Made with only 5 simple ingredients, this creamy custard-like Mexican Flan dessert is very popular in Mexico. The flan is cooked with caramel on the bottom of the pan, and custard mixture on top. Serve with caramel sauce or go healthier with fruit on top of the side. Perfect for cinco de mayo!

Mexican flan is a quick and easy traditional Mexican dessert recipe that’s great to make ahead. The best flan recipe I’ve ever made!

Table of Contents

What Is Flan?

Also known as creme caramel, caramel pudding, or caramel custard, flan is a delicious dessert with creamy caramel custard.

It’s made of eggs, sweetened condensed milk, cream, and flavorings. You can often find it in restaurants but it’s easy to make at home.

Mexican Flan vs Filipino Flan

Mexican and Filipino flans are not the same. While the Mexican flan usually calls for whole eggs, Filipino flans most of the time use egg yolks. As a result, Filipino flan is usually denser.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Condensed milk
Whole milk
Eggs
Vanilla
Sugar

How To Make Mexican Flan

Step 1: Make the Caramel

Place a skillet over medium heat. Add sugar, stirring constantly until it completely melts and turns into syrup.
Remove from heat, and pour the syrup into a 7-inch round pan. Spread the syrup evenly to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Set it aside and let it cool down and harden.
Whisk together eggs, condensed milk, whole milk and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: Make a Water Bath

Pour the mixture into the syrup coated pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Place the pan in a large baking dish. Then pour water into the dish. You need enough water to reach halfway up the pan.

Step 3: Bake the Flan

Place the baking dish in the oven and bake at 350°F for 1 hour.
Remove the dish from the oven, and lift the pan out of the baking dish. Then remove the aluminum foil.

Step 4: Chill the Flan

Let it cool to room temperature.
Once cooled, cover with another piece of aluminum foil. Place in the fridge for 4-6 hours.
When you’re ready to serve, remove the foil. Slide a knife along the edges of the pan. Then place a plate on top of the round pan. Carefully flip it. Then lift the pan. Serve and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

If you prefer an even creamier Mexican flan, add cream cheese to the mixture.
Once cooked, let your flan chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before removing it from the pan.
Make sure to cover the mixture with aluminum foil while baking to prevent the surface from burning.

How to Serve Mexican Flan

You can serve it with fruits like berries and ice cream. It’s a perfect dessert to end a Mexican meal.

Mexican Flan Variations

Instead of vanilla flavor, you can add other flavorings to your flan. I’ve seen flan recipes that highlighted different flavors such as:

Lavender Flan
Hazelnut Flan
Orange Flan
Coconut Flan

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Easy Mexican Flan Dessert Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14-oz)
1 ¼ cup whole milk
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 7-inch round pan and a large baking dish. Set them aside.
Place a skillet over medium-heat. Add sugar, stirring constantly until it completely melts and turns into syrup.
Remove from heat, and pour the syrup into a 7-inch round pan. Spread the syrup evenly to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Set it aside and let it cool down and harden.
Whisk together eggs, condensed milk, whole milk and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl.
Pour the mixture into the syrup coated pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Place the pan in a large baking dish. Then pour water into the dish. You need enough water to reach halfway up the pan.
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
Remove the dish from the oven, and lift the pan out of the baking dish. Then remove the aluminum foil. Let the it cool to room temperature.
Once cooled, cover with another piece of aluminum foil. Place in the fridge for 4-6 hours.
When you’re ready to serve, remove the foil. Slide a knife along the edges of the pan.
Then place a plate on top of the round pan. Carefully flip it. Then lift the pan. Serve and enjoy!