I grew up watching my Lola make Pastillas de Leche in her small kitchen, and now I make these creamy Filipino milk candies for my own family. While some might think homemade pastillas are hard to make, they really only need five simple ingredients and some patience.
Yes, you’ll need to stir the milk mixture for a while (this is perfect for catching up on your favorite Netflix show!), but the result is worth every minute – soft, sweet candies that taste just like the ones from Bulacan. Every time I make these, my kids gather in the kitchen hoping to be the first to taste test.
Once you try these homemade pastillas, I promise you’ll never want to buy them from the store again.
Cultural Notes
Pastillas de leche originated in Bulacan, where dairy farming was prevalent. The recipe showcases Filipino ingenuity in preserving milk through candy-making, creating a beloved treat that’s now a staple in Filipino celebrations.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Authentic taste that rivals traditional Bulacan pastillas
- Made with real milk for superior creaminess and flavor
- Perfect handmade gift for special occasions
- No artificial preservatives or additives
- Customizable sweetness level
- Great project for bonding with family
Authentic Pastillas de Leche (Filipino Milk Candies)
Equipment
- Wide non-stick skillet (Makapal na kawali) Essential for even heat distribution and preventing milk from burning
- Wooden spoon (sandok na kahoy) Prevents scratching and helps feel the mixture's consistency
- Candy thermometer (optional) Helps achieve perfect consistency
- Kitchen scale For precise measurements
- Small plates for rolling
- Wax paper or Japanese paper (Papel de hapon) for wrapping
- Airtight container for storage
Ingredients
For the Pastillas:
- 5 cups fresh carabao milk or whole cow’s milk Gatas ng kalabaw o gatas ng baka
- 1 cup granulated sugar Asukal
- ½ teaspoon lime or calamansi zest Balat ng dayap o kalamansi
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Mantikilya
- ¾ cup full cream powdered milk Gatas na pulbos
For Coating:
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Start by pouring 5 cups of fresh milk (carabao or whole cow’s milk) into a wide non-stick pan. Add 2/3 cup of sugar and stir until the sugar completely dissolves. Set your stove to low heat – this is very important as high heat will make your milk curdle.
- Keep the heat on low and let the mixture simmer gently. You'll need to stir it regularly with a wooden spoon, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to prevent the milk from sticking or burning. This step takes patience – about 2 ½ hours. You're waiting for the milk to reduce and become a thin paste. Think of it as a relaxing kitchen meditation!
- While your milk is reducing, prepare your lime or calamansi by zesting half a piece. Once your milk mixture has thickened to a paste-like consistency (you’ll notice it’s much thicker than when you started), add the zest and stir it in well.
- Now add 2 tablespoons of butter and ¾ cup of full cream powdered milk. Keep stirring until everything is smooth and well combined. No lumps should be visible. Continue cooking for another 3 to 5 minutes – you’ll know it’s ready when the mixture starts pulling away from the sides of the pan and forms a soft dough.
- Transfer your pastillas mixture to a lightly oiled plate and let it cool until you can comfortably touch it. While waiting, prepare your remaining 1/3 cup of sugar in a shallow plate for coating.
- Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, divide it into about 40 portions. Roll each portion between your palms to form logs about 1 inch long. If the mixture feels too sticky, you can lightly oil your hands or let the mixture cool a bit more.
- Roll each pastillas log in sugar until completely coated. Wrap them individually in Japanese paper (papel de hapon) or wax paper, twisting the ends to secure. Your homemade pastillas can now be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Remember: The key to perfect pastillas is patience and low heat. If your mixture becomes lumpy or curdles, your heat was probably too high. Keep stirring and keep that heat low – you’ll be rewarded with smooth, creamy pastillas that taste just like the ones from Bulacan!
