This Flan recipe is a classic Spanish dessert with a sweet and creamy custard base with a golden crown of caramel that pours over the cake as you slide it out of the pan. It’s also easy to make with only 6 ingredients. You’ll love this make-ahead dessert that’s perfect for parties and holidays.
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Helpful Reader Review
“I was a little hesitant having never tried a flan recipe with this combination of ingredients.
Needless to say, I’ll never use another flan recipe again because it was such a hit! Creamy and sweet and literally the best flan recipe ever tasted in all my life. Thank you!“ – Elizabeth ★★★★★
Flan Video Tutorial
Here’s a video tutorial on how to make flan using my tried-and-true Mexican flan recipe. Watch to learn everything you need to know.
Flan
My first introduction to Flan was at a Mexican restaurant years ago and I’ll admit I didn’t love it the first time I tried it because it was more gelatinous than creamy. With inspiration from Epicurious and Cooks Illustrated, I created a simple but classic version that I love and have been making for years. I’ve compared this to authentic homemade flan that I enjoyed on a trip to Mexico, and I can confidently say this Flan Recipe is a treasure!
Flan is a popular Spanish custard dessert, made by combining eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla, and it is baked in a water bath similar to the way a cheesecake is baked.
There are several desserts that compare–like French Crème Caramel and Panna Cotta. But Flan is still unique and special in flavor and texture. It’s sort of a cross between a Cheesecake, jello, and a Creme Brûlée, and it has that creamy milk flavor similar to Tres Leches (it even uses the same 3 milks).
Mexican Flan vs Spanish Flan?
The two flan styles are so similar, but this is closer to a Mexican flan. Mexican flan is traditionally made with whole eggs (sturdier texture) and sweetened condensed milk, while Spanish flan often uses granulated sugar and omits the egg white for a creamier flan.
Ingredients for Flan
Since Flan is made with a short list of ingredients, I suggest you avoid substitutions since it needs the right balance of eggs to dairy for the custard to set.
- Sugar and water – These two simple ingredients make the decadent and sweet caramel topping.
- Sweetened condensed milk – adds sweetness to the flan. For a more authentic dessert, we recommend using La Lechera brand, but any brand will work.
- Evaporated milk – adds richness to the custard
- Heavy whipping cream – creates a creamy and indulgent custard. Be sure to buy heavy cream or heavy whipping cream for the right milk-to-fat ratio.
- Vanilla extract – I used my homemade Vanilla extract, but a Mexican vanilla can be substituted for a more authentic flan.
- Eggs – (at room temperature) Allow the custard to thicken and set properly.
Variations
Flan is prepared differently in various regions and can come in different flavorings:
- Cinnamon – Blend 2 teaspoons of cinnamon to the cream mixture
- Dulce de leche – A reader, Tina, suggested swapping the sweetened condensed milk for Dulce De Leche.
- Mangos – top the flan with sliced mangos like my Mango Cake. Mangos are a popular variation in the Philippines.
- Coffee – blend 1 tsp of espresso powder into the custard
- Citrus – try swapping the vanilla extract with orange or lemon extract and zest
How to Make Caramel for Flan
- Prep – Because the caramel sets quickly, you want to have a 9″ x 2″ round cake pan out and ready for use. Also, preheat the oven to 350˚F and bring a kettle of water to boil.
- Make the caramel – In a heavy saucepan (a heavy saucepan will prevent burning), combine water and sugar and stir to dissolve. Bring it to a boil over medium heat without stirring for 3-5 minutes. As soon as you see it start to turn golden, start swirling the pan for 1-2 minutes or until it turns the color of cinnamon, then take it off the heat and swirl it for another 30 seconds. *Swirl, don’t stir, since this can cause the caramel to crystallize and harden, and don’t walk away from this pan since it can quickly burn.
- Pour caramel into your cake pan and immediately tilt the pan to coat the bottom. The sugar will harden quickly.
