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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Flan + VIDEO

    Flan + VIDEO

    Last Updated January 27, 2023. Originally Posted May 10, 2021 By Maggie Unzueta

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Flan is a silky vanilla custard topped with a yummy caramel sauce. It's a very popular dessert that's creamy, rich, and decadent.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Flan - authentic Mexican Dessert - creamy, delicious, and rich dessert. A Mexican favorite recipe. Via @MamaMaggiesKitchen

    A cake knife removing a slice of Flan from the dessert.

    My family’s flan recipe dates back to the late 1700s/ early 1800s.

    As the only girl in her family, my grandmother learned to cook from her mother and inherited some of our family’s most beloved recipes.

    Like this one.

    It originally came from Spain and had no vanilla. Vanilla is native to Mexico.

    That’s why I refer to this recipe as “Mexican Flan.”

    Sweet, creamy, decadent, and delicious.

    How to Make It


    A bowl with raw eggs next to a whisk.

    • Put the eggs in a large bowl.
    • Whisk the eggs together.

    It comes together very, very easily. Waiting for HOURS TO CHILL is what’s the hard part.

    This is an authentic flan recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation.

    It was given to me by my grandmother, the original Mama Maggie. My namesake.

    She told me when she handed it to me that it was handed down to her by her grandmother.

    A glass bowl with a whisk next to a zester and an orange.

    Orange zest is used to make this Mexican flan recipe. Some people will even add orange juice to their flan recipe.

    We just want a HINT of orange not a strong “knock-your-socks-off” orange-y flavor.

    Did you know that vanilla grows native in Mexico? YES! Here is a popular brand of Mexican vanilla you can buy online.

    Baked flan still in the pan sitting on a cooling rack.

    • Once it’s out of the oven, place on a cooling rack.
    • Let cool slightly.

    Milks to use: Either whole milk or half and half.

    How does flan vary from country to country?

    They are very, very similar.

    Where in Mexico, we use whole milk, the islands such as Cuba and Puerto Rico will use sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk. They lacked fresh foods, and that is why they had to use canned foods.

    Nowadays, though, you will see some of their recipes also use whole milk or half and half.

    A plate covered with aluminum foil next to a knife and a kitchen towel.

    • Cover and place in the fridge.
    • Chill for 3 1/2 hours.

    You can’t skip this step. Hard, I know, but it needs to set.

    Overnight in the fridge is best. Although, it really just needs is 3 1/2 hours.

    A knife running around the edges of the pie plate.

    • When you’re ready to unmold, run a knife around the edge of the pan.

    The DEEPER the pan, the THICKER your flan will be.

    Let’s Talk about Pans, Man!

    The presentation of this dessert using a fluted edge pan is beautiful, but it can be hard to unmold UNLESS you get one that has a removable bottom. I recommend this fluted edge pan.

    In the video, I’m using a regular pie pan. If you are using this recipe, you will need to use TWO pie pans. Yes, two flans!

    Nowadays, they even have flan molds and flan double broiler sets. Very cool!

    Two hands holding the edges of a large plate with a kitchen towel.

    Pro Tip:


    Use a serving plate that is LARGER than the pan.

    OR, the caramel sauce will spill all over the place, and the flan will fall apart. No bueno.

    Two hands holding an upside down glass pie plate, molding the flan.

    • Once you’ve flipped it, give it a minute before full removing the pan.

    There might be a section or so that did not completely come loose. That’s ok.

    No dessert is perfect.

    It’ll still be YUMMY and creamy.

    More Mexican Desserts:


    Tres Leches Cake
    Mantecadas
    Mexican Wedding Cookies
    Conchas

    Flan sitting on a cake standing next to a serving knife.

    Different types:
    Pumpkin Flan, Chocolate flan, you’ll even see key lime flan.

    My favorite variation is Chocoflan which is a combination of chocolate cake and flan. YUM!

    Flan sitting on a pink cake stand.

    Do you see the picture below, and how the caramel is pouring down the flan?

    Makes you just want to lick the plate clean!

    Are you drooling? Because I sure am!!

    A slice of flan on a white plate drizzled with caramel sauce.

    Origins


    Flan dates back to the Ancient Roman times. You know, Cesar and the Colosseum? Yeah, that!

