This Mexican Flan Recipe is rich, creamy, and covered in a silky caramel sauce that melts in your mouth.
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Made with simple ingredients, this traditional dessert is popular at family gatherings, holidays, and special occasions throughout Mexico.
If you’ve never made homemade flan before, this easy recipe is a good place to start.
Table of Contents
🍮 Instructions
- Make the Caramel:
- Add sugar to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir constantly as the sugar melts and turns into a dark golden caramel.
- Remove from the heat immediately to avoid burning.
- Carefully pour the hot caramel into a round baking pan or pie pan.
- Swirl the caramel around the bottom of the pan to coat evenly.
- Prepare the Custard
- In a large bowl, beat whole eggs until smooth.
- Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, and grated orange rind.
- Mix until everything is fully combined.
This is an authentic flan recipe originating from Spain that has been passed down from generation to generation. It is different from the blender kind that uses cream cheese.
Orange zest is used to make this Mexican flan recipe. Some members of my family will even add orange juice to this recipe, giving it a stronger citrus-y taste.
Milks to use: Either whole milk, heavy cream, or half and half.
- Prepare the Water Bath:
- Place a large roasting pan on the oven rack.
- Set the caramel-coated pan inside the roasting pan.
- Pour the milk mixture into the hardened caramel-lined pan.
- Carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan or rectangular baking dish until it reaches about 1 inch up the sides of the flan pan.
Variations
In Mexico, we use whole milk. Countries such as Cuba and Puerto Rico will often use sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk. Many people take a classic flan recipe and create extreme variations like coconut flan, pumpkin flan, chocolate flan, key lime flan, or flan de queso with its silky texture is also hugely popular.
- Bake the Flan:
- Bake at 325 degrees F for about 1 hour covered with foil.
- The flan is ready when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack on the counter.
- Then refrigerate covered with plastic wrap for at least 3½ hours before serving.
- Unmold the Flan:
- Take the pan out of the fridge.
- Run a spatula or sharp knife gently around the edges of the pan.
- Place a serving platter over the top of the pan.
- Carefully flip the pan upside down onto the platter.
- Spoon any remaining caramel sauce over the flan before slicing.
What Baking Pan To Use
- 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!
- I recommend using a deep 8-inch cake pan or a ramekin.
- Nowadays, they have flan molds and flan double broiler sets that make it easier to unmold this staple dessert.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tip
The DEEPER the pan, the THICKER your flan will be.
Use a serving plate that is LARGER than the pan. OR, the syrup will spill all over the place, and the flan will fall apart. No bueno.
There might be a section or so that did not completely come loose on the bottom of the pan. That’s ok. No dessert is perfect. It’ll still be yummy and creamy.
🙋🏻♀️ FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Most custard bakes will ask for water baths. The water bath helps the flan cook gently and evenly, creating its smooth and creamy texture. It will also help prevent air bubbles.
Insert a knife into the center. If it comes out clean, the flan is ready.
Some caramel naturally hardens as it cools in the pan, but it melts again while baking.
🫙 Storing Instructions
Store Mexican flan covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep it chilled until ready to serve for the best texture and flavor. Avoid freezing, as the custard texture may change once thawed.
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!!
📕 Origins
Flan dates back to the Ancient Roman times. You know, Cesar and the Colosseum? Yeah, that!
From there, it spread. In Spain, there’s Spanish flan. In France, there’s crème caramel.
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.
🇪🇸 🇲🇽 More Spanish-Mexican Recipes
- Churros
- Arroz con Leche
- Rosca de Reyes (Roscon de Reyes, in Spain)
- Bacalao Navideno
- Torrejas
🍰 More Mexican Desserts
- Tres Leches Cake
- Mantecadas
- Cortadillos
- Jericalla
- Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Pan de Elote
- Marranitos
- Conchas
This Mexican Flan recipe is one of those timeless desserts that never goes out of style. The creamy custard and rich caramel topping create a dessert that feels elegant while still being easy to make at home. Serve it chilled after dinner and watch everyone ask for seconds.
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Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!
Mexican Flan
Ingredients
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
Nutrition
I’m so glad I found this recipe! It helps with my spring glut of eggs and extra milk on hand. I saw a version of Flan-in-a-pan on a website and that inspired me to use this recipe, scaled up a bit, to fit in a 9×13 casserole dish. Reading that this recipe fills two pie plates was great for qty but I couldn’t cook both at the same time because of the ban Marie requirement. Increasing this recipe to work with 8 eggs and 4 c. Milk ( increasing the other ingredients as well) I was able to cook it in a 9×13 glass pan covered with foil inside a giant lasagna/roasting pan at 350/1-1/2 hours. Fortunately I also have a large platter to turn it over onto. It was a great success. I was surprised how much the essence of orange carried from just a lil zest. I will be making this again soon for my large family and company. Thanks for sharing your family recipe with mine.
