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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I made the recipe and it was good but I added a lot of monk fruit juice concentrate because the recipe as it was, not nearly sweet enough to taste like a real flan.
We love it! Great recipe and yes Allulose is the only one works. Thanks
Thanks so much for this recipe! I’ve made it twice now. The custard is delicious, much better strained (a step I skipped the first time…). I must say though, I’ve ended up with a burnt flavor in the caramel both times. Next time, I will not wait until it is amber in color – in my heavy bottom saucepan, I believe it just keeps cooking. I will be taking it off the heat when golden next time. Thanks again!
Can you use cream for the “milk of choice?”
Haven’t tried, feel free to experiment and see
Wow, I really wasn’t sure what I’d think of this and I LOVED IT. I used a combination of milks I had in the fridge – coconut, almond, and fat-free cow’s milk. Also cooked it in a large round pyrex rather than individual ramekins, so it needed 60-70min. Followed directions otherwise and it was amazing! Will be making it again.
Do you used canned coconut milk or from a carton?
Canned coconut milk
I’m not on keto but was looking for a healthier version of flan. I only had monkfruit sugar on hand and since it doesn’t caramelize, I used 1/2 sugar to caramelize, then used 1/4 cup of monkfruit sugar (instead of 1 full cup of sugars) in the milk mixture. I used a blender (next time will use immersion for easier clean up) to make it smooth and added a teeny dash of almond extract because I like the almond flavor. I used a mixture of coconut milk & almond milk to make it a little lighter. This was delicious!!
Can I use unsweetened almond milk ?
Thanks 😊
Haven’t tried, feel free to experiment and see.
I’m baking now, I guess the clue for the milk and the eggs is incorporated little by little and mixing fast I didn’t have any scramble eggs lol the recep came fabulous! Thank you so much my family love the flan!
This turned out pretty good! I used a can of coconut milk + some heavy cream to get it to 2 cups, and the sweetness and consistency was just right! Straining it was important too ^^ Protip: if you’re a sucker for caramel like me, sub vanilla flavoring (which I was out of haha) for caramel extract instead, yum! Tbh could’ve done without the caramel topping as it unfortunately came out too bitter (used allulose but maybe I overcooked it?) and most of it stayed hardened at the bottom of the pans, but nonetheless I really enjoyed eating this sweet treat!
Forgot to add rating 5 stars.
I used monk fruit/erythitol and whole milk with some cream, maybe 80/20, since those were what I had. The sugar did carmelize a bit i added some vanilla for color and boiled it off. Crystalized in ramikens but worked after cooking. Tempering eggs with hot milk and straining into ramekins were keys to a smooth custard, imo. Great result, great recipe! Thanks for sharing and with the experimenting!