The first time I had Cajeta was in Mexico. It was drizzled over this fluffy vanilla cake and was thick, slightly tangy and delicious! It’s a sweet sauce very similar to dulce de leche or caramel sauce, except its made with goat milk, giving cajeta its distinct tang. When I realized how easy it would be to make at home, I had to give it a go!
How to make Cajeta
- In a small pot, stir together goat milk, sugar and salt. Simmer over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, 2 to 4 minutes.
- In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients. Pour baking soda mixture into the goat milk mixture and stir together.
- Continue to simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring frequently. It’s really important that the mixture is stirred throughout the cooking process, so that it doesn’t burn on the bottom.
- Once the mixture is thick enough to thoroughly coat the back of a spoon and has turned a caramel color, remove from heat and pour mixture into a sterilized jar. You can sterilize a glass jar by carefully soaking it, open side down in boiling water for about 10 minutes.
- Tightly seal the jar and can in a water bath, or method of your choice, until the jar is properly canned.
- The mixture will thicken as it cools. Spread onto cookies or crackers or gently warm and pour onto ice cream, pies, cakes, etc.
FAQs
Caramel is made by melting down sugar until it is an amber color and thick in texture. Cajeta is made by melting goat milk and sugar down until golden brown in color and thick in texture. The flavors are similar but there’s a very subtle tanginess to cajeta from the goats milk.
Cajeta tastes very similar to dulce de leche, but because it’s made with primarily goats milk and not cows milk it has a slight tangy taste to the rich sauce.
Once the sauce is properly canned, it will keep in a cool, dry place for about months. Once it’s opened it should be refrigerated and will keep for up to a month.
My favorite thing about this homemade version is that you can control the thickness of the sauce when you make it yourself. This version is thinner than the typical dulce de leche you’ll find at the market. I like being able to pour it without having to warm it up, so this recipe makes a slightly thinner sauce. If you’d like a thicker sauce just simmer and stir the mixture for an additional 30 minutes or so.
I really love this simple cajeta recipe. It’s so creamy, tangy and delicious. It also makes great holiday gifts for family and friends! This sauce is perfect to drizzle over desserts! Here are some ideas for pairing below:
Cajeta
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups goat milk
- ½ cup superfine sugar granulated is fine
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons cow milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small pot, stir together goat milk, sugar and salt. Simmer over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, 2 to 4 minutes.
- In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients. Pour baking soda mixture into the goat milk mixture and stir together.
- Continue to simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Once the mixture is thick enough to thoroughly coat the back of a spoon and has turned a caramel color, remove from heat and pour mixture into a sterilized jar.
- Tightly seal the jar and can in a water bath, or method of your choice, until the jar is properly canned.
- The mixture will thicken as it cools. Spread onto cookies or crackers or gently warm and pour onto ice cream, pies, cakes, etc.
NOTES
- Makes 1 to 1 1/2 cups
- Shelf Life: Once the sauce is properly canned, it will keep in a cool, dry place for about months. Once it’s opened it should be refrigerated and will keep for up to a month.
- Is this as thick as dulce de leche? This version is thinner than the typical dulce de leche you’ll find at the market. It’s a pourable sauce, without having to heat it up. If you’d like a thicker sauce just simmer and stir the mixture for about an additional 30 minutes.