Jump to:
Authentic Cuban flan recipe: delicious sweetness with a caramel coating. Easy & enjoyable all year round with pantry ingredients! Have you ever tasted a traditional flan? Also called Flan de leche, it is from the same family as custards as it is egg-based. It is a super easy Cuban dessert you must try asap!
Most of the ingredients might be in your pantry... Minus the eggs! In Cuba, finding some items can be a real challenge. This dessert uses canned milks, sugar, and fresh eggs. That's it. Condensed milk and evaporated milk are a sure thing to have in your pantry to make a quick and delicious dessert!
Recipe published in 2014 and updated with better pictures, step-by-step, and helpful information.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
If this is your first time making it, you will have this recipe on repeat. Cuban food is delicious and you will wonder how come you never made flan before!
📋 What Are The Ingredients Needed?
The ingredients used in this recipe are simple, affordable, and accessible.
First, let's chat about the caramel.
- It is naturally just water and sugar.
We all have that in the pantry. Caramelized sugar over the flan is not a step to skip!
Then, you will need:
- condensed milk
- evaporated milk
- eggs
- vanilla extract or any other flavor of your choice
Alternative: I don't always carry cans of evaporated milk in my pantry and I substitute with 2% milk. I filled up the condensed milk can for measurement. It works perfectly
In the Cuban flan, you use the whole eggs, not just the egg yolks like in other versions.
⏲️ How To Prepare It?
You can have this flan in the oven in less than 10 minutes really! Also, you can make it any moment of the year, January? Sure! April? Why not, keep the egg theme going with the Easter season.
The steps are simple and really quick. You don’t need to dirty a lot of dishes! Love these kinds of recipes! I love baking but cleaning up afterward is sometimes daunting.
1 – First, in a small pot, pour the sugar and water and bring it to a boil over medium heat. It will take 7-8 minutes to become a golden caramel. Pour in a medium-size oven dish (8-inch is a great size).
I chose a pot with a removable handle (not sponsored), I just found these T-fal pots and pans super practical to store and use on the stove and then the oven.
2 – Making the caramel is an easy step BUT once it’s done you need to act quickly to spread it on the side of the pot or pour it into the dish of your choice. Make sure it is spread evenly as it hardens.
3 - Beating the eggs with condensed milk and evaporated milk is an easy step. Maybe kids can help? Add some vanilla extract or your flavor of choice.
4 - Pour it into your oven dish and bake it. Although, there is little of it, do the dishes in the meantime!
Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico: Which Country Has The Best Flan?
Of course, I'm biased on this one. We are a trilingual family: I'm French, my hubby is Cuban and the kiddos are Canadian. In France, we do have a version of the flan too. Which one is the best? THE ONE YOU DECIDE IS THE BEST. IT'S ALL ABOUT PERSONAL TASTE.
The Cuban version is really delicious for its golden caramel over the flan. Also called flan de leche Cubano, flano or Flan Cubano. I know the Mexican flan has their version too and probably every Latino country too. Some might do it with just the egg yolk, others without the condensed milk or in a water bath. Like any recipe, there are different versions.
💭 Baking FAQ
I know some recipes call for a water bath, also called baño-Maria in Spanish. I do not do a water bath and my flan does not collapse and the flavor is still amazing!
Although it is from the same family, this Cuban custard is different. Crème brûlée only uses egg yolk. Also, crème brûlée has that hard caramelized top that is made by torching.
Just put a knife through the middle of the flan and if the knife comes out clean, it is cooked!
Absolutely, if you can easily store it in the fridge for up to 72 hours in an air-tight container.
This recipe does not require this step.
🎥 Video
More Cuban recipes? I got you covered too!
- Picadillo, flavored ground beef
- Picadillo pies
- Garbanzos fritos, a vegetarian chickpea recipe
More Custards Recipe You'll Love
- French Crème Brulée
- Vanilla Egg Custard
Or do you want more Latino desserts:
- Flan de Coco
- Salted Caramel Tres Leches Cake
- One of my favorite: Pastelitos de Guayaba
- My weakness: Churros
📖 Recipe: Cuban Flan
Equipment
- Pot
- Oven dish
- Whisk
- Bowl
Ingredients
Caramel
- 4 tablespoon Water
- 4 tablespoon Sugar
Flan
- 5 eggs large
- 1 can evaporated milk or regular milk 354 ml
- 1 can Condensed milk 354 ml
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven at 400F.
- I use a pot that has a removable handle to go in the oven for this dessert.
- Start by making a caramel with the sugar and the water on a medium heat. Do not stir it (only to help dissolve the sugar and then stop. Once it is done (golden), off heat, spread it on the side of your pot by making circular movements.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add the condensed and evaporated milk. Stir well.
