Flan
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This rich, creamy vanilla flan looks fancy but couldn’t be easier—and since it’s made ahead, it’s perfect for stress-free entertaining.
One of the most popular Latin desserts, flan is a rich, sweet custard topped with caramel sauce. It looks fancy, but it’s way easier than you’d think—and even better, you can make it up to four days ahead, which makes it perfect for hosting with ease.
This vanilla flan recipe, adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, is baked in a loaf pan instead of the usual round cake pan, so it’s much easier to unmold without breaking apart (a common flan pitfall!).
Flan is gently baked in a water bath, which helps it cook evenly. It may sound a little fussy, but it’s actually easy—and totally worth it for that silky texture. If you’re a fan of custard desserts, be sure to try my classic crème brûlée and Italian panna cotta too!
“Restaurant quality flan without the fuss (and fear)…A definite keeper.”
Caramel Flan Recipe Ingredients
- Sugar: Forms the caramel sauce that coats the flan, adding a rich sweetness and glossy finish.
- Eggs and Egg Yolks: Provide structure and richness to the custard. You will have plenty of leftover egg whites—a great excuse to whip up the best macarons ever, chocolate chip meringue cookies, pavlova, or coconut macaroons!
- Sweetened Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk: Add creaminess and sweetness to the custard base.
- Whole Milk: Contributes to the creamy texture of the flan. If you don’t have whole milk, you can substitute 2% milk or half-and-half, but I don’t recommend skim milk.
- Vanilla Extract & Bourbon: Both infuse the flan with a warm, aromatic flavor, though the bourbon also brings some depth and complexity. You can use another type of liquor like rum or brandy, if you prefer. If you’d like to omit the alcohol, just increase the vanilla to 1 tablespoon.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How to Make Flan
Step 1: Start the caramel sauce. Stir the sugar and ¼ cup water together in a medium saucepan until the sugar is completely moistened. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stove over medium-high heat, without stirring.
Step 2: Continue cooking. Continue cooking until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to turn golden. Continue to cook until sugar is a pale honey color, gently swirling the pan.
Step 3: Remove from heat. Remove from the heat and swirl the pan until the sugar is a reddish-amber color and fragrant. This will take 15 to 20 seconds.
Step 4: Finish the caramel. Add 2 tablespoons of warm tap water, while swirling the pan until it’s mixed. Be careful as the mixture will bubble and steam. The water helps thin the caramel, so it doesn’t all stick to the pan after the flan bakes in the oven.
Step 5: Add to the pan. Pour the caramelized sugar into 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan and set aside. The caramel will harden in the pan as it cools.
Step 6: Whisk the custard: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks to break them up. Then whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, vanilla, bourbon, and salt until evenly combined.
Step 7: Strain. Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the egg mixture into a larger bowl. The strainer will catch little bits of egg—you don’t want those in your flan!
Step 8: Transfer to pan. Pour the strained custard into the loaf pan over the caramel, then cover it tightly with foil. Set the loaf pan in the center of a 9×13-inch baking dish and pour in hot water until it comes about halfway up the sides.
Step 9: Bake. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes, until set at the edges but slightly jiggly in the center. Let the flan cool in the water bath at room temperature for one hour.
Step 10: Chill and unmold the flan. Take the loaf pan out of the water bath, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill it overnight—or for up to several days if you’re planning ahead. When you’re ready to serve, unmold the flan, spoon the caramel over the top, slice it up, and enjoy!
Jenn’s Pro tips
- Cook Just Right: The flan is ready when it looks mostly set with a slight jiggle in the center. Don’t worry—that little wobble will firm up as it cools.
- Make a Day Ahead: Flan is delicate when it’s warm, so it needs plenty of time to cool and chill before you try to unmold it. It’s best to make it the day before and let it rest overnight in the fridge so it holds its shape perfectly.
- Removing From the Pan. When you’re ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of the flan to loosen it. Invert it onto your serving platter and give it a moment—it should release on its own. If it doesn’t, just run the knife around the edge again and try once more.
- Avoid Freezing. The texture of the flan will not be the same when it’s thawed out.
- Don’t Skip the Water Bath. Similar to a cheesecake, the water bath is key. It keeps the temperature even and prevents the custard from curdling or cracking, so you end up with a smooth, creamy flan every time.
Video Tutorial
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Flan
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs plus 5 yolks
- 1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
- ½ cup whole milk (half-and-half or 2% milk may be substituted)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon bourbon (see note)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- (This recipe should be made at least one day before serving.) Adjust a rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Stir together the sugar and ¼ cup (60 ml) water in a small heavy saucepan until the sugar is completely moistened. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until the mixture begins to turn golden. Gently swirling the pan, continue to cook until sugar is a honey color. Remove from the heat and swirl the pan until the sugar is reddish-amber and fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Carefully swirl in 2 tablespoons of warm tap water until incorporated—be careful as the mixture will bubble and steam. This whole process should take less than 10 minutes.
- Pour the caramel into an 8½ x 4½-in (21 x 11-cm) loaf pan; do not scrape out the saucepan. (Note: The caramel will solidify when you pour it into the loaf pan. That's ok—it will soften up again as it bakes.) Set the loaf pan aside. (To clean the hardened caramel from the saucepan, fill the pan with water and bring it to a boil.)