Important Safety Tip:
Be careful not to get any melted sugar on your skin to avoid burns, do not put your finger in it to taste it, and NEVER lick the spatula. Also, keep in mind the cake pan gets quite hot when you pour the caramel in.
How to Make Flan
- Make the Custard – Combine the rest of the flan ingredients in a blender and blend on low speed for 1 minute. Strain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth (to reduce the bubbles) and pour over your caramel layer.
- Cover the cake pan with foil and be sure it isn’t touching the custard. This helps keep the moisture from escaping and prevents cracks in the dessert
- Make the Water Bath – Set the pan inside of a large roasting pan and transfer to your reheated oven. Pour hot water from the kettle into the roasting pan, at least halfway up the sides of the cake pan for even cooking.
- Bake at 350°F for 70-80 minutes or until there is just a slight jiggle in the center. You don’t want to overcook the custard, and it will continue cooking as it cools. Remove from oven, uncover, and place pan on a rack to cool to room temperature. Then, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- To Serve – Run a knife around the edges of the cake pan. Set the cake on a rimmed platter and invert the cake onto the platter. Tap the cake pan until you feel it dislodging then lift the cake pan off the cake.
How to Know the Flan is Done Cooking?
When you jolt the pan, you should see a slight jiggle in the center – It should be mostly set with a slight jiggle in the center, about the size of a quarter. It will set more as it cools. Do not overbake, or it can cause cracking.
How do I prevent my flan from cracking?
There are several ways to prevent cracks in flan. Here are our best tips for beautiful results every time:
- Water bath – this is the most important, as cooking in a water bath allows for gentle and even cooking.
- Don’t over-bake – Overcooked flan can turn rubbery and will be more likely to crack.
- Cool gradually – After cooking, remove the foil cover and gently transfer the whole pan to a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature before covering and refrigerating.
- Loosen the edges – run a knife around the edges before unmolding the flan to reduce tension as it slides out of the pan.
Make-Ahead and Storage
You will love that Flan is a make-ahead dessert, which is so convenient for gatherings and entertaining.
- Make-Ahead: You can keep the flan covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days before serving. It’s best to flip onto a platter just before serving.
- To Refrigerate: cover leftovers with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing flan since the texture can change when thawing.
My family loves Mexican-inspired desserts such as Churros and Tres Leches Cake. If you are a fan of Latin desserts, this Flan recipe doesn’t disappoint. It’s such a fun and rewarding dessert to make. It’s just 5 ingredients and easy to make. The custard is so decadent, and the caramel sauce makes it perfectly sweet. Make this your go-to dessert for every occasion–especially Cinco de Mayo or whenever the craving strikes.
Flan Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, preferably la lechera brand
- 12 oz can evaporated milk, preferably Carnation brand
- 1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract, Homemade Vanilla extract or Mexican Vanilla Extract
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- Berries to serve, strawberries, raspberries or blueberries, Optional for garnish
Instructions
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 350˚F with a rack in the middle of the oven and bring a kettle of water to boil which you will need for the water bath. Take out a 9-inch by 2-inch round, non-stick cake pan* so it’s ready when the caramel is ready to pour.
- Make the Caramel – In a medium heavy saucepan, stir together sugar and water until dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat without stirring, about 3-5 minutes. Once you see it start to turn golden then start swirling the pan frequently over the heat until it’s the color of cinnamon, about 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat and continue swirling constantly for another 30 seconds as it turns amber-colored.
- Immediately pour melted sugar into your round cake pan and quickly tilt your baking dish to spread the caramel over the bottom of the pan before it sets (be careful, that bottom of the pan will turn hot!). Set the pan aside and prepare the custard.
- Make the custard – In a blender add condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, vanilla, eggs, and salt. Blend for 1 minute on low speed (to avoid too much foam/bubbles). Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth (cheesecloth is optional but helps break up foam) and pour it into the cake pan over the caramel layer.