    From there, it spread to Spain, England, France because the Romans conquered lots of lands in Europe.

    The Spanish, though, were the first (or so it seems) to add a caramelized sugar top. They brought flan to Latin America, and that’s how we got it in Mexico.

    We adapted it in Mexico, and someone in my family perfected it. LOL!

    More Spanish-Mexican Desserts


    Churros
    Arroz con Leche
    Rosca de Reyes
    (Roscon de Reyes, in Spain)

    A slice of flan sitting on a white plate next to a cake stand with the entire dessert.

    I originally published this recipe for my son. What better way to discover your roots and your culture than through food.

    Our foods say a lot about us, who we are, where we have been, where we’re going.

    Traditions and family are everything to me and my family.

    I know that my grandmother would have loved to share this recipe with you too.

    Hungry for More?

    Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter for my latest recipes and videos.

    Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!

    A cake knife removing a slice of Flan from the dessert.

    Mexican Flan

    Flan is a silky vanilla custard topped with a yummy caramel sauce. It's a very popular dessert that's creamy, rich, and decadent.
    4.74 from 84 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Recipes
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Total Time: 4 hours 50 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 202kcal
    Author: Maggie Unzueta

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup sugar
    • 6 eggs
    • 3 cups whole milk or half and half
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 1½ teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 teaspoon orange rind grated

    Instructions

    • Heat ½ cup sugar in a skillet, stirring constantly until it melts.
    • It will turn a dark golden color.
    • Remove from heat.
    • Immediately pour the melted sugar into a round tart pan or round pie pan.
    • Swirl it around the pan to evenly coat the bottom.
    • In a large bowl, beat the eggs.
    • To the bowl, add milk (or half and half), ½ cup sugar, vanilla, and orange peel.
    • For the water bath:
    • Place a large roasting pan on an oven rack.
    • Inside the roasting pan, add the caramel coated pan to the center.
    • Pour egg mixture into the caramel coated pan.
    • Run the tap water until it gets hot.
    • Carefully add the hot tap water in the roasting pan and around the uncooked flan pan to a depth of 1 inch.
    • Bake at 325 F for close to l hour, or until a knife comes out clean.
    • Cool the flan on a wire rack.
    • Then chill for at least 3½ hours.
    • To unmold the flan:
    • Use a spatula and gently go around the sides of the pan.
    • Place the serving platter over the pan.
    • Flip the pan and the platter and allow the flan to come down.
    • Spoon any of the caramel that may remain in the pan on top of the flan.
    • Slice and Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    Chill for at least 3½ hours. Overnight is best. 
    When you flip the pan, slowly remove the platter. Allow the flan to come down, or it can crack. 
    The DEEPER the pan, the THICKER the flan will be. 
    To make this recipe using a pie pan, you will need TWO pie pans. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 166mg | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 326IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @MamaMaggiesKitchen or tag #MamaMaggiesKitchen!

    Filed Under: Desserts, Mexican, Popular Recipes, Recipes, Trending

    About Maggie Unzueta

    Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Eva

      March 27, 2021 at 6:46 am

      5 stars
      What a delightful recipe. I don’t eat enough flan, I need more such desserts in my life. Definitely starting from your recipe.

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        March 29, 2021 at 5:18 pm

        This recipe is delicious. Hope you try it!

        Reply
    2. Beth

      March 27, 2021 at 5:49 pm

      5 stars
      Flan is one of my favorite desserts – I could probably eat it every day and not get tired of that creamy flavor. Thank you for sharing your family’s recipe. I am going to try the basic flan first and then move on to key lime!

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        March 29, 2021 at 5:10 pm

        So glad you enjoyed this! Hope you try this recipe

        Reply
        • Paola

          April 3, 2022 at 7:05 pm

          Hi! I like the lightness of this recipe. The only thing that threw me off was the note that said to use two pie pans. The recipe is for one pie pan.

        • Maggie Unzueta

          April 8, 2022 at 11:04 am

          Ahh.. I used a pie pan in the video. 🙂 That’s why I added that note. A flan pan would be the best. If using a flan pan, then no need to modify the instructions.

    3. Veronika

      March 28, 2021 at 7:10 am

      5 stars
      I love flan but ever made it myself. Thank you for this detailed recipe instructions, I will try to make it sometime soon!

