Smooth, creamy, and cloaked in golden caramel—this Mexican Flan is the ultimate melt-in-your-mouth dessert. With its silky texture and deep caramel flavor, it’s a sweet classic that feels elegant but is incredibly easy to make.

A slice of Mexican flan on a white plate topped with berries.


 

Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • Luxuriously creamy texture – The combo of sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk makes each bite unbelievably smooth and rich, just like traditional flan should be.
  • Foolproof and beginner-friendly – No fancy tools or techniques are needed. If you can stir and pour, you can make this flan!
  • Make-ahead magic – It’s even better the next day, making it perfect for prepping ahead for parties, holidays, or stress-free entertaining.
A whole Mexican plan topped with berries and lemon leaves on a white serving plate.

If you love Mexican inspired desserts, try my Tres Leches Cake, Margarita Lime Bars, and Snowball Cookies (aka Mexican Wedding Cookies). Or if you are in the mood for creamy and custardy, try my Easy Creme Brulee and Coconut Cream Pie.

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • granulated sugar
  • large eggs
  • sweetened condensed milk
  • evaporated milk
  • vanilla extract

How to make Mexican flan:

(The full written and printable recipe is further below.)

  1. Heat the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Begin stirring once the sugar starts to melt and reduce the heat to medium-low.
  2. Continue stirring until all the sugar has melted and turns golden or amber in color.
  3. Immediately pour the sugar into a 9″ cake pan and carefully swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan. Set aside to cool.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add in the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract. Gently whisk until well combined.
  5. Slowly pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the prepared pan. Tightly cover the pan with foil and place in a larger roasting dish.
  6. Fill the roasting dish with hot water reaching halfway up the cake pan. Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes.
  7. Carefully remove from the hot water bath and let cool completely uncovered. Re-cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
  8. When ready to serve, run a thin knife along the edge. Place a serving plate face-down on top and quickly flip the pan along with the plate over together. Slowly lift the cake pan to release the flan and pour all the caramel over top.

🌟 Expert tips for perfect Mexican flan:

  • Watch the sugar like a hawk: Sugar can go from golden to burnt in seconds. Once it starts melting, don’t walk away, and remove it from the heat as soon as it hits that deep golden or amber hue.
  • Handle the sugar with care: Melted sugar is extremely hot. Use oven mitts or pot holders when swirling the caramel to protect your hands because the pan gets really hot very quickly.
  • Seal it tight: Before baking it, cover your flan with a piece of foil that fits snugly over the top—no excess hanging over the sides. This prevents water from the hot water bath from sneaking in and ruining the texture.
  • How to tell it’s done: The flan is ready when the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly, like gelatin. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean, and the middle will firm up as it chills.
A slice of Mexican flan on a white plate with a piece on a gold spoon.

Delicious variations:

  • Coconut Flan – Use coconut milk instead of evaporated milk.
  • Coffee Flan – Replace a ¼ cup of the evaporated milk with strong brewed espresso.
  • Chocolate Flan – Add ¼ cup cocoa powder or melted dark chocolate to the custard for a rich, fudgy twist.
  • Pumpkin Spice Flan – Mix in ½ cup pumpkin purée and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice—perfect for fall gatherings.

Make-ahead & storing:

Make-ahead – You can make this Mexican flan up to 3 days in advance. Just cool to room temperature, tightly cover, and keep in the fridge until ready to use. Don’t unmold and plate until you are about to serve.

Storing – Leftovers can be wrapped in saran wrap or placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days from the day it was made.

If you’ve tried this Mexican Flan Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

5 from 3 reviews

Mexican Flan

Yield: 10 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Author: Lily Ernst
Course: Dessert
Method: bake & stovetop
Smooth, creamy, and cloaked in golden caramel—this Mexican Flan is the ultimate melt-in-your-mouth dessert.
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F and boil a large kettle of water. Set aside for water bath.
  • Heat the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Begin stirring once the sugar starts to melt and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue stirring until all the sugar has melted and turns golden or amber in color.
    1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • Immediately pour the sugar into a 9" cake pan and carefully swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan. Use oven mitts or pot holders as the pan gets very hot quickly with the melted sugar. Set aside to cool.
  • In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add in the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract. Gently whisk until well combined.
    5 large eggs, 1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1 can (12oz) evaporated milk, 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Slowly pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the prepared pan. Tightly cover the pan with foil and place in a larger roasting dish.
  • Fill the roasting dish with hot water reaching halfway up the cake pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The center will be jiggly but will firm up as it cools.
  • Carefully remove from the hot water bath and let cool completely uncovered. Re-cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
  • When ready to serve, run a thin knife along the edge. Place a serving plate face-down on top and quickly flip the pan along with the plate over together. Slowly lift the cake pan to release the flan and pour all the caramel over top.

Notes

Leftovers can be wrapped in saran wrap or placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days from the day it was made.
Calories: 286kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 106mg, Sodium: 119mg, Potassium: 286mg, Sugar: 45g, Vitamin A: 309IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 217mg, Iron: 1mg
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Recipe adapted from A Cozy Kitchen