- Cover the cake pan with a sheet of foil, making sure the foil isn’t touching the top of the custard (you don’t want to bake your foil into your flan).
- Make the Water Bath – Set the cake pan inside of a large roasting pan then set the roasting pan in your oven (it’s hard to carry the roasting pan after the water is in there). Pour hot water from the kettle into the roasting pan, at least halfway up the sides of the cake pan, making sure it doesn’t reach the top of your baking pan or get inside your cake pan.
- Bake at 350 for 70-80 minutes. When it's done, jolt the pan and you should see a stiff jiggle in the center. If it seems too liquid/wobbly, bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, transfer to a rack, and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight to fully set the custard.
- To Serve – Run a knife around the edges of the pan (clean your knife periodically). Set a rimmed platter over the cake pan and holding the top and bottom with both hands, invert the cake onto the platter. If the cake doesn’t slide out easily, tap the cake pan until you feel it dislodging then lift the cake pan gently off the cake. Garnish with berries if desired and serve spooning extra caramel sauce over each slice.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Mexican Recipes
- Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
- Carne Asada
- Fish Tacos
- Easy Tostada Recipe
- Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
- Soft Flour Tortillas
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
My flan was a bit of a fail and I’m not sure why. I cooked for 80 minutes because at 70 minutes it looked too jiggly. I’m not thinking maybe it was a normal type of flan jiggle and I should have taken it out earlier. The texture seemed almost curdled, and not all of the caramel melted and came off the pan. A lot of it was stuck to the bottom of the pan. Would you know why this happened?
Giving it 4 stars because I’m guessing this is my fault. Flavor was good though. Just user error.
Hi Ayda. Did you use the correct size pan and do the water bath as recommended? A couple of things come to mind. Curdled flan can be due to cooking for too long or cooking at too high of a temperature. I highly encourage the use of an In oven thermometer to see if your oven is calibrated (some ovens can run hot). The thermometer will also tell you when your oven is fully preheated and ready to bake.
For a smoother consistency, you can also strain the custard to removed any lumps that may be present. Regarding the caramel sticking, if the caramel is applied too thick, it won’t have enough time to melt down during the cooking process. Be sure to allow the flan the proper time to rest after it’s baked. If you are turning it out of the dish too quickly, this could also be the cause.
I hope that helps troubleshoot for your next attempt.
Hello, I plan on making this flan for Thanksgiving it will be my first time. One question, once I cover the bottom of my pan with the caramel can it harden while I make the custard?
Hi Alfredo- the caramel will start to set as soon as you pour it into the bottom of your pan so you’ll want to work quick. Set us aside and then work on the custard. I hope you love this recipe!
This recipe sounds fantastic. Unfortunately, I do not have a blender but have a hand mixer. Would the instructions be the same using that?
Hi Sheryll, I haven’t tried this with a hand mixer to advise on the outcome, but it may work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Thank you for sharing recipe is there a substitute for whipping cream also How long can this sit out at room temperature?
Hi D! Flan should be kept refrigerated but max of 2hrs at room temperature. The heavy cream creates a creamy and indulgent custard base so I don’t recommend skipping it. I haven’t tested a substitute but a lighter cream could work too.
Can I use evaporated coconut milk instead of regular evaporated milk?
HI Jana, I haven’t tested that so you might do a google search to see if others have tried that substitution in flan.
Make it for first time, came out very good. Thank you very much for the recipe
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you loved it.
Made the flan recipe. It is delish but it doesn’t not fit in a 9inch deep pan. It fits better in two.
Hi Tasha! The pan used in this recipe was a 9”x2” deep. Was this the pan size you were using?
I made this and it was a hit. I’d like to make it again, but would like to double the recipe, obviously in a larger baking container. Do you think this is doable?
Hi Cristina! Yes, that should be fine. You’ll have to experiment with the size of the dish and the baking time as it will take longer.
