Mexican Flan – silky smooth and creamy, with a rich caramel flavor, this authentic Mexican dessert is incredibly easy to make!
Made with just sugar, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla, you can pretty much whip up this easy flan recipe anytime the mood strikes!
Mexican Flan Recipe
We all have our favorite dessert recipes that we turn to on a regular basis. Some of mine are this Sticky Toffee Pudding (you can make in the Instant Pot!) and Spanish Flan.
Flan or caramel flan as it’s sometimes called, is a classic custard dessert that’s popular throughout Latin America and one I’ve been experimenting with. It’s amazing that a dessert with such simple ingredients can have so many versions!
Is Flan Mexican?
While Mexico has it’s version, the dessert wasn’t invented there. Historians trace Flan’s origins to ancient Rome where it spread throughout Europe and from there made it’s way to Mexico and throughout Latin America.
What sets Mexican Flan apart from other flan recipes is that you don’t need to make a custard! That’s right – Mexico’s version is as easy as opening some cans and cracking some eggs!
So, let’s get “cracking”, shall we?
What is Mexican Flan Made of?
Made from pantry and refrigerator staples, you can make this easy Mexican dessert anytime the mood strikes!
- Eggs – I used large eggs in the recipe.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – the most popular brand in the U.S. is Eagle Brand but any brand will work!
- Evaporated Milk – I used a generic brand, but use whatever brand you prefer.
- Granulated Sugar
- Vanilla – Mexican vanilla is the obvious choice but any quality vanilla will work!
- Pinch of salt
- Water
- lemon juice
In researching this Mexican Flan recipe, I found a number of versions. Some recipes called for adding additional sugar and some used regular milk instead of evaporated milk.
In testing this recipe, I found the additional sugar made the flan way too sweet!
You can definitely substitute regular milk for evaporated milk, but the texture will be more like a custard than like a cheesecake!
How to Make Flan – Tips and Tricks:
TIP
Adding a drop or two of lemon juice keeps the caramel from hardening right away, making it easier to pour!
Flan is really easy to make if you follow my tips for making the Best Flan recipe!!
- Make sure your oven rack is in the center of the oven. Creamy flan is ALL about even heat during baking!
- Making caramel is quite easy, but does take patience and attention – whatever you do, don’t WALK AWAY from the pan (I speak from experience!)
- Spreading the sugar in an even layer helps the sugar to melt evenly.
- Use medium low heat when making the caramel. When the sugar begins to melt, gently swirl the pan to move the sugar around. Continue to swirl the pan periodically as the sugar continues to melt and turn a deep amber color.
- Add a drop or two of lemon juice to the sugar and water keeps the caramel from hardening quickly making it so much easier to pour into the cake pan!
- Making the custard – you don’t need to cook this custard before baking. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sweetened, condensed milk evaporated milk, vanilla, and pinch of salt. NOTE: Many recipes suggest using a blender, which does work. However, I find that mixing it in the blender incorporates a LOT of air bubbles. Those air bubbles become small holes in the baked flan. This, of course, doesn’t affect the taste, but I think the appearance and texture are better without the holes so I recommend whisking the egg mixture instead.
- Whisk until the custard is smooth and the eggs are fully incorporated.
- Bake the flan in a water bath. I use a metal baking pan since that’s the only one I have that fits my cake pan and it works well. Use whatever pan will hold your cake pan!
- Pour the custard over the caramel. NOTE: I pour the custard through a strainer into the cake plan or flan dish to break up any remaining air bubbles.
- How to unmold your Flan! Place the flan back in the casserole dish and pour hot water around the base of the cake pan – coming up about ¼ of an inch. Let sit for 2 – 3 minutes. Remove the cake pan from the casserole and place your serving dish on top, serving side down.
- Grasping both the cake pan and the serving plate securely, flip the pan and serving platter so that the cake pan is on top. The flan should easily plop right out!
Sugar beginning to melt 
Sugar is almost melted and starting to caramelize. 