Tips from Lola’s Kitchen
- Use full-fat milk only – low-fat will result in grainy texture
- Never raise the heat above low – patience is key
- The mixture is ready when it leaves a clean trail when you drag your spoon
- Slightly wet hands make rolling easier
- Cool mixture slightly if too sticky to handle
Traditional Serving Suggestions
- Serve as merienda (afternoon snack)
- Present in colorful papel de hapon for special occasions
- Arrange on banana leaves for traditional presentation
- Pair with hot tsokolate (Filipino hot chocolate)
- Include in holiday gift baskets
Troubleshooting
- Mixture too grainy: Powdered milk wasn’t incorporated well; next time sift it first
- Too soft: Cook longer until proper consistency is reached
- Too hard: Added too much powdered milk or cooked too long
- Lumpy: Didn’t stir consistently; strain mixture if needed
- Scorched taste: Heat was too high; maintain low temperature
Ingredient Alternatives
- Carabao milk → Whole cow’s milk
- Lime zest → Calamansi or lemon zest
- Granulated sugar → Caster sugar
- Full cream powdered milk → Regular powdered milk (though texture may differ)
- Unsalted butter → Salted butter (reduce added sugar slightly)
Storage & Reheating
- Room temperature: 2-3 days in airtight container
- Refrigerated: Up to 1 week
- Freezer: Not recommended
- Best practices: Layer with wax paper to prevent sticking
- Note: Sugar coating may become moist over time
Variations
- Ube Pastillas
- Add 2 tablespoons ube halaya
- Reduce milk by ¼ cup
- Chocolate Pastillas
- Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- Increase sugar by 2 tablespoons
- Pandan Pastillas
- Add 2-3 drops pandan extract
- Optional green food coloring
FAQs
Q: Why does my mixture curdle? A: Cooking at too high temperature causes curdling. Maintain low heat throughout. Q: Can I use condensed milk? A: Traditional pastillas use fresh milk. Condensed milk creates a different texture and taste. Q: How do I know when it’s cooked enough? A: Mixture should leave a clean trail when scraped and form a soft dough. Q: Can I make half the recipe? A: Yes, but cooking time will be shorter. Q: Why add citrus zest? A: It cuts through richness and adds depth of flavor.
Nutrition
The Story Behind Pastillas de Leche
Growing up in the Philippines, everyone knows Bulacan as the sweet capital of our country. But did you know that Pastillas de Leche’s story starts with the humble carabao farmers of San Miguel, Bulacan? Back in the Spanish colonial period, these farmers had an interesting problem – they had too much carabao’s milk! The carabaos were mainly used for farming, but they also produced rich, creamy milk that needed to be used before it spoiled.
The clever women of Bulacan found a delicious solution. They discovered that by slowly cooking the fresh milk with sugar, they could create sweet, creamy candies that would last much longer than fresh milk. These became what we now know and love as Pastillas de Leche. The name itself tells its Spanish colonial roots – ‘pastillas’ meaning tablets or lozenges, and ‘de leche’ meaning ‘of milk.’
What made Bulacan’s pastillas special was the use of carabao’s milk, which is naturally creamier and richer than cow’s milk. The farmers’ wives would spend hours stirring the milk mixture over low heat, carefully watching until it reached that perfect soft, chewy consistency. They’d shape the candies by hand and wrap them in delicate papel de hapon (Japanese paper), creating the signature twist ends we still see today.
Today, San Miguel, Bulacan remains famous for its pastillas, with many families still using recipes passed down through generations. While modern versions might use cow’s milk or even powdered milk, traditional pastillas makers in Bulacan still pride themselves on using pure carabao’s milk, keeping this sweet tradition alive. The dedication to this time-honored process is what makes pastillas more than just candy – it’s a piece of Filipino heritage you can taste.
Making pastillas at home connects us to this rich history. While it takes time and patience (just like the original makers knew), the result is a treat that’s both deliciously sweet and culturally meaningful. Whether you’re making them for a special occasion or just craving a taste of tradition, each bite of homemade pastillas carries a story of Filipino ingenuity and the sweet legacy of Bulacan’s dairy farmers.
