Easy Vegan Flan Recipe with Caramel Sauce (2024)

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4.80 from 5 votes

2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

by Marly

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This easy vegan flan recipe creates a creamy, smooth flan that’s easier to make than a classic flan. If you’re looking for a smooth dessert with a creamy caramel topping, this will be your go-to favorite!

Easy Vegan Flan Recipe with Caramel Sauce (1)

Grab your forks (or spoons) and take a bite (or several) of this eggless Flan recipe. It’s made with dairy-free eggnog and made even creamier with cashews.

This vegan flan is a real show stopper!

Table of Contents show

What is Flan?

The classic flan recipe is not vegan because it’s usually made with both cream and eggs. However, it’s surprisingly easy to make flan vegan. In fact, I venture to say it’s actually EASIER to make vegan flan recipes than regular flan!

This simple flan recipe sets quickly and can be ready to serve within an hour. All you have to do is prepare the ingredients on the stove-top, pour them into your flan pans and refrigerate.

What Makes This Recipe Shine?

  • Using soaked cashews creates a creamy base with a perfectly smooth mouthfeel
  • Coconut sugar adds a caramel flavor to the flan
  • Agar flakes make the perfect consistency without any added carbs.

Key Ingredients

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

  • Raw cashew — You can find raw cashews at health food stores or online.
  • Plant-based milk — Use your favorite plant-based milk, like soy milk, almond milk, or cashew milk. Use vegan eggnog to make it a seasonal holiday flan.
  • Coconut Sugar – Use coconut sugar or substitute brown sugar.
  • Agar flakes — You can find agar flakes at health food stores or online.
  • Nutritional yeast flakes — We’ll add a bit of flavor with these yeast flakes.
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Rum

How to Make Vegan Flan

  1. Place soaked cashews in a food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse for a few seconds. Add the plant-based milk and pulse until smooth.
  2. Add the brown sugar, agar flakes, nutritional yeast flakes, and ground nutmeg. Pulse for a second or two to combine.
  3. Pour this into a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat. Stir in the rum. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, to allow it to cool slightly.
  5. Make the caramel topping by combining the ingredients in a separate saucepan and bringing it to a boil and reducing to a simmer. Cook until the sugar caramelizes and the sauce thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour this evenly in the bottom of two flan dishes.
  6. Pour the cooled flan mixture over the caramel.
  7. Place in the fridge for at least one hour, preferably two.
  8. To serve, use a butter knife to cut along the sides of the pan. Invert it over a serving dish. It may take a minute or so, but the flan will drop onto the plate. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg (freshly grated is a nice touch).

How To Soak Cashews

Slow Soak Cashews

  1. Place cashews in a glass bowl and cover with water.
  2. Refrigerate and soak them for a minimum of four hours or up to overnight.
  3. Drain the soaking liquid.

Fast Soak Cashews

  1. Fast soak cashews by placing them in a saucepan.
  2. Cover them with water and then place it over medium heat.
  3. Bring it to a simmer (low boil) and cook for around 10 minutes. The cashews will become plump.
  4. Remove from heat and allow them to cool.
  5. Drain the soaking liquid.

Frequently-Asked Questions

Is Flan Vegan?

The classic flan recipe is not vegan because it’s usually made with both cream and eggs. However, it’s surprisingly easy to make flan vegan. In fact, I venture to say it’s actually EASIER to make vegan flan recipes than regular flan!

What is Flan?

A flan is basically a creamy custard dish with a caramel topping. It is usually a bit firmer than a standard pudding and is served on a plate where it stands firm with the caramel sauce dripping over the edge.

Does Vegan Flan Taste Like Flan?

Of course, the big question is does the non-dairy flan taste like, you know, a regular flan dessert? Well, if flan is creamy, rich, with hints of nutmeg and caramel, then this vegan flan is spot on!

Marly’s Tips

Use these expert tips to make this homemade flan recipe perfect every time:

  • Experiment by adding a little more dried ginger to the mix. I love that stuff!
  • Serve with vegan coconut whipped cream
  • Sprinkle some crushed gingersnap cookies over the top
  • You don’t need traditional flan dishes for this recipe, but they look nice.

