

  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, whole
  • ½ cup dulce de leche

How

  1. Rinse the strawberries and keep the stems on — they're the handles.
  2. Warm the dulce de leche for 10 seconds if you want it extra silky, or dip straight from the jar.
  3. Dip. Repeat. Defend your share.

Dulce de leche pancakes

20 minServes 2Breakfast

You need

  • 6 pancakes, your favorite recipe or mix
  • ⅓ cup dulce de leche
  • Butter, for the pan
  • Banana or berries (optional)

How

  1. Cook the pancakes as you always do and stack them warm.
  2. Warm the dulce de leche for 15–20 seconds until it pours like thick honey.
  3. Drizzle generously over the stack and finish with fruit if you like.

Maple syrup is lovely. This is better. We said what we said.

The 30-second sundae

5 minServes 1Dessert

You need

  • 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
  • 2 tablespoons dulce de leche
  • Pinch of flaky salt
  • Chopped toasted peanuts (optional)

How

  1. Scoop the ice cream into a bowl you're not planning to share.
  2. Warm the dulce de leche for 15 seconds and pour it over while it's still flowing.
  3. Finish with salt and peanuts. Eat immediately — the warm-over-cold window is sacred.
Slice of cheesecake with a glossy layer of dulce de leche on top

No-bake dulce de leche cheesecake

30 min + 4 h chillServes 8Dessert

You need

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 6 tablespoons melted butter
  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ¾ cup dulce de leche, plus ½ cup for the top
  • 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

How

  1. Mix the crumbs with melted butter and press into a 9-inch springform pan. Chill 15 minutes.
  2. Beat the cream cheese with ¾ cup dulce de leche and the vanilla until smooth, then fold in the whipped cream.
  3. Spread over the crust and refrigerate at least 4 hours, until set.
  4. Warm the remaining dulce de leche slightly and spread a thin, glossy layer on top before serving.

Alfajores — the cookie South America runs on

1 h~16 cookiesBaking

You need

  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¾ cup dulce de leche
  • Shredded coconut, for rolling

How

  1. Whisk the cornstarch, flour and baking powder. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar; beat in the yolks and vanilla.
  2. Combine into a soft dough, wrap and chill 30 minutes.
  3. Roll to ¼ inch, cut 2-inch rounds and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes — they should stay pale, not brown.
  4. Cool completely, then sandwich pairs with a generous spoonful of dulce de leche.
  5. Roll the edges in shredded coconut so the filling catches it.

Two of these with coffee is a complete South American afternoon.

All of these need one jar.

Dulkitta® is dulce de leche made in Paraguay — coming soon to the United States.

Get notified