- Add the vanilla, in whatever aspect you have it... powder, liquid, for me a bean that I opened the pod and removed the seeds from it by scrapping with a knife. Stir again.
- Pour in your pan (or whatever dish you use and have the caramel is at the bottom.
- Put in the oven for 50 minutes at 400°. To check if it is ready, insert a knife in, if it comes out clean. You've done it!
ooohitsalyx says
LOOKS SO GOOD!!!!
bonappeteatdotca says
Thank you for stopping by :)
Chandice Probst says
Wow I’m a huge flan fan and this looks excellent! Thanks for providing this Cuban flair variation.
Mélanie says
Thank you for stopping by Chandice :)
Maria says
Aren't you supposed to bake it in baño maria (water bath)?
Mélanie says
Hello Maria,
You can if you want, absolutely, I do it without baño maria and it works great and the texture comes out amazing (see picture). I know some versions call for a water bath :)
Thanks for stopping by!
Lea says
Thanks for an easy, fast flan recipe. Brilliant.
Luis R Diaz says
Amazing Cuban flan, the flavor is unique, thanks Melanie!!! You really deserve 5 stars.
Mélanie says
Thank you so much, I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Karen says
I miss this dish! I used to live in Miami and always had the best flan :-)
Mélanie says
Make it at home, so easy to bake, you'll love it!
Ting-Li says
Finally I found a recipe that reminds me my favourite dessert when I travel to the sunny beach vacations. This recipe is so simple to make, I enjoyed every bite of it and brought back great memories amidst the pandemic travel restrictions.
Mélanie says
Hello Ting-Li! I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe and that you got to travel a little through your senses!
Alina says
This is an amazing recipe! I followed all the steps and achieved a spectacular Cuban flan. I definitely recommend it!! It reminded me of my mom's flan!!! Amazing!
Mélanie says
Thank you Alina! I'm so happy this brought you memories!
Heather says
This looks like seriously the BEST flan ever! Flan is always my go-to dessert if it's offered on a menu, but I had no idea it was so easy to make at home. Cannot wait to try the next time I have craving but don't want to leave the house :)
Mélanie says
Thank you so much Heather! Flan is such an under rated dessert so easy and so delicious!
veenaazmanov says
I love your recipe and I love this amazing dessert too. So quick and so easy to make. Creamy, soft and mouth melting.
Mélanie says
Thank you for your sweet note, I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Allyssa says
Really love this recipe! It tasted so amazing and perfect! Thank you so much for sharing this fantastic recipe! Highly recommend this one!
Mélanie says
Thank you so much Allyssa!
Natalie says
Oh wow, this flan looks amazing. Texture is perfect and flavors... oh, my.. totally delicious. I'm excited to give your recipe a try.
AISilva says
Wow this cuban flan recipe looks so good! The flan looks so soft and moist and I can't resist a dessert with caramel. Thanks for this recipe!
Mélanie says
Thank you so much :)
Kushigalu says
This flan looks amazingly delicious . Thanks for all the tips and tricks you shared. Pinned to make this soon.
Natalie says
This looks like such an incredible dessert. So creamy and smooth - can’t wait to try. I think it is so beautiful too to make and serve to guests!
Mélanie says
Thank you so much Natalie, let me know once you've tried it!
Farrukh Aziz says
Awesome to know that 6 ingredients can make such a divine dish! The caramel coating was brilliant and the flan was terrific! Thanks for sharing!
Katie Crenshaw says
This flan comes out AMAZING!! I love pairing this with a cup of coffee. This is such a delicious treat.
Hayley Dhanecha says
What a delicious and easy flan recipe that can be made just using 6 basic ingredients. I prepared for my friends and there was no single piece left, I am happy!
Mélanie says
We rarely have leftovers! So happy you enjoyed it!
Clara Fernandez says
IDK where you got this recipe but this is not authentic Cuban flan. We do not use condensed milk. Mexicans do that. Also we use a combination of whole eggs and egg yolks. I'm sure others will enjoy this version but it is not authentic.
Mélanie says
Hi Clara, my husband is Cuban :) All versions are valid and can be authentic.
Regina says
Just took it out of the oven….When do you invert it onto a plate?
After cooling?
Mélanie says
Allow to cool a little before doing so. Can be warm still but not as hot. Enjoy!
Regina says
👍🏻 Thanks!
Janet West says
Thanks for this, Mélanie! Will I have any trouble if I let the flan cool completely before inverting it onto a serving dish? Does it come out of its dish easily?
Mélanie says
Hi Janet, you will not have any trouble, the caramel is not going to harden. Enjoy!
Denise Allgood says
I made flan with this recipe for the first time! My husband said it took him back to his cuban childhood. Spot on! He loved it! I was go glad!
Mélanie says
Thank you so much for this lovely comment Denise, I am so glad you and your husband enjoyed the flan!