More Vegan Desserts

If you’re into delicious vegan desserts,you’ll love these:

Vegan Coconut Cake

55 mins total

Vegan Strawberry Chocolate Cake

50 mins total

Vegan Pecan Pie

95 mins total

Vegan Oreo Cheesecake

380 mins total

Easy Vegan Flan Recipe with Caramel Sauce (6)

Have some fun! As long as you follow the basics of this easy flan recipe, you can adjust the spices and events sweetness level to meet your own tastes. That’s the best thing about making things from home — you know exactly what’s in your food and you get to adapt the flavors to meet your needs.

Because it’s made without dairy milk, this healthy flan recipe is delicious for people with allergies too.

Easy Vegan Flan Recipe with Caramel Sauce (7)

That’s it for this vegan flan.

Easy Vegan Flan Recipe with Caramel Sauce (8)

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Easy Vegan Flan Recipe with Caramel Sauce (9)

Easy Vegan Flan Recipe with Caramel Sauce (10)

Vegan Flan

Grab your forks for this simple but elegant easy vegan flan recipe. It's made with only a few ingredients but lots of show-stopping flavor!

4.80 from 5 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Spanish

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 380kcal

Author: Marly McMillen

Ingredients

Eggnog Flan

  • ½ cup raw cashew pieces soaked or quick soak*
  • 1 ½ cups plant-based milk
  • 1 tablespoon coconut or brown sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons agar flakes ** not powder
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon rum

Caramel Topping

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ cup plant-based milk

Instructions

  • Drain the soaked cashews from their soaking liquid. Discard liquid. Place soaked cashews in a food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse for a few seconds. Add the plant-based milk and pulse until smooth.

  • Add the brown sugar, agar flakes, nutritional yeast flakes, and ground nutmeg. Pulse for a second or two to combine.

  • Pour this into a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.

  • Remove from the heat. Stir in the rum. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, to allow it to cool slightly.

  • In a separate saucepan add the caramel topping ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce to a rapid simmer. Cook until the sugar caramelizes and the sauce thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour this evenly in the bottom of two flan dishes.***

  • Pour equal amounts of the slightly cooled flan mixture over the caramel.

  • Place in the fridge for at least one hour, preferably two.

  • To serve, use a butter knife to cut along the sides of the pan. Invert it over a serving dish. It may take a minute or so, but the flan will drop onto the plate. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg (freshly grated is a nice touch).

Recommended Equipment

Food Processor

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

Notes

* Long soak: Place raw cashew pieces in 1 cup water and soak overnight in the fridge.

Quick soak: Place raw cashew pieces in 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer and cook until the cashews are tender about 5 minutes. Drain excess water.

I buy agar flakes at our local health food store or online.

You can use muffin tins for this, mini pie pans, or even any small bowls that have a gently outward slope.

For regular flan, I recommend using creamy plant-based milk, such as cashew milk or soy milk. SoDelicious Cashew Milk would be perfect.

Use all the ingredients above but substitute vanilla plant-based milk (see notes for suggestions on the best brands/varieties). Also, increase sugar to 1/3 cup in the flan.

Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 587mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 505IU | Calcium: 322mg | Iron: 3.5mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a rating below then tag @namelymarly on Instagram and hashtag it #namelymarly. I love seeing your creations!

This was a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. See our full disclosure for more information.

This post was originally published in 2016 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2020.

Easy Vegan Flan Recipe with Caramel Sauce (2024)

FAQs

Is the caramel in flan supposed to harden? ›

(The caramel will harden against the bottom of the ramekin almost immediately – this is normal, so don't worry about it!) Tilt the ramekins slightly to ensure the caramel covers the entire bottom. 4. In a bowl, gently mix all of the custard ingredients with a wire whisk.

