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This traditional flan recipe makes silky, creamy crème caramel with a layer of golden caramel sauce. Made with eggs, milk, cream, and vanilla, it’s baked in individual servings for an easy homemade dessert.
Recipe Summary
- 🔪 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 👨🍳 Cook Time: 1 hour
- ⏱️ Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Servings: 5 people
- 🏷️ Calories: ~395 calories
- 🍳 Cook Method: Bake
- ✨ Flavor Profile: Silky, creamy, and lightly sweet, with a rich vanilla custard and a smooth layer of golden caramel sauce
- 🧩 Difficulty: Easy (Perfect for making a classic homemade dessert)
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Crème Caramel Recipe
Flan, also known as crème caramel, is a classic baked custard dessert made with eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla, then served with a layer of soft caramel sauce. The custard is baked gently in a water bath, which helps it cook evenly and gives it that smooth, creamy texture. Once chilled, the flan is turned out of the mold so the caramel melts into a sauce and runs over the custard.
There are many regional versions of flan, and the ingredients can vary from one recipe to another. Some recipes use sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk, while others are made with milk and cream. Quesillo is a Venezuelan custard dessert made with condensed milk and evaporated milk, giving it a different texture from this classic flan. For this crème caramel recipe, I use whole milk and whipping cream for a rich, creamy custard, and make it in individual molds for easy serving.
If you want to make foolproof caramel, my How To Make Caramel guide walks you through the process step by step, including how to tell when the caramel has reached the right color without letting it become too dark or bitter.
Sidenote: Is there a difference between flan and crème caramel? Not really. They are practically the same egg custard dessert, with a layer of caramel sauce. The dessert is commonly called crème caramel in French and flan in Spanish. At its most classic, it is made with eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract.
Tips For Making Smooth, Creamy Flan
Flan is simple to make, but getting a smooth custard, fine texture, and soft caramel sauce comes down to a few important details.
- Watch the caramel closely: Cook until deep golden amber, but don’t let it get too dark or it can taste bitter. Have your molds ready and use oven mitts or heat-resistant gloves when pouring in the hot caramel. For more tips, see my How To Make Caramel guide.
- Keep the milk mixture warm, not boiling: Warm the milk, cream, and sugar just until the sugar dissolves. It doesn’t need to simmer or boil. Adding very hot milk to the eggs can cause them to cook too quickly and create bits of scrambled egg in the custard.
- Whisk the eggs gently: Whisk the eggs just until the yolks and whites are blended. Avoid beating them vigorously, which incorporates more air and can leave bubbles throughout the finished flan.
- Strain the custard twice: This is one step I don’t skip. Passing the custard through a fine-mesh strainer twice removes any small bits of egg and gives you a smoother, more delicate texture.
- Don’t skip the water bath: The water bath surrounds the molds with gentle, even heat, helping the custard cook gradually. This helps prevent the edges from cooking too quickly while the center is still setting.
- Chill the flan completely: Flan needs time to cool and firm up before you unmold it. I recommend chilling it for at least 2 to 3 hours, but overnight is even better if you’re making it ahead.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Milk
- Whipping cream
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient.
Pro Tip #1: Why I Use Whole Milk
I use whole milk because it gives the custard a creamy texture without making it too heavy. You can use low-fat milk if that’s what you have, but the flan will be slightly less rich and creamy. I don’t recommend skim milk for this recipe.
Pro Tip #2: Why I Use Whipping Cream
Whipping cream adds richness and gives the flan a softer, creamier texture. Heavy whipping cream can also be used in this recipe.
Pro Tip #3: Pure Vanilla Extract Or Vanilla Essence
I prefer pure vanilla extract because it gives the custard a more natural vanilla flavor. However, vanilla essence can be used if that’s what you have. The amount stays the same, so there’s no need to adjust the recipe.
How To Make Flan
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C). While it heats, make the caramel. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat and let it cook until the sugar melts and the syrup turns a golden amber. Remove it from the heat as soon as it reaches the right color.
Pro Tip: For a detailed guide on making caramel, check out my How To Make Caramel post.
Working quickly, pour the hot caramel into your molds and carefully swirl each one so the bottom is evenly covered. I use 3-inch (7.5-cm) diameter × 2-inch (5-cm) tall molds. The caramel and molds will be extremely hot, so use oven mitts or heat-resistant gloves.
Warm the milk, whipping cream, and sugar in a separate saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then take it off the heat. You want the mixture warm enough to dissolve the sugar, but not boiling.
