This Homemade Flan recipe is easy to make with only 5 simple ingredients! Creamy custard with caramel topping, this traditional Mexican dessert is so impressive and incredibly delicious.
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Caramel Flan Dessert
If you’ve never made it before, flan can be a bit intimidating. There are so many steps that don’t have much room for error. The first time I tried to make flan, it was definitely a learning experience!
However, this easy recipe simplifies the process of making the perfect flan in steps that won’t overwhelm you. Every time I follow this recipe, I get perfect flan!
With a recipe this simple and easy, you’re going to be shocked at how velvety and decadent this dessert turns out to be! This is my all time favorite flan recipe, and it’s soon to be yours, too.
Why You’ll Love this Easy Flan Recipe:
- Traditional: This dessert has all the flavor and texture you;’d expect from an authentic Mexican flan!
- Impressive: This may be super easy to make, but it’s a seriously impressive dessert that you’ll be proud to show off.
- Delicious: Between the creamy custard and the sweet caramel topping, I don’t know what part of this flan is the most delicious!
Be sure to try this flaky homemade Baklava!
What is flan?
Flan is a creamy custard dessert topped with a layer of delicious caramel. The texture is soft, creamy, and smooth–almost like silk when it touches your tongue! It’s made up mainly of eggs, milk, and sugar. It tastes richly sweet from the caramel, with a little bit of egginess from the custard.
It originated in Europe, was popular in Spain, and made its way over to Mexico, where it’s now a beloved traditional dessert!
5 Ingredient Flan Dessert
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar. This is what we’re caramelizing to create that deliciously sweet, syrupy topping.
- Eggs: 4 large eggs is the perfect amount! This creates the base of the custard.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: This creates a sweeter, richer flavor.
- Evaporated Milk: This is unsweetened condensed milk, so it has the same density, but balances out the sweetness in the custard.
- Vanilla Extract: This adds just a hint of vanilla flavor to the custard.
How to Make Flan (Step by Step)
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Prep: Preheat the oven and prepare a pan.
- Make Caramel: Heat sugar on the stove until it becomes a golden brown syrup. While hot, pour into the bottom of the pan.
- Make Custard: Combine eggs, milks, and vanilla (use a blender or whisk by hand). Pour through a sieve, on top of the cooled sugar.
- Water Bath: Cover the flan with foil, and place the pan into a large oven-safe dish. Fill the larger dish with water, about half-way up the flan pan.
- Bake: Bake flan for 75 minutes at 350F.
- Cool: Remove from the oven & water bath, and let the baked flan cool at room temp for 1 hour.
- Refrigerate: Place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
- Remove from Pan: Gently flip the flan onto a plate, so that the caramel sauce is on top.
- Serve: Slice and serve!
Your flan should be slightly jiggly when you pull it out of the oven. It will set fully when it cools. Fully cooked flan should also be lightly colored and not as pale as it was when first placed in the oven. If you’re still not sure, try using the knife method to check for doneness. It’s just like using a toothpick with cake! If you remove the blade of a knife from the center of the flan and it comes out clean, the flan is ready to be removed from the oven.
In an airtight container in the refrigerator, this flan will stay fresh for 3-5 days.
Either one! Serve it chilled straight from the fridge, or let it sit on the counter to warm to room temp before serving.
This dessert is naturally gluten free, thanks to its simple mix of dairy ingredients and sugar.
How to Serve
Once the flan is baked and chilled, it’s time to serve it up!
- To remove from the pan: take a knife around the edge to gently separate the flan from the pan. Cover the pan with a serving plate (it should be larger than than the pan), and flip the pan over so the flan slides out and onto the plate. The caramel will be on top.
- To slice: you can cut however you like, but if using a round pan, I like to cut into thin slices, like cheesecake.
- To serve: Place a slice on a plate, and spoon up some extra caramel syrup to finish it off. Simple but perfect!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Be sure to strain the custard mixture through a sieve when pouring it on top of the sugar. This will help ensure the custard has the perfect texture when it bakes!
- Do NOT cook at a higher heat than 350°F! The key to a perfectly baked flan is to cook it at a low temperature for about 75 minutes.
- Burning the caramel is very easy to do. Avoid this by stirring it constantly and removing it from the heat as soon as it’s melted and golden brown.
Flan has a similar texture to cheesecake, and is often compared to creme brûlée. However, while creme brûlée has a hardened (broiled or torched) caramel topping, flan has as softer topping that is more like a syrup.
How to Freeze Flan:
To make your homemade flan last even longer, you can freeze it!
Once it’s baked and fully cooled, wrap it well with plastic wrap before placing it in the freezer. It freezes better in pieces, so consider cutting slices (or just smaller portions) before wrapping and freezing. It will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
More Caramel Desserts to Try
This easy homemade flan recipe is creamy, smooth, and delightfully sweet. It’s a dessert that’s unbelievably easy to make, sure to please all!
More Creamy Dessert Recipes We Love
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
Homemade Flan Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 4 large eggs 200 grams
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 397 grams (1 can)
- 12 ounces evaporated milk 341 grams (1 can)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 12 grams
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- High Powered Blender (click for my favorite) (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Have an 8-inch round pan ready for the hot syrup.
- Heat sugar in a pan set over medium heat. Using a rubber spatula, stir the sugar until melted and a golden brown. Remove from heat immediately so it won’t burn. Pour into the pan and tilt to cover the entire bottom of the pan with the syrup. Let cool completely before adding the custard.1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla to a blender and blend for 10 seconds. Or, place in a bowl and whisk gently.4 large eggs, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, 12 ounces evaporated milk, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- When the sugar has cooled, pour the custard through a sieve over the sugar.
- Cover with aluminum foil and place in a large oven-safe pan. Pour water halfway up the sides.
- Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 75 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully remove the pan from the water bath. It will be slightly jiggly, but will set up when cooled. Allow to cool on the counter for 1 hour.
- Place in the refrigerator for 3 hour or overnight for best results. The longer it sits, the more the sugar dissolves creating a delicious sauce.
- When the flan has cooled for the recommended time, go around the edge with a knife to separate the flan from the pan. Place a large plate upside down over the flan. Carefully flip the plate and flan over. The flan will slide out of the pan and the juice will cover the flan.
- Slice the flan and serve with a large spoon of the syrup.
- Store leftover flan in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Be sure to strain the custard mixture through a sieve when pouring it on top of the sugar. This will help ensure the custard has the perfect texture when it bakes!
- Do NOT cook at a higher heat than 350°F! The key to a perfectly baked flan is to cook it at a low temperature for about 75 minutes.
- Burning the caramel is very easy to do. Avoid this by stirring it constantly and removing it from the heat as soon as it’s melted and golden brown.
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