Caramel in the cake pan. Flan in the water bath.
Is Mexican Flan served hot or cold?
Although some people love it straight out of the refrigerator, I like my flan to be slightly below room temperature! If the flan is too cold, you can’t taste it’s delicate flavor.
What to Serve with Mexican Flan!
Mexican flan makes a delicious ending to almost any meal!
- Yogurt Marinated Chicken – lemon and mint flavor this easy marinade!
- Shrimp Louie – a classic recipe of succulent shrimp, crisp lettuce and a creamy, dreamy dressing!
- Yogurt Flatbreads – These no yeast flatbreads are a snap to make and go with everything!
- Olive Chicken –Tender and juicy chicken bathed in a Moroccan inspired lemon and olive sauce!
If you enjoyed this recipe, I would LOVE for you to give it a 5-star rating! Cheers! Nancy
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 5 eggs
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Heat over medium-low heat. When the sugar begins to melt, lift the pan and gently swirl it to move the sugar.
- Continue to swirl the pan periodically until all the sugar has melted and the mixture is a deep amber color.
- Pour the caramel into an 8-inch cake pan or flan pan.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and no traces of egg remain.
- Pour the custard through a strainer into the caramel coated cake pan.
- Cover the cake pan with foil and place in a casserole dish.
- Boil water and pour the water around the base of the cake pan. Fill the casserole dish until the water comes halfway up the cake pan.
- Place the casserole dish with the cake pan inside in the oven. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes until the flan is set.
- Remove from the oven and remove the cake pan from the water bath. uncover and let cool.
- To Unmold the Flan: Place the flan back in the casserole dish and pour hot water around the base of the cake pan – coming up about ¼ of an inch. Let sit for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Remove the cake pan from the casserole and place your serving dish on top, serving side down.
- Grasping both the cake pan and the serving plate securely, flip the pan and serving platter so that the cake pan is on top.
- The flan should pop right out onto the serving platter. If it doesn't plop right out, shake the cake pan to loosen the flan.
- Spoon any remaining caramel over the top of the flan.
- Garnish with fresh berries and mint if desired. Serve.
Recipe Notes
- Making caramel is quite easy, but does take patience and attention – whatever you do, don’t WALK AWAY from the pan (I speak from experience!)
- Spreading the sugar in an even layer helps the sugar to melt evenly.
- Use medium low heat when making the caramel – don’t try and speed up the process by increasing the heat.
- Adding a drop or two of lemon juice to the sugar and water keeps the caramel from hardening quickly making it much easier to pour into the cake pan!
- Making the custard: Many recipes suggest using a blender, which does work. However, I find that mixing it in the blender incorporates a LOT of air bubbles. Those air bubbles become small holes in the baked flan. This, of course, doesn’t affect the taste, but I think the appearance and texture are better without the holes so I recommend whisking the egg mixture instead.
- Baking the flan in a water bath. I use a metal baking pan since that’s the only one I have that fits my cake pan and it works well. Use whatever pan will hold your cake pan!
- You can make flan ahead of time! One of the great things about this recipe is that you can easily make it ahead of time – up to 3 days!
- TO STORE: When the flan has completely cooled, cover the pan with foil and refrigerate.
- TO SERVE: If you’ve made your flan ahead of time, remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you plan to serve it.
Nancy, your flan looks so creamy and irresistible! The caramel topping is so beautiful – it looks like caramel glass! So pretty!
Thanks Kelly! I got lucky – the caramel doesn’t always plate up so smooth!
Wow! What a delightful recipe thank you so much for the idea. I would like to try this recipe for my husband I wish he will like this thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Thank you for your lovely comments Clara! I hope you both enjoy the recipe! If you have any questions, please let me know – I’d love to help!
That is the most perfect looking slice of flan ever. Love the tip about the lemon in the caramel. I will try that for sure. And sooooo rich and creamy! I’m in. 🙂 ~Valentina
Thanks Valentina – when I first plated it I wasn’t too sure, but the shots worked! The lemon definitely works!