Pro Tip: The milk mixture should be warm but not steaming or bubbling. If you see it starting to simmer, take it off the heat and let it cool slightly before adding it to the eggs.
In a large bowl, gently whisk the eggs until the yolks and whites are blended. Slowly pour in the warm milk mixture as you continue whisking. Add the vanilla extract and give everything a gentle stir until combined.
Pro Tip: Don’t whip the eggs until they’re frothy. Once the yolks and whites are completely blended and the mixture looks smooth, you’re ready to add the warm milk.
Now pass the custard through a fine-mesh strainer twice. This catches any tiny bits of egg and gives the finished flan a smoother texture.
Pour the custard into the caramel-coated molds, filling each one about 80% full. Cover the molds with aluminum foil.
Pro Tip: If you see air bubbles on the surface, gently pop them with a toothpick before covering the molds.
Place the molds inside a baking pan, then carefully pour in hot water until it comes about halfway up the sides of the molds. Bake for approximately 60 minutes, or until the custard is set around the edges with a slight jiggle in the center.
Pro Tip: The edges should be set, while the center should still wobble slightly like gelatin. The flan will firm up as it cools and chills.
Carefully remove the molds from the water bath and let them cool completely. Once cooled, refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight. I prefer making flan the day before because an overnight chill makes it easier to unmold.
When you’re ready to serve, place each mold in a shallow bath of warm water. Keep the water to about one-third of the height of the mold and let it sit for around 30 seconds.
Pro Tip: After about 30 seconds, the caramel around the edges should start to loosen. If the flan still feels stuck, give it another few seconds rather than leaving it in the warm water for too long.
Remove the foil and use a small spoon to gently loosen the edges of the flan from the mold. Work your way around the entire edge without pressing the spoon too deeply into the custard.
Place your serving plate over the mold and hold the two firmly together. Flip everything over in one quick motion, then give the mold a firm jerk to release the flan. Lift the mold away and let the caramel sauce flow over the custard.
Serve the flan immediately with fresh strawberries or your favorite fresh fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Ramekins can be used as long as they are similar in size and depth. The baking time may need to be adjusted depending on the size of the ramekins.
Yes. The baking time will depend on the depth and volume of the molds. Deeper molds generally take longer to set, while smaller, shallower molds will cook more quickly.
The custard may have been exposed to too much heat or baked for too long. Keep the milk mixture warm rather than boiling, whisk the eggs gently, and use the water bath to keep the cooking temperature gentle.
I don’t recommend freezing it. The custard can become watery or lose its smooth texture after thawing.
Keep it covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. For the best texture, unmold shortly before serving.
Each flan is 396 calories.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Serve this dessert with main entrees. For a restaurant-style dinner at home, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Dessert Recipes You Might Like
Flan
Equipment
- 5 3-inch (7.5-cm) diameter × 2-inch (5-cm) tall molds
Ingredients
- 1½ cups milk, whole milk preferred
- 6.8 fl. oz. whipping cream
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs
Caramel:
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). To make the caramel, add the sugar and water to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the syrup turns golden amber. Turn off the heat.Pro Tip: For a detailed guide, check out my How to Make Caramel post.
- Immediately pour the caramel into molds. Swirl each mold to evenly coat the bottom. I use 3-inch (7.5-cm) diameter × 2-inch (5-cm) tall molds.
- In another saucepan, add the milk, whipping cream and sugar. Heat over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. The milk should be warm, but not boiling hot.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended. Gradually add the warm milk.
- Add the vanilla extract and whisk gently until well combined.
- Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh strainer twice.
- Divide the custard evenly among the prepared molds, filling each about 80% full. Cover each mold with aluminum foil.Pro Tip: If you notice any air bubbles on the surface, gently pop them with a toothpick before covering.
- Arrange the molds in a baking pan. Pour hot water into the pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the molds. Transfer to the oven and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 60 minutes, or until the custard is set.
- Carefully remove the molds from the water bath and let them cool. Once cooled, refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, place each mold in a warm water bath, making sure the water reaches only about one-third of the way up the mold. Let it sit for about 30 seconds.
- Remove the foil. Use a small spoon to gently loosen the edges of the flan from the mold.
- Place a serving plate or shallow bowl over the mold and hold them firmly together. Flip the mold over, then give it a firm jerk to release the flan.
- Serve immediately with fresh fruit, such as strawberries.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious , I’ve made them a few times and always turn out perfectly .
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for trying my recipe and for the 5-star rating! :)
What size of eggs are you using?
Large eggs.
Yes you can just use pressure cooker and cook for 30minutes