Cajeta de Celaya
Mexico's goat-milk caramel, born in the city of Celaya in Guanajuato in the 17th century. Originally sold in small wooden boxes — cajitas — that gave the sweet its name. Slow-cooked goat milk reduced for an hour or more with sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda that deepens it to a dark amber. Spoon it over ice cream, into crêpes, between cookies, or eat it straight from the jar.
Prep
5 minutes
Cook
1 hour
Servings
Makes about 1 litre
Difficulty
Medium
1 Ingredients
- 1 litre (4 cups) goat milk (or half goat, half cow)
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup (or glucose)
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonato de sodio (baking soda)
- 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 split vanilla pod)
2 Instructions
- 1
In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot (this matters — a thin pan will scorch), combine the goat milk, cinnamon stick and bicarbonato. Bring just to a boil over medium heat.
- 2
Add the sugar and corn syrup, stirring until fully dissolved.
- 3
Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer steadily, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. The colour will pale, then begin to turn beige, then amber. This takes about 45 minutes.
- 4
Once the cajeta begins to thicken — around the 45-minute mark — you must stir constantly, scraping the bottom and sides, to stop it scorching.
- 5
Cook another 10-15 minutes, stirring without pause, until the cajeta is deep amber and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon and leave a clear trail when you drag a finger across.
- 6
Remove from heat, fish out the cinnamon stick, and let cool. The cajeta thickens further as it cools — if it gets too stiff, thin with a splash of warm milk.
- 7
Store in a sterilised glass jar at room temperature for up to a month, or refrigerated indefinitely.
💡 Tips from the Kitchen
- →
Goat milk is what makes it cajeta — cow's milk alone gives you dulce de leche, which is similar but lacks the slight tang.
- →
The bicarbonato is a chemistry trick: it neutralises milk acid and accelerates browning. Don't skip it.
- →
If your cajeta looks lumpy or grainy late in cooking, blitz it with a stick blender to bring it smooth again.