What is vegan flan made of? ›

Of course, flan is not very vegan-friendly. However, creating a delicious vegan flan with the same rich and creamy textures is possible with plant-based ingredients. The combination of oat milk, cornstarch, and vegan butter emulates the egg-based custard that everyone loves.

What's the difference between flan and caramel custard? ›

Flan can be sweet or savory in taste and be found on breakfast, lunch, and dinner tables, while sweet crème caramel is served primarily for dessert or enjoyed as an afternoon treat. Savory flan recipes can be enveloped in a pastry-like crust, and many dairy products are used to make versions of creamy, sweet flan.

Why is my flan not creamy? ›

Too many air bubbles will cause your flan to be spongey and not creamy. Using a water bath helps the flan cook evenly and not too fast. If the flan cooks fast, it will create air bubbles. We don't want air bubbles in our flan.

Why is the caramel in my flan not melting? ›

It's normal. Caramel hardens when you pour it into a ramekin but gradually melts into syrup during cooking. If the layer of caramel poured into a ramekin is too thick, it will not have time to completely melt during cooking.

How do I get my caramel to harden? ›

Refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easier to cut and wrap). The caramel will seem hard in the fridge after they're set, but they should be soft at room temperature.

What is the brown stuff on flan? ›

The consistency of flan is very smooth and creamy with a sweet, milky flavor. It's also topped with a thin caramel sauce, made by carefully melting granulated sugar until golden brown. Flan is cooked upside down, with the caramel sauce going into the baking dish first, then the custard mixture on top.

What is the brown liquid in flan? ›

Flan has a unique twist, though. It has a layer of caramelized sugar on the bottom of the ramekin that then becomes the top when you invert it onto the plate, which then blankets the incredibly smooth and silky custard in a delicious caramel sauce.

What is a caramel flan called? ›

Crème caramel (French: [kʁɛm kaʁamɛl]), flan, caramel pudding, condensed milk pudding or caramel custard is a custard dessert with a layer of clear caramel sauce.

Is crème brûlée the same as flan? ›

The difference between crème brûlée and flan (two of our favorite kinds of custard) lies in four factors: the ratio of ingredients, the manner in which the custard is thickened, the method of cooking, and any additional components. Those extra components—different toppings and presentation—are easiest to see.

Are crème caramels the same as flan? ›

Creme caramel and flan have very slight differences but are largely the same things. The different names are often due to regional variations with “creme caramel” being more common in European countries and “flan” being more common in Latin American and Spanish-speaking regions.

When should I flip my flan? ›

Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Once fully cooled, run a knife around the edges and then place a plate onto the flan. Flip quickly and give it a quick wiggle. Remove the pan and admire your flan.

Why does flan taste weird? ›

if it's too dark. it'll be really bitter when it comes to the flan. I always recommend using an oven thermometer. I like to bake my flan at a lower temperature so that it has time to cook evenly.

Why does flan taste bad? ›

Overcooking is what causes that “acne-like” look of the imperfect flans and gives it a too eggy taste plus a bit rubbery, unpleasant texture. I did not feel this moment the first time I made flan, either, so don't worry too much.

How does the caramel in flan stay liquid? ›

Sugar is hydophilic - it absorbs moisture. Some of the moisture in the custard is absorbed by the hard caramel, eventually dissolving it to the point it becomes a liquid. The process takes a while - it doesn't just happen when the flan is being baked - most of it happens during the cooling period, in the refrigerator.

Why does my caramel keep hardening? ›

Caramel crystallizes because there are crystals of sigar formed on the sides of the pan by evaporation. Brushing down the sides of the pan wirh water should prevent this. I usually add any butter or other fat in the recipe while the sugar is melting, so it is already combined as it caramelizes.

Why did my caramel harden? ›

The water evaporates, leaving sugar crystals behind. If even one sugar crystal falls back into the pan of cooking caramel, it starts a chain reaction of sugar crystals and the entire pan will harden. The result? Gross, grainy caramel that is unusable in most recipes.

Why is my caramel not hardening? ›

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough. Again place the caramel back into a sauce pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and heat to 244°F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test with a cold water test.

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