Flan Recipe {The BEST!} - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published September 9, 2020. Updated May 17, 2023

My favorite Flan recipe! You get a rich and creamy custard style dessert covered with a deeply flavorful caramel sauce. And this version also includes luscious cream cheese to really take it over the top!

What is Flan?

Flan is a European and Latin dessert made up of a caramel topping and custard base that’s made with milk, eggs and sweetener (which may already be included in the milk). It is usually baked in a water bath for the best texture, and after baking it is chilled then later inverted onto a platter.

This version is Flan de Queso – Cream Cheese Flan. It is easily my favorite! Traditional Spanish flan is so tasty but then when you add some rich and tangy cream cheese it becomes just that much better.

Here I’ve included step by step photos. This is especially helpful with the caramel step, be careful that you don’t burn it. And that you work carefully and quickly.

Other than that this homemade flan is a breeze to make! And who doesn’t love a recipe that only requires 6 ingredients?

What does it taste like?

Flan has a rich, toasted sugar caramel flavor from the topping and the base tastes very milky, perfectly sweet and lightly eggy. It is similar to creme brulee or panna cotta in taste, but texturally the three are quite different.

Watch the Video!

Flan Ingredients

• Sweetened condensed milk: A rich, sweetened milk that is truly a key ingredient in this recipe.
• Evaporated milk: Another concentrated milk that’s used for rich flavor, this however isn’t sweetened.

• Granulated sugar: This is used to make the caramel topping, and then you’ll only need a little in the flan custard since there’s already plenty added to the sweetened condensed milk.
• Cream cheese: Not found in the most traditional flan but this ingredient really makes the best flan in my opinon.
• Eggs: These give the dessert that classic custard flavor and texture. They hold everything together.
• Vanilla: An ingredient used to add extra flavor. A vanilla bean would be a great substitute.

How to Make Flan

1. Boil water, preheat oven: Bring water to a boil to use as a water bath. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and have a 9-inch cake pan ready.
2. Cook sugar to make caramel sauce: In a saucepan whisk 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water. Cook over medium, stirring constantly until sugar has dissolved and mixture begins to boil.
3. Let cook to an amber color: Once boiling stop stirring and let cook until it’s nearing just amber. Remove from heat, let rest 5 seconds then add remaining 1 Tbsp warm water (it will steam and sputter slightly so stand back!), whisk to blend.
4. Pour into cake pan and coat bottom: Immediately pour caramelized sugar into cake pan or 2-quart baking dish and carefully tilt in a circular motion to coat the entire surface of bottom of the pan (careful pan will be hot!). Set aside.
5. Make flan custard, mix cream cheese and sugar: In a mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer blend together cream cheese and 2 Tbsp sugar just until smooth.
6. Blend in eggs then milks: Mix in eggs one at a time. Then mix in sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla extract.
7. Pour custard over caramel: Pour milk mixture over caramel layer in pan. Set pan in a roasting pan large enough to fit with extra space surrounding. Pour in enough boiling water to reach about halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
8. Bake in water bath: Bake until nearly set (it should still wiggle just slightly when jiggled), about 50 – 70 minutes.
9. Cool: Remove from water bath (roasting pan with water) and set on wire rack to cool for 1 hour. Transfer to fridge and let chill 4 hours.
10. Invert onto platter: Run a sharp knife around the flan right up next to the pan, then place a large rimmed serving plate over the pan. While holding the plate in place, flip the flan to the opposite side and let if fall onto the plate.
11. Slice and serve.

How to Store

Because of all the dairy it should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It should keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can it be frozen?

Generally speaking flan can be frozen, but keep in mind the texture won’t be quite as good so I personally don’t recommend freezing.

Tips for the Best Caramel Flan

• Take it easy on the eggs. In my opinion some recipes use far too many eggs and their taste starts to overwhelm the dessert. Here I found that four is plenty. With other recipes using more eggs I may consider swapping a whole egg for 2 egg yolks because the whites have that pronounced egg flavor.
• Soften cream cheese well. I just do this in the microwave so it’s extra soft. It blends better this way, no lumps.
• Be sure to mix ingredients long enough to fully incorporate.
• Don’t grease the pan. It’s not necessary for flan.
• Use a water bath for best texture.
• Careful not to over-bake or it can become rubbery from over-cooked eggs.
• Don’t skip chill time! It is critical to the flan holding up to inverting, and the texture is best when chilled through.
• Run a knife as close to the edge of pan as possible before inverting for best appearance.

Variations

• This same recipe can be made without the cream cheese. If doing so omit the 2 Tbsp sugar from the filling, it will be plenty sweet without.
• Add extra flavor: Try with some cinnamon, coconut extract, citrus zest or a tablespoon of bourbon.
• Make pumpkin flan: Add 1 cup canned pumpkin and 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (add along with milks). Bake time may take a little longer.
• Also try Chocolate Flan.

More Delicious Latin Desserts to Try

• Churros
• Fried Ice Cream
• Mexican Wedding Cookies
• Tres Leches Cake