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
Natasha, do you have a video for making this Flam recipe? I love your recipes but have never made Flam before (my son has and it’s great, but I would like to learn it too). Thank you for all you do and for sharing your recipes, I truly appreciate it.
Hi Dianne! I do not have a video for this one yet. Not all of the recipes have videos but we’re trying to add videos to them (it’s a very big project so it’s taking a while). Please reference the step by step images and instructions in the blog post above. I hope you love this recipe!
Thank you, and sorry I spelled it wrong, it’s Flan. I will try the recipe and get back to you.
I loved this recipe! Even though it took a long time, the end result was worth it. The flan came out as creamy and delicious 😋.
Lovely to hear that! Thank you for sharing that with us.
I love this recipe! Turns out perfect every time.
In search of a good Mexican sweet corn flan recipe.
Have you tried this flan variation?
Hi Maricely! I’m glad you love the flan. I have not tested or tried anything like that.
I’m sure it’s amazing but I had it in the oven for alot more then 80 minutes and it’s still very soft I followed the recipe to theT. Now the only thing I’m thinking is a 1 cup and 3/4 of heavy cream is alot or am I wrong?
Hi! The ingredients/quantities listed are correct, tested many times. Did you use a different size pan by chance? This will affect the baking time. Also- be sure to fully preheat the oven before baking. This recipe was tested in a conventional oven on regular bake. I highly recommend using an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to ensure your oven is heating correctly. Every oven bakes differently but it shouldn’t be a drastic time difference. I hope that helps.
I’m Latina, this is an amazing recipe! The only one issue is the details for Carmel ….I had to incorporate more sugar & liquid.
Thank you for the flan recipe deliciously great. Easy to understand directions. I have it baking right now soon to know how great it taste…well actaully I won’t know until tomorrow after it sets up over night or at least for 6 hours in the fridge….
I did try this recipe. The taste was great but the texture of the flan itself was “grainy”, not smooth as silk as it should be. What happened?
Hi Diane, I haven’t had that happen but it could be a few things – ensure the eggs are well blended otherwise they won’t fully incorporoate into the custard and result in a grainy texture. Also, straining the custard mixture is crucial to remove egg fragments and bits. use a fine mesh sieve. Also, avoid overcooking which can cause the eggs to curdle. The flan should be baked until it has a slight jiggle in the center. Also, allow the flan to cool gradually. I hope that is helpful for next time.
All of my pans are 1 inch deep. Is that too shallow??? I’m trying this for the first time for a party so I want to get it right. I know am I crazy or what?
Hi Linda! Yes, it will be thin. You can still use one but you’ll have to experiment with the size to make sure you can fit all the flan custard in. You’ll also have to adjust the time, if you’re using a larger pan that’s more shallow, it will bake faster.
I tried this recipe for the first time yesterday. I followed it exactly as written and it turned out fantastic! Thank you for the well written instructions!
Hi Natasha, I have been gifted an 8 inch flan pan. It has a top which latches on, thus making it a little hard to see if the center jiggles or not, plus it is 8 inches. I am thinking there would be a longer baking time. Do you have any suggestions on how to revise the timing to suit the pan?
Hi Karen! I’m sorry, I do not. It would require some experimenting with. I used a 9”x2” pan. I am not sure how deep your pan is, but if it’s less than 2” you may not be able to fit the the entire custards and if you are, it will take longer to bake since it will be thicker and not as spread out as in a 9”.
I inherited my Mexican aunts pan with the top, it it’s the same it fits. She used to make it just the same but used reg. milk. Try filling it with waterto see if it will fit yours before making it. If not you can try two smaller vessels for this recipe
Spanish flan does not contain cream cheese. Please check your resources and don’t provide incorrect information. Spanish flan is made of Sugar, Milk and eggs
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Almu. I hope you like our spin on this traditional Spanish dish. We do mention in the recipe “Flan is a popular Spanish dessert and different regions make different versions. It is essentially a custard dessert made by combining eggs, milk, sugar (or condensed milk)”, just like you said. We like it with the addition of cream cheese with adds a delightful creamy and velvet texture to the flan. Cooking is all about expressing creativity and I hope you try and love this version soon.
There is the traditional Flan that you have the recipe here for and then the more none traditional would be with the cream cheese. Either way, if mine turns out I’m going to be in heaven tomorrow!
I hope you love it!
Okay, I love flan and have made it before but the last recipe I used something seemed off. I tried yours did not read you whole blog just the recipe and found it odd to add the cream cheese. After I completed everything and tried it I got to say it is not a flan but a flan cheese cake. Which is actually fabulous, it has the flavor of the flan but texture or a cheese cake. This recipe is a keeper but I would not consider it a mexican flan.
Hi Julio! I’m glad it still turned out great. I did not use cream cheese in this recipe but did mention some versions of Flan use cream cheese.
I am going to try this recipe..it looks so pretty! I am wondering if you spray the pan with cooking spray to avoid difficulty getting it out of the pan or will that ruin the caramel? Thank you!
Hi Carin, we didn’t need to add that step in this recipe. I hope you love it!
When I read the recipe and looked at the picture, it looked like you added the water to the sugar and cooked them together…it made simple syrup. Tossed it out and cooked the sugar until it was semi melted and Caramel colored then added water…sugar hardened. I kept at it, stirring untilmit melted again. It is baking now so I can’t speak about flavor or texture. What in the world went wrong?
Hi Ann, yes to make the caramel, in a saucepan, we combined water and sugar and brought to a boil then reduced the heat to a simmer. It sounds like maybe the sugar to water ratio was off? I recommend looking through all the steps again.
Hi Ann! I had the same problems as well, but then I finally looked at the recipe Natasha learned it from – Epicurious. These were the instructions:
“combine 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water in another heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and cook without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes.”
3 things to note:
1.) Use 1 cup of sugar instead of 3/4 sugar.
2.) Use 1/3 cup of water instead of 1/4 cup.
3.) Cook over LOW heat until sugar is dissolved THEN move to high heat. (7/8 on my electric burner).
After I followed those steps, i finally made it! I hope it helps. The rest of the recipe is perfect though! My family loved it, and as a Mexican myself, I was pretty impressed.
I hope that helps!
Thank you Rebecca, that solved my problem. I cooked it on Ned low, and stirred the whole time. It turned back to sugar! I added a 1/4 cup of water let it come to a boil and poured in the pan.
So glad that helped out! It’s a delicious recipe 😋
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!
Love it! Thanks so much for sharing that with us, Elizabeth.
I made one 9″ flan using the identical pan you mentioned…at 85 minutes it is still very jiggly. I baked another batch using 8oz ramekins, and they turned out perfect at 45 minutes. My oven temperature is correct, I have two oven thermometers inside the oven at all times.
Hello Natasha, The can of condensed milk, is it a 14 ounce can in the recipe? Because the can in the picture looks like a 10 ounce can and i cannot find a 14 ounce can of condensed milk in my grocery store.
HI Rebecca, most sweetened condensed milk cans that I have found in US grocery stores come in 14 oz cans. If you zoom in on the photo, you can see it is a 14 oz. You may need to buy a couple and measure them out to get 14 oz
Agree with previous comments that this does not fit in a 9×2 cake pan. This is a difficult recipe if you don’t have all the equipment – round cake pan, a blender, roasting pan.
This is an excellent flan recipe. Amazing texture, not overly sweet. Definitely will be making again.
So glad you loved it, Kim!
I messed up the caramel. Like.really bad but my God this turned out so well. This is one of the best flans I have ever had! Thank you for the recipe!
So glad it still worked out!