So happy it worked perfectly! Thank you.
Thank you for posting this recipe. I’ve been searching for a flan recipe from scratch not using condensed or evaporated milk because it’s too sweet in my opinion. I made this recipe today and it is amazing!! I used an 8 inch cake pan to bake and inverted it into a pie dish after it chilled in the fridge for a few hours. This will be my go to flan recipe moving forward.
Thank you! So happy this is your new go-to.
Could I make this with lactose free milk or cream?
I have never tried it with lactose free milk. I think the consistency, the texture of the flan will not be there. If you try it, please let me know.
When making this in a fluted pan with a removable bottom, will the water bath leak into the pan?
I haven’t had this problem. You can avoid leakage by wrapping the pan in foil paper. FYI, it starts to solidify right away when you place it in the oven.
When making this in a fluted pan with a removable bottom, will the water bath leak into the pan?
I’ve never had that issue with a fluted pan. Another way to do this, is to wrap the pan with aluminum foil. FYI, I’ve started making this flan recipe with a special flan pan I got from Amazon.
Flan is one of my favorite desserts and this recipe makes it so easy to make at home!
It’s one of my favorites too. Especially this flan recipe since it came from my grandmother.
This flan recipe is exquisite! This made me make one of this right now, I’m thankful for this recipe of yours!
That makes me so happy to hear. This flan recipe came from my grandmother.
Your Flan recipe, accompanied by the video, is a culinary delight! The rich, velvety texture and caramelized goodness of flan make it a timeless favorite, and your detailed instructions ensure a perfect result.
Thanks for sharing. I’m glad you found the flan recipe, video, and instructions helpful. 🙂
I made this for the first time and my family loved it! I used a 10″ glass pie dish and it was a good size and released easily without greasing the dish. My only problem was getting the baked flan out of the boiling hot water bath. My potholders got wet and then were too hot to hold. How do people remove the flan dish from the hot water without getting burned? Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m glad your family liked this recipe! If you don’t have heavy duty oven mitts, try using tongs. Lift it up with the tongs, then immediately place it on the oven mitt underneath. Hope this helps.
Should I let the melted sugar cool in the dish before adding the flan mixture? Thanks!
Yes, let it cool slightly in the dish before adding the flan mixture.
Omg my favorite! I remember that we always make this when it’s xmas season! Recommended especially to those who like sweets!
Yes! Christmas season flan vibes are the best. Sweet tooth-approved and highly recommended!
Tried this in the pan you recommended. Sugar wasn’t enough to coat the bottom and filling ran out the bottom. Yes it was an experience but I’m not giving up. If I use the pan you recommended do I need one or two pans. What did I do wrong.
I’m not sure what you did wrong exactly. My first thought was you left the sugar to cook too long, and it thickened. Which pan did you use? If it’s the one in the video, you need two of those pie pans. Just one of the traditional flan pans.
I’d like to make this for my sons girlfriend for her birthday but I have a question on the eggs. I have chickens that lay different size eggs so could you give me how many ounces the 6 eggs would be?
Thank you. This will be my first attempt at making flan- looks delish.
I love knowing that you have chickens and fresh eggs! For this flan recipe, I use large eggs. About 2 oz each. Hope you enjoy!
I’m looking forward to making this. Would it be best to spray the pie plate with Pam before adding the meltd sugar and flan mixture? Thanks!
I don’t normally spray with Pam, but it might help when releasing the flan.
If I bake this in a fluted pan with removable bottom in a water bath, will the water get into the pan?
Hi Patty. To be on the safe side, wrap the pan in aluminum foil then place in the bain marie. It will begin to solidify right away when placed in the oven.
My son requested flan for his birthday, but I’ve never made it. 😬 Should the baking dish be greased or wax papered to keep it from sticking? I don’t own a non-stick baking pan that would work. Looks delicious!
The caramelized sugar will coat the bottom of the dish and create a non-stick surface. As it says in the recipe, you have to let it chill before unmolding, overnight in the fridge is best. Then, run a knife around the edge of the mold and unmold, you can watch the video of the recipe here on the blog. Hope you and your son like it!
Awesome, thank you! ☺️
You’re quite welcome! 🙂
Does this need to be covered during baking?
No. It’s cooked uncovered.
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.
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.
I’d like to make this in ramekins. How long should I bake it?
Hi, it depends on the size of the ramekins. But generally, it should take an hour. Insert a toothpick after an hour and if it comes out clean, then take them out of the oven. If not, bake for an additional 15 minutes until it comes out clean. Don’t forget to bake in a water bath. That is very important. Hope this helps!