No-Cook Caramel Pastillas

No-cook Caramel Pastillas are super easy to make and taste amazing! They're soft and silky with some peanut crunch and loads of dulce de leche flavor. Perfect for a quick treat or holiday gift-giving!

On my pastillas de leche recipe post, a reader was kind enough to share his no-cook version, which uses condensed and full-cream powdered milk. Pastillas without the cooking time? I was duly intrigued.  These milk candies like pastillas de ube are my favorite treats, and if I can enjoy a batch with less work, I am all for it.

Unfortunately, the day I wanted to try these no-cook pastillas, I didn't have condensed milk. Fortunately, I did find deep in the pantry a lone can of dulce de leche, which I meant to use for something but had forgotten. This should work, I thought. After all, dulce de leche is nothing more than sweetened milk that's slowly heated until it changes color and flavor.

And work it did! The resulting no-cook caramel pastillas were delicious beyond my expectations. They were soft and silky and absolutely amazing. The chopped peanuts I added didn't hurt either, as they gave the otherwise chewy candies a delightful crunch. You need to try these caramel pastillas ASAP, like, right now. Super easy to make, they can be a fun kitchen activity for the whole family.

Ingredient notes

These Filipino caramel milk candies require only four ingredients: dulce de leche, full-cream powdered milk, peanuts, and sugar for coating.

• Dulce de leche- You can buy a can of ready-made caramel (pictured above) from most major supermarkets or make your own by following the easy method below.
• Powdered Milk- for the best flavor, use full-cream powdered milk, not skim. I prefer the Nido brand, but you can use any brand.
• Peanuts- the recipe includes chopped, roasted, unsalted peanuts for extra crunch. You can also use cashews, pili nuts, or walnuts.
• Sugar- use white granulated sugar coating

Homemade dulce de leche

• Peel the label from the sweetened condensed milk can and place it in a large pot. Fill the pot with water to cover the can by about 1 to 2 inches.
• Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 hours, adding more water to submerge the can.
• Remove from the water and allow to cool completely before opening. Use in the recipe as directed.

How to make no-cook caramel pastillas

Three steps, and you'll be on your way to the perfect sweet treat! The recipe card below has detailed instructions and an ingredient list.

• Combine all the ingredients except sugar until evenly distributed. Add more or less powdered milk, depending on the desired consistency.
• Shape the mixture into balls or cylindrical logs. Chill in the refrigerator beforehand to firm up the mixture and make handling easier. You can also lightly grease your hands with butter to prevent the pastillas from sticking.
• Roll in sugar to coat. Ensure hands are dry so the sugar granules don't melt.

How to store

• Like yema, these candies are traditionally wrapped in colorful cellophane or Japanese paper (papel de hapon). If you want to skip the wrapping, place them in an airtight container to keep them from drying out, and place parchment paper between layers to keep them from sticking together.
• You can also store the pastillas mixture, shape it, and roll it when ready to serve. Transfer to an airtight container and press a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface of the mixture to prevent a film from forming. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• These Filipino milk confections are great for sharing or sweet cravings! Arrange them in a festive tin or box for a special homemade gift.

More homemade food gifts

Mini Egg Pies

Filipino Coconut Macaroons

Dulce de Leche Flan

Easy Yema Spread

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @kawalingpinoy on Facebook and Instagram!

4.34 from 3 votes

No-cook Caramel Pastillas

Made with dulce de leche and powdered milk, these No-Cook Caramel Pastillas are seriously addictive. Soft, chewy, and delicious, they're quick and easy for anytime cravings.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

Author: Lalaine Manalo

Course: Snack/Dessert

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8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 ounces) dulce de leche
• 1 ¾ cups powdered full-cream milk (I used Nido)
• ¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts chopped
• ½ cup sugar

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• White paper cut into 1-½ inch squares
• colored Japanese paper cut into 2-inch squares

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine dulce de leche, full cream milk and peanuts. With a spoon, stir together until well-combined. Refrigerate for about 10 to 15 minutes to firm up a bit for easier handling.
• Scoop about ½ teaspoon and roll into smooth balls about ½-inch diameter. Or roll into 1-inch long logs. Roll pastillas in sugar until fully coated.
• Wrap each pastillas with a piece of white paper (resulting into a "tube") and then wrap with the colored Japanese paper. Insert the sides of the Japanese paper into the white paper "tube" to completely seal pastillas.

Notes

You can also store the pastillas mixture, shape it, and roll it when ready to serve. Transfer to an airtight container and press a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface of the mixture to prevent a film from forming. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 213kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 105mg, Potassium: 407mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 262IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 260mg, Iron: 0.3mg

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”