I’m glad you loved the recipe!
I made this flan as a surprise for my son’s girlfriend’s birthday because flan is her favorite dessert and she gave it three thumbs up! I was nervous because she’s Latina and used to her grandma’s authentic flan. Also because I couldn’t understand how all that hardened sugar was going to liquefy in the oven so that the whole thing would slide out of the pan instead of being a stuck-on mess. But slide right out it did and it was amazing!
Hi Donna! That’s wonderful. I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for trying my recipe.
This flan was delicious!! Not too difficult to make and turned out perfectly! Great recipe.
So glad to hear that, Doneta! Thank you for sharing.
Hi Natasha
I would like to make this cake. I see you indicate 350 for the temperature. Coming from Europe (Belgium), I would like to know is this Fahrenheit (so like 180 celsius)? Just to be sure that I don’t overdo my cake. Thanks & best regards, Kim
Hi Kim! My recipes are all in Fahrenheit.
I hope you love this recipe!
didn’t see the no spring form pan and only had one. It leaked everywhere before the oven but to my surprise I had a perfectly set flan in the morning! Only small thing from spring form was that the caramel was slightly grainy but I covered it in berries and nobody was able to tell : ) very good and easy recipe! thank you!
I’m glad it all worked out, Claire!
The texture looks perfect! Flan is one of my favorites. Try substituting the condensed milk with La Lechera’s dolce de leche. SO GOOD!
Hi Tina! Thank you for sharing that with us.
I had never made flan because I was scared of making caramel sauce after so many fails, but this time I did it, and omg, this was one of the best desserts I’ve ever made! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
That’s wonderful, Arisa! Thank you for trying my recipe.
Hi Natasha, I’m a fan of your recipes and this one it’s a great recipe. Thank you.
Just a point of clarification. I’m from Spain. Please note that I haven’t seen any flan made with cream cheese at all. It’s always milk and sometimes, adding some heavy cream, but never cream cheese, if a native recipe from Spain. What is more a Mexican version is using condensed milk instead of fresh milk. Not sure about your source of information, but please note is incorrect. Thank you again for the delicious recipe.
Respectfully
Hi Lola, in my research, I learned that it’s sometimes used but not always – I think it depends on the region, but thank you so much for sharing! There are so many different versions of Flan. I’d love to hear more about your authentic Spanish Flan recipe. Thank you!
Hi Natasha I made the flan two times. It’s amazing. Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe
Hi Sanari! You’re very welcome. I’m glad you enjoy the recipe.
I use a different recipe. It’s almost like yours, but I use a cup of regular milk. I will try it with heavy cream. Just to clarify; is it a 1 and 3/4 cup of heavy cream?
Hi Toufik, I hope you love this recipe. Yes, This recipe calls for 1 & 3/4 cup heavy cream.
Made this and I’ll be making it again. I was worried about the caramel not coating the entire bottom of the cake pan, it does set fast! But once I flipped it it was running over the sides and taste amazing
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha,
This looks amazing! I know you swirl the caramel in the saucepan but do you only pour into pan leaving what’s left or can you use a spatula at that point? Also can you use same size pan in porcelain? Does time change?
Thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris, I tried to use it all if possible. I haven’t tried this in a porcelain pan, but I imagine that will work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
The water in the sugar for the caramel is unnecessary, the sugar melts just fine without it. I’ve never seen an authentic recipe that puts water in the sugar.
That being said, this is a great recipe and very similar to the one my best friend’s abuela taught me when I was a teenager.
Hi Natasha! I made this flan exactly as your recipe, but I was concerned that I had overcooked the caramel to hard crack and it wouldn’t come out, but it turns out my fears were unfounded and it turned out beautifully! Thank you so much for your wonderful work! I find such inspiration in your recipes!
Hi David! That’s great to hear. Thank you for trying the recipe. I’m so glad you loved it.