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
Hi Natasha,
This recipe looks amazing. Can I substitue something else that is lactose free than heavy whippig cream?
Hi Debbie, I have not tried any substitute ingredient to advise.
I’ve made this twice for my husband and he loves it! I had to leave it in the oven about 10 minutes longer to set. I also had to use the broiler to caramelize the sugar since my torch isn’t working, and it worked just fine. Hubby, daughter and son-in-law give it a thumbs up! Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe!
Love this recipe very easy to make and it was delicious. I make it at least once a month for my mom
I made this (24 Apr 2024) and it came out great. I normally don’t eat things like this, but my wife asked me to try it and I loved it. Now I want to make more. Thank you and I’ll be trying other recipes you have.
You’re so welcome, Ed! I hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes that you will try!
This is the second time I’ve made your recipe Natasha and it’s wonderful. Thank you for bringing my family and friends joy!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Iris!
I love this recipe! So easy and so delicious! Removing the ramekins from the hot water can be tricky. I used my canning jar utensil used to remove hot jars from the canner. Perfect!!
Perfect! This recipe makes a creamy, tasty creme brulee. My second time attempting this dessert. The first batch did not set and was runny. I think there was some egg whites and I think I did not stir the heavy cream mixture in slow enough. Definitely will make this again real soon.
Hello Sheena, nice one! Im glad your next try was already a sucess!
Fantastic! My adult children love it. Just made another batch. Thanks for sharing.
I tried baking it this morning and it turned out just as expected! It was so delicious! My husband loves it!😋 it’s worth sharing with friends👌
That’s wonderful! I’m happy that you both enjoyed this recipe!
I’ve used your recipe several times and always comes out great! I’ve even experimented on different flavors: Kahlua, caramel and Irish cream. Yum!!!
Delicious and easy! My only issue was with the timing. I baked the cream brûlées for about 45 min and they still didn’t set as much as they should have. Still delicious but I can’t figure out what I did wrong.
Hi AP! Did you use the recommended size ramekins? Also, be sure to fully preheat the oven before baking. I like to use an In oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to check my oven temperature and make sure it reaches the right temp before I bake.
I hope that helps.
Mine are never done in the time they say. I’ve used exact EXACT measurements and it always need more cooking time. Every single recipe is that way and I am an experienced cook.
Today was my 2nd attempt and it came out very different. The consistency my first one was a lot thicker, like a banana pie thick you know and this one’s thin like a pudding. Now I don’t know which one’s right I don’t know if I did something wrong this time or the first time. You this texture and flavor is very similar to my Bavarian cream, Boston cream, custard donuts. Is my simmer wrong? What is a simmer I know it’s like right below the boiling point my first time trying to simmer, I burnt the bottom. If you think about it next time you’re doing a proper simmer temp the water maybe that’ll help people like me who just cannot grasp this definition. Again thank you for all you taught me the last couple of years.
The flavor is absolutely amazing, I was a little afraid after to try custard again after I made custard for my donuts. I was also afraid by how thin this turned out to be in the end, I thought it was going to be thicker, the custard for the donuts was so thick and overly sweet. Ick. I’m attempting to make my second batch right now of this again. I thank you for all the things you have taught me to bake and cook throughout the years. I hope one day to see the donuts on your show. And maybe explain the difference between Boston cream and Bavarian cream and custard I don’t know it’s all confusing to me.
Hi Shelly, good to hear that you loved it! Hope your second batch became perfect!
Great recipe! I had a bit of trouble finding a torch, but eventually found a propone torch at Lowes. (I did some reading and watched some videos comparing butane, propane and MAPP. Most people said there was no flavor from any of these if you make sure the flame is blue.) The custards took 45 minutes to cook. On top, I tried regular granulated sugar and turbinado. Both were great! Now that I’ve practiced, I can’t wait to make this for others.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hey can this be made in the instant pot? If so do you know what temp and for how long? Thanks
I have not tested that to advise.
So easy and absolutely delicious!
Wish I could figure out how to add a photo because it was beautiful too!
Hi Laurie! I’m so glad you loved it.
Unfortunately there isn’t an option to attach a photo here but you can tag me on Instagram or Facebook. #natashaskitchen
Hi Natasha,
I can’t wait to make this. I have a convection oven. Any idea the temp and time to bake the creme brulee in a convection oven?
Thank you!
Hi Sarah, I haven’t tried this in a convection oven, you will likely need to make adjustment to the temp and bake time. I wish I could be more helpful.
What a wonderful lively presentation. I’m off to get started right now, chef’s torch at the ready in Queenstown NZ
Thank you, Christine! I hope you love the recipe!
AH-MA-ZING!!!! Had never attempted making crème brulee before and I decided to go ahead this past weekend. WOW! these were so creamy and delicious and sooooo easy and loved by all! I doubled the recipe for a gathering.
So glad it’s being enjoyed! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi! I have made this many times….DELICIOUS! I would like to use vanilla beans this time, How many vanilla beans should I use? Thank you!
Hi Shannon! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed making my Creme Brûlée Recipe! Typically one vanilla bean is equal to 1-1.5 tsp of Vanilla extract. Infuse the seeds into the custard for best results.