Creme Brulee is one of my favorite easy dessert recipes. That’s right—Easy—and it requires only 5 ingredients to create this classic French dessert recipe. The creamy custard is topped with an irresistible, crunchy burnt sugar topping. This dessert will impress everyone who enjoys a cup!
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Helpful Reader Review
“Once I started making this at home, I had to quit ordering it at restaurants because I’m always disappointed. Your recipe is THE. BEST. crem brulee I’ve ever had!” – Sene ★★★★★
Creme Brulee Video
Grab a few fridge staples to make these luxurious pots of silky Creme Brulee custard. I’ll show you how I use my blow torch to create that famous crisp sugar topping.
Easy Creme Brulee Recipe
I’m here to tell you that you can make this fancy crème brûlée recipe with just 5 simple ingredients in your very own kitchen, blowtorch and all. It’s also totally approachable! My teenage son makes this on his own (with some supervision of the blowtorch). Creme Brulee is his favorite dessert, and I’m definitely not complaining!
Crème Brûlée (pronounced “krem-broo-lay”) means “burnt cream” in French. It’s a classic dessert made from a creamy custard base topped with a layer of sugar. The sugar is then caramelized or “burnt” with a kitchen torch to create a hardened, crunchy top.
Creme Brulee Ingredients
Open your fridge (and pantry) to find the 5 staple ingredients needed to make creme brulee from scratch. So easy!
- Heavy Whipping Cream has a higher fat content to set the custard properly. You can substitute it with full-fat coconut milk or cream for a dairy-free creme brulee.
- Egg yolks – help set the mixture to create a rich and thick custard. Save the egg whites for Pavlova or an Egg White Omelette.
- Sugar – I use granulated sugar for the custard and the caramelized topping
- Salt – Salt balances the sweetness and brings out the flavor.
- Vanilla – Use Homemade Vanilla or store-bought real vanilla extract, vanilla beans cut lengthwise and de-seeded, or vanilla paste.
How to Substitute Vanilla:
If you want to use a different form of vanilla, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract is equal to the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste.
If you prefer a different flavor altogether, try my Espresso Crème Brûlée, and Pumpkin Crème Brûlée, so you’ll have a favorite for every season!
How to Make Crème Brûlée
Making vanilla creme brulee from scratch is simple! Check out my tips for what to do if you don’t have a blow torch:
- Warm the cream – heat heavy cream in a saucepan until steaming, and then add vanilla extract and remove from heat.
- Add the eggs – whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in a separate bowl, and then slowly pour the hot cream into the mixture while whisking.
- Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (optional, but it helps ensure the silkiest consistency). Pour into 6 (4 oz) ramekins and then place them into a casserole dish.
- Water bath – add boiling hot water to the casserole dish, and bake the creme brulee at 325˚F for 30-35 minutes (if using larger ramekins, increase the baking time). Crème brûlée is done when the centers are nearly set, with a slight wobble when you give the pan a jolt. Overbaking will result in a firm, more flan-like consistency rather than a creamy custard. Cool on a wire rack, cover, and then refrigerate at least 2 hours to set.
- Caramelize the Sugar – Just before serving, swirl up to 2 tsp sugar evenly over the custards, and then torch the top using circular motions until the sugar becomes deep amber in color.
Pro Tip:
A small, inexpensive handheld multi-purpose torch does the job. I picked up mine at Home Depot along with a can of butane. Also, a flame-thrower torch borrowed from the garage will also work fine.
Can I Make Creme Brulee Without a Torch?
True, you won’t hear that iconic “crack,” but I’ve tested other ways to make the hard caramelized topping (including under an oven broiler), but they don’t turn out consistently. Save yourself some frustration, and instead and try these toppings instead:
- Fresh Raspberries – or mixed berries with a mint leaf for color
- Citrus – orange or tangerine segments with citrus zest
- Berry Sauce – homemade Strawberry Sauce, or berry sauce from our Panna Cotta
- Caramel – drizzle your creme brulee with Caramel Sauce or Butterscotch Sauce
- Shaved bittersweet chocolate also makes an easy substitute for the crackly sugar topping.
