This keto flan is a low carb and sugar free take on the classic caramel custard dessert! 4 ingredients and minimal prep, it’s an elegant dessert sure to impress! 2 grams net carbs per serving.
Keto Flan
When it comes to simple, creamy keto desserts, my favorite recipes to make are panna cotta, creme brulee, and this homemade keto flan.
Growing up, my mom was never one to make extravagant cakes or other baked goods. We weren’t the family who always had fresh muffins on the kitchen counter, nor the family who would bake cookies on the weekend. In fact, I think I can count on one hand how many times my mom actually made cookies! Instead, she preferred to make dairy based desserts. We’d always have heavy cream in our refrigerator, and I reckon it’s one of her favorite ingredients. While I love ANY of the desserts she’d make, my all time favorite will always be her flan.
Flan, Leche Flan, or Creme Caramel?
A flan is a simple and elegant caramel custard dessert, similar to a creme brulee. Unlike the creme brulee, the caramel topping is more like a thin sauce, with a less sweet flavor. Popular in Spain and other Latin countries, it’s now become quite a mainstream, dessert, albeit with slightly different names.
Depending on where in the world you are located, you may call flan something else. Other names for this dessert include Leche flan and creme caramel. Regardless of what you call it, they are ALL the same thing!
I’ve been meaning to share a keto flan recipe for quite some time. It’s one of my mom’s favorite desserts ever, and she claims to have the best homemade version ever. I obviously had to recreate it…with a few twists.
Now, this flan is made without sugar and without condensed milk (a common ingredient!), but you’d never tell. It has a thick, creamy, and rich texture. It’s sweet and full of caramel flavor, without being overpowering. It’s made with just 4 ingredients, and turns out perfect every time!
I served this to my mom the other day, and she could not believe that it was her own recipe, but made low carb- It tasted just like the original!
How do you make a keto flan?
The Ingredients
- Allulose– Allulose is the BEST and preferred sweetener to use, as it actually caramelizes. I haven’t tried other keto sweeteners for this. The sweetener will be divided, as some of it will be used to create a syrup on the bottom of each of the flan ramekins.
- Eggs– Room temperature eggs.
- Milk of choice– I used unsweetened coconut milk, but any low carb milk can be used (like whole milk or almond milk).
- Vanilla extract– A must for any good flan recipe!
- Salt– Just a pinch, to bring out the sweetness.
The Instructions
Start by melting 1/2 cup amount of the allulose in a small saucepan, along with the water, and heat it on medium heat, until it melts and becomes golden. Moving quickly, distribute the melted sweetener amongst 6 ramekins and set them aside.
Now, in a small saucepan, add the milk and remaining sweetener to it and on medium heat, bring it to a boil. Once hot, reduce to a simmer for a further 2 minutes, before removing from the heat. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt, until smooth. Strain the mixture into the ramekins.
Finally, place the four ramekins into a large baking dish. Pour hot water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. Bake the flans for around 45 minutes, until set in the middle. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Once the flans are room temperature, place the ramekins in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight, until set.
Tips to make the best homemade flan
- Do not overbake the flan, as they continue to cook as they are cooling down (and once again when refrigerated).
- For easy removal, use a knife to cut around the sides before flipping onto a plate.
- Serve flan with some whipped cream or extra caramel sauce, for the ultimate dessert.
Storing and freezing low carb flan
- To store: This dessert must always be stored in the refrigerator, as it is dairy based and is served chilled. Cover the ramekins and they will keep well for up to 1 week.
- To freeze: Cover your ramekins with plastic wrap, ensuring there are no airy pockets. Store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. You MUST thaw them in the refrigerator completely.
More elegant keto dessert recipes to try
- No bake cheesecake
- Chocolate mousse
- Chocolate chip cookie cheesecake bars
- Blondies
- Chocolate pudding
Easy Keto Flan Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Allulose divided * See notes
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cups milk of choice I used unsweetened coconut milk
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease six 3/4 cup ramekins and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the allulose with the water. On low heat, bring the mixture to a simmer. Once it beings to simmer, increase to medium heat. While stirring regularly, allow it to thicken and become an amber brown color. Remove from the heat and distribute amongst each of the ramekins, brushing around the sides to coat them in the warm sugar liquid.
- In a separate saucepan, combine the milk with the remaining sweetener. On low heat, bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt, until smooth and combined. Strain the mixture into the ramekins.
- Place the six ramekins in a large baking dish. Pour boiling water into the dish until halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until it is mostly set in the middle. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cool, refrigerate the individual flans for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
- Once the flans are set, use a slightly moist knife and cut around the ramekins and flip onto a plate.
Notes
Nutrition
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How do you avoid this turning into scrambled eggs? Boiling hot milk + eggs = equals cooked eggs. Am I missing something?
Hi Richard! The eggs are whisked into the milk and sugar mixture after it is removed from the heat.
Incredible
So you are letting the mixture cool enough so it doesn’t turn intobswert scrambled eggs? How long?
It isn’t brought to a heavy boil, but a simmer. You whisk the eggs into the mixture once it is off the heat.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have been missing flan so much since I changed my lifestyle. I will be trying to make the flan very soon.
You are so welcome, this recipe is so easy!
I don’t understand if you are pouring the flan in 4 remekins and your recipe says 6 serving
It’s 6 servings in 6 ramekins.
Sounds fantastic. I love flan so much that I usually screw myself and go off my keto around the holidays so I can have it. Would it be possible to make this as one large flan? Like in a pie dish ?
Of course! 🙂 You’ll just need to adjust the baking time as you may need a little longer- Check the center of it 🙂
Erythritol will just melt and won’t caramelize it will then turn rock solid once it cools.
It depends on the brand, I used Swerve which always works well!
Erythritol does not caramelise. Hello
Hello, this has no erythritol. It uses allulose.
This one is surprisingly easy to make and taste good.
I read the comments above and let the milk cool down a little (when sticking your finger in, you feel the milk is warm) before whisking eggs in.
As for the caramel, at first I was really worried as when I poured it into the cups, it got hard like a candy. While after baking and putting into the fridge, it came out nicely as liquid form.
Only got comments that it’s a bit eggy (will try to reduce the # of eggs next time). Love this recipe!
Thanks for the feedback, Res! 🙂
I loved this and so pleased with my first ever flan!
I accidentally used five eggs and it was still perfect. Even though they were room temperature, I also tempered the eggs with some of the hot milk before whisking them in a thin stream to reduce any potential scrambling. And don’t skip the straining, people! It made it so silky!
This was such a treat for my brother-in-law’s keto quarantine birthday—thank you!
Thank you!
Do you use granulated allulose or liquid?
Granulated 🙂
These are amazing! Thank you for sharing this recipe. My family loved them and they’re a hard bunch to please when it comes to sugar-free. I followed your recipe exactly using coconut cream and allulose.
Thank you, Cheri!
Will the swerve powder sugar work?
Can I use 9″ pans for this recipe instead of the small ramekins ?
Haven’t tried, feel free to experiment and see 🙂
Hello!!! I just made this recipe yesterday but since i did not have granulated Allulose only liquid form, i decided to make with the liquid. And it came out amazing. My family absolutely loved it!!! Thank you for this recipe!!! I took pictures but I don’t thinki can share it on here
Hi! I’m excited to make this. Question though- I know allulose is essential to make a successful caramel topping, but what about the custard? Can I use a different sweetener in it like erythritol or monkfruit? Thanks
I haven’t tried 🙂