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        March 29, 2021 at 5:04 pm

        So glad you enjoyed this!

        Reply
    4. Tammy

      March 28, 2021 at 9:55 am

      5 stars
      Oh heavens your flan is gorgeous!! I just want to reach into these images and grab a slice. Beautiful dessert and it’s so easy too! I might make this for either Easter or Mother’s Day…perfect treat for the holidays 🙂

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        March 29, 2021 at 5:03 pm

        I think so too delicious glad you liked it

        Reply
      • Jennifer

        November 10, 2022 at 4:14 pm

        4 stars
        Is this eggy or more custard texture?

        Reply
        • Maggie Unzueta

          November 10, 2022 at 5:09 pm

          It’s more custard texture than eggy.

    5. Carolyn Lombardi

      October 3, 2021 at 10:08 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely the BEST flan recipe

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        October 5, 2021 at 7:37 am

        That makes me so happy to hear. This recipe has been in my family for many generations. I love being able to pass it on to other people.

        Reply
    6. Vicki

      November 15, 2021 at 4:15 pm

      5 stars
      I made it and it was wonderful! Very authentic! I used pie plates because my tart pan is too shallow. Note to myself, I think it PROBABLY would have fit in 1 pie plate because divided between 2 of them they ended up pretty thin. Also I think it might be helpful to warm up the pie plates (I used glass) as the caramel cooled so rapidly I couldn’t spread it. I ended up making a second batch of caramel and poured into warmer plates.Those are just issues I ran into with my equipment, otherwise the recipe is great.

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        November 16, 2021 at 7:19 am

        I need to invest in a flan pan myself. I have made them in pie plates before, and yes, they do come out thin. The thicker the pan, the thicker the flan. Sounds wonderful regardless, and so glad you liked this recipe!!

        Reply
    7. Jeannie

      January 10, 2022 at 5:05 am

      I’m going to try this)) I always thought that the caramel on top was something that was poured on at the end! Thanks for sharing))

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        August 15, 2022 at 12:04 pm

        Thanks for your comment.

        Reply
    8. Jen Ann Brautigam

      February 23, 2022 at 11:57 am

      can i travel a few miles before inverting? i would love to take this to a Mexican potluck 😊

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        February 23, 2022 at 2:55 pm

        It should be ok, but just be sure to keep it cold.

        Reply
    9. Lomajo

      April 2, 2022 at 8:45 am

      Is it possible to bake in individual custard cups?

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        April 8, 2022 at 11:04 am

        Yes. Of course. Same temperature and time as noted in the recipe card.

        Reply
    10. Nancy

      July 9, 2022 at 9:21 am

      5 stars
      I’ve made your flan twice now and each time it’s a huge hit. This and your pastel de tres leches are always requested. Incredibly delicious recipes!

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        July 10, 2022 at 3:48 pm

        Your comment made my day! This is one of my most beloved family recipes. Thank you for making this recipe.

        Reply
    11. Jamie

      September 29, 2022 at 8:02 pm

      5 stars
      This dish is so enticing and tempting! Definitely looks so delicious and yummy! It was done perfectly! Loved it!

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        October 4, 2022 at 9:13 am

        That makes me so happy to hear. Hope you make it again. 🙂

        Reply
    12. Amy Liu Dong

      September 30, 2022 at 8:34 pm

      5 stars
      This is one of my favorite desserts. It is so easy to make and definitely delicious!

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        October 6, 2022 at 10:04 am

        One of my favorites too. Thank you!!!

        Reply
    13. Laura

      November 15, 2022 at 10:32 am

      Hola, Maggie. Me encantaría preparar esta receta pero me gustaría ver el video antes porque no salgo bien sin una visualización. No puedo hallar el video en este enlace. Me puede responder con el enlace? Esta receta parece muy rica por eso me encantaría ver el video.

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        November 28, 2022 at 7:24 am

        El video esta donde dice “Flan Video.” Si lo estas viendo por el cel, sale en una pantalla en la parte baja. Espero que te guste.

        Reply
    14. Marilyn

      January 16, 2023 at 5:01 am

      Does this need to be covered during baking?

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        January 17, 2023 at 10:40 am

        No. It’s cooked uncovered.

        Reply
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