I hope you’re inspired to whip up some quick and easy creme brulee this week! It’s easily one of my favorite desserts to make whenever I entertain, since it’s effortlessly impressive and so tasty.
Creme Brulee
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for caramelizing
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Warm the cream – Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Pour heavy cream into a medium saucepan and set over medium heat, stirring frequently until steaming and almost at a simmer, then add vanilla and remove from heat.
- Add the eggs – In a medium bowl, whisk together 5 egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt until blended. While whisking constantly, gradually drizzle in the hot cream. Start very slowly to avoid scrambling your eggs.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup with a pouring lip. Discard anything left in the sieve. Divide the mixture into 6 (4-oz) ramekins and place in a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Water bath – Fill the baking dish with boiling water about halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake at 325˚F for 30-35 minutes, depending on your ramekin size, or until the centers are nearly set and have just a slight wiggle in the center. Carefully transfer ramekins from the water bath to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, and then cover and refrigerate creme brulee until fully chilled (2 hours or up to 3 days).
- Caramelize sugar** – When ready to serve, put 1 1/2 to 2 tsp sugar on each custard, swirling to spread evenly. Use a Blowtorch over the top, moving in a circular pattern until the whole surface is caramelized to a deep amber color.
Notes
Storage:
- Make Ahead: The custard can be made 3 days in advance, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. You’ll want to wait until serving to add the sugar topping; otherwise, the humidity of the refrigerator will soften the caramelized topping.
- To Refrigerate – cool the custard in under 2 hours, cover tightly with plastic wrap so it doesn’t touch the top, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: It’s also possible to freeze creme brulee, though it may reduce the quality of the custard a bit. Prepare and bake the custard as directed, leaving off the sugar topping. Once the ramekins have cooled, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze them for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge, then top them with sugar and torch them as usual before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Single-Serving Desserts
Once you try this easy crème brûlée recipe, check out my other single-serve dessert recipes, perfect for Valentine’s Day or a special occasion.
- Chocolate Lava Cakes
- Apple Roses
- Chocolate Mousse
- Mini Cheesecakes
- Cream Puffs
- Strawberry Shortcakes
- Lemon Posset
- Raspberry Macarons
- Eclairs
- Chocolate Soufflé Recipe
Another great dessert recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen! And, it pairs well with ANY entree.
As you explained in your recipe, care must be taken when adding the egg mixture to the hot cream, to avoid scrambled egg chunks. I always use the “tempering” method.
To temper the eggs, I whisk-in some of the hot mixture to the beaten egg ingredients. My addition is 1 tablespoon at a time. When the egg mix is warm to a finger touch, I then add it to the hot liquid. Results are “no scrambles”.
Also, for those readers without a kitchen torch for caramelizing, a “long-stemmed” charcoal grill lighter works well for the method. It may just take a bit longer for desired results.
Hi Robert! Thank you for sharing. So glad you loved the recipe.
This is my favorite dessert. I will definitely make it soon and share how it turned out. Thank you for your amazing recipes.
Hi Judy! You’re very welcome. I hope you love this recipe!
Great recipe – I was looking for recipe that I could make with my kids, when i came across your recipe. Delicious! 10/10
Hi Melissa! I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you for sharing.
I just made these. They taste very good but the baking time and/or temperature is off. at 300F (per oven setting and over thermometer) and 35 minutes they were not near to being set. Had to leave them in for almost 1 hr. Maybe the temperature needs to be higher?
Hi Lorena, if you are using larger cups, they do need to be baked longer, however an hour would be too long. Make sure you oven is fully preheated before putting them in there and also it’s important to use boiling hot water to fill the casserole dish, or it will take longer for them to set.
I have to make this for 30 people for a shower. Can this recipe actually double or triple well? or do I have to make it individually in 6’s. ALSO can a mixer be used or does it add too much bubbles? Thank you for the input.
Hi Sandy, You can definitely double it! When doubling a recipe, be sure to double all ingredients, and some steps may take longer with more ingredients.
Way too sweet!! And two of them didn’t set, were liquid, not sure why that would happen, others set fine, but if I do try this recipe again definitely reducing the sugar!! And it took longer than 35 mins. I have a very good Bosch oven that usually coincides with recipe baking times but this was never ready in 35 mins!! Weird recipe.