- Whisk the eggs and yolks in large bowl until combined. Add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, vanilla, bourbon, and salt and whisk until incorporated. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl to remove any bits of egg; then pour the strained custard into the loaf pan over the caramel. Cover the loaf pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Place the loaf pan in the center of a 9 x 13-in (23 x 33-cm) baking or roasting pan (preferably with high sides) to make a water bath. Place the nested pans in the oven; then, using a tea kettle or pitcher, pour hot water around the loaf pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes. Very carefully pull back the foil (there will be steam that has accumulated under it) to ensure the custard is set around the edges but still a bit jiggly in the center. (Don’t worry that it seems undercooked. The custard will continue to cook as it cools, and the center will set completely—I promise!) Carefully remove the pans from the oven. Remove the foil and leave the flan in the water bath for 1 hour to cool.
- Remove the loaf pan from the water bath and wipe the pan dry. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight or up to 4 days.
- To unmold the flan, carefully slide a sharp knife around the edges of the pan. Invert a platter with a raised rim (to contain the liquid caramel) on top of the flan and turn the pan and platter over. If the flan doesn’t release immediately, let it sit inverted for a minute and it should slide out. If it still doesn't come out, try running the knife around the edges again. When the flan is released, remove the loaf pan. Using rubber spatula, scrape the residual caramel onto the platter. You won’t be able to release all of the caramel; that’s okay. Slice the flan and spoon the sauce over individual portions. (Leftover flan may be covered loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 days.)
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Would the flan still stand ok if baked in a loaf pan with more rounded edges vs. the sharper edged loaf pan? Could this be baked in a 9 inch round pan (and I’m assuming adjust the bake time? Any estimates of what that bake time range in minutes would be?)
Hi Julie, either of those pans should be fine. If you go with the 9-inch round pan, the bake time may be slightly different but not sure by how much so keep a close eye on it. Hope you enjoy!
This is definitely one of the best flan recipes I’ve tried. It came out super custardy and really solidified well after resting. The suggestion to add a bit extra vanilla extract instead of brandy worked perfectly. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Jenn,
As is this was exceptional, like all your other recipes. I’m wondering if there is anyway I could adapt this recipe to make it lactose free — this is my bff’s favourite dessert but she recently developed lactose intolerance and Im trying to find away to make it for her 🙂
Thank you so much
So glad you liked it! This has so much dairy, that I don’t think it will translate well to a non-dairy version. Sorry!
This was AMAZING! I’ve served this a number of times and it leaves people moaning with pleasure. I omitted the bourbon and used the additional vanilla as the recipe suggests.
One word of caution, don’t start making this at 9pm at night if you’re early to bed. I had to bake it the full 90+ minutes (until almost set) and then the additional 1 hour cooling time in the water bath made it for a later than expected bed time. Well worth it. Enjoy.
Hello Jenn
First I would like to thank you for such tasty and yum recipe.
I made flan for the first time in my life yesterday and the result was perfect taste 🙂 but not so perfect texture 🙁
I did exactly as you advised – cooked for 90 mins at 300 F, let it sit in the pan for one hour after taking out from oven, and overnight in fridge.
But when i took it out today in the morning, the middle part was not set. It was more like pudding or thick soup but the sides were perfectly set and were holding their shape.
I am not sure where I went wrong 🙁
But the taste was heaven….
Please advise or suggest what I can do better next time to keep the shape and texture perfect as well.
Hi Manasi, Glad to hear you like this but sorry that it was a bit underbaked. Did you by any chance use a glass loaf pan? (Glass is better at conducting heat than metal and sometimes that will cause the outside/edges of a baked good to get browned/baked before the center is fully cooked.
Hi, can I bake this in a loaf pan made of stone?
Yes, I think that should work. Hope you enjoy!
This recipe used to be perfect. Just recently, they added the step of covering it with aluminum foil. I tried it with the foil to see what the difference would be…. Undercooked and runny. I tried putting it back in the oven for another 15 min uncovered, but it was ruined. I have no idea why they changed it when it was perfect to begin with. Try it without the aluminum foil and cook it at 300 for 75 min. It will come out perfect.
Hi , can I bake this on a Bundt Cake pan ? I have made on the regular pans and it cane our amazing!!!’
Hi Natalia, I wouldn’t use a bundt pan as I don’t think you’ll have enough custard to fill it (and it would be hard to run a knife along the edges to unmold it without butchering it). Sorry!
Thank you for replying ! Is it possible to double this recipe ? I need to make a big flan for a family gathering . This recipe is the best I ever tried .
So glad you like it! Yes, you cand double it. I’d just make it in 2 loaf pans (they may take just a tiny bit longer to cook). Enjoy!
Hi Natalia, I almost always make flan in my Bundt cake pan and always comes out perfect and have no issues with it. Give it a try!
Hello. Thank you for the recipe. It came out great. When I made the second time I did add one extra ingredient which was a piece of cream cheese because I wanted it to be a little firmer.
I do have one question – if I want to make other variations of flavors of the flan, such as coffee, or guava, or passion fruit – should I reduce some of the milk and replace with the coffee or passion fruit juice so that is it not too liquidy? If so, which of the two should I reduce – the evaporated milk or the whole milk or both?
Hi Yadira, glad this turned out nicely for you! I wouldn’t recommend fiddling with the recipe too much but if you wanted to give this a coffee flavor, you could add 1 to 2 teaspoons of espresso powder. You could try to experiment a bit beyond that but not sure how forgiving the recipe will be.
I followed this recipe almost exactly. I did not have any bourbon, so I added the extra vanilla instead. I only baked it for 65 minutes, and it turned out perfect. I have tried other flan recipes and this one is our favorite, so far… thanks
This was absolutely AMAZING!! The first time I made it, I surprised my entire family with it, and they were in love. Ever since it is the only flan recipe I like to use. It is creamy, and sweet, and just every part fantastic. Thanks for the perfect recipe!
Can I do this in an 8 inch round pan ? Thanks
Sure — the baking time may be slightly shorter so keep a close eye on it. Hope you enjoy!