Hi Ashley, If you put them under a torch for too long, it can melt the top a little even if it was set properly. I’m not sure if that was the issue or not, but they usually set pretty consistently unless the cup sizes were different. Also, this is a very common quantity of sugar for creme brulee and this is the expected sweetness if you were to order a creme brulee at a restaurant.
I was excited about this recipe until we got to the blow torch part of it. I’ve prepared frozen crème brûlée before and you add the brown sugar before putting it in the oven. To me it tasted just as good as restaurant crème brûlée.
Good to know that you liked it!
Can you use full fat or 2% milk instead of whipping cream or is that the only thing that will work?
Hi Gigi! You can but the custard will not be as rich. Full-fat heavy cream will yield the creamiest custard.
I couldn’t watch the video because it was sideways through the whole session for creme bruee something went wrong with your camera
Hi Virginia, thanks for the feedback. It’s not sideways at all on our end, it could be the settings on your device. Would you mind trying again on a different device?
I do not have ramekins is it possible to use something else to bake it in?
Hi Karen, I have seen people do this in a larger dish like a pie dish to make 1 larger creme brulee.
Say I used this exact recipe but put it in a larger bowl, how long do as bake it for?
Hi Neela! I have not tested that myself to advise on the exact time. You’ll need to experiment with it.
Thank you for that I’ve never made it before but would like to try it.
I hope you love it!
Would love to order some of your kitchen “equipment” …especially the knives. Is that possible?
Hi Connie, you can find our favorite kitchen tools in our Amazon Affiliate Shop HERE.
I never knew how easy it was to make this dessert! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jess!
I always use the oven broiler for this recipe and it turns out perfect.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Joyce!
AMAZING!! This was so delicious and I was nervous to make it. It really was easy. I used 3 whole eggs.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Morgan!
Your video says to use 3 whole eggs. Your written recipe says 5 egg yolks. Which is it? I plan to make today! 🙂
Hello Andrea, we have been making it with 5 yolks and loving the results more.
Easy recipe and turned out amazing. It made 6 ramikens and it took 45 mins.
Thank you for sharing, Sara!
Thank you for this recipe! Love love love how simple you make it for this elegant dessert. A few things to point out (I waited 3 tries before writing this!):
– Bake time is 45 minutes. I was anxious each time when I went over 35 mins as called in recipe, since there’s a warning not to overbake to maintain desired texture. 45 mins turned out perfect.
– These are so sweet even before caramelizing the top…sweetness becomes overbearing with caramelized sugar which, of course, is the signature finish to this dessert. I will definitely be making these again and will comfortably be cutting the sugar in half.
Otherwise, delicious!! Thank you!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Allie! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Happy New Year!
Just made this for after a holiday dinner. They were great! There are other recipes out there that call for salt and vanilla bean, but for an impressive and easy to make dessert this is a go to every time! I made two batches. One I cooked at 300 degrees and the other at 325. At 300 they need significantly more time. At 325 40-45 minutes did the trick. I purchased a butane torch and then deviated to try our propane torch – both worked well. Keep the flame moving is my advice.
Thank you for the feedback, Melissa! So glad it was loved.
It’s funny how expensive it’s in the restaurants and so easy to make
It’s funny how expensive it’s in the restaurants and so easy to make
Homemade is always best, we say!
This recipe turned out perfect, except that there’s only 4 (6 oz) servings and you have to bake a little longer (it took me about 45 minutes at 300°F the 3x I’ve made this). I’ve measured my ramekins by both volume and weight, they for sure are 6 oz so I know it’s not on my end. But regardless, I highly recommend this recipe it’s WAY easier than you would expect.
Also, I used 6-8 egg yolks each time because my chickens lay small-medium eggs. I was worried they would end up “eggy” but that was not the case.
Now that I think of it, I suppose you could pour 4 oz into 6 oz ramekins and would get 6 servings. It might look a little empty, but I suppose that depends on the way your ramekins look/are designed.
Thank you for the feedback, Angie! I’m so glad it turned out.
Yes I had the same problem. I was only able to make 4 6oz ramekins with this recipe.