Are you a fan of Filipino leche flan? When I was little, a family friend, sweet Mrs. Bautista, would occasionally give my mom a pan of homemade leche flan. It was so delicious that it remains one of many food-related highlights from my childhood! I grew up with Japanese custard pudding (purin), but the Filipino version is much richer.
While I was pregnant, I went to a food festival and found leche flan at the Filipino booth! Not having had any since I was in school, I bought the biggest size flan they had, only to find out they were nowhere near as delicious as Mrs. Bautista's flan! Bummer, considering any festival food tends to be overpriced.
Well, I connected with Mrs. Bautista on Facebook and practically begged her for her recipe! Can you tell how obsessed I am with her flan?
Don't worry, you'll be obsessed once you eat it too!
How to make dairy-free leche flan
Leche flan, also known as crème caramel, is made using condensed milk and evaporated milk. My sensitivity to dairy is why it took me this long to make this dessert!
Recently, I came across Nature's Charm, a brand that makes sweetened condensed coconut milk and evaporated coconut milk. I immediately ordered a can of each, knowing I wanted to make the flan of my childhood!
If you're in the market for dairy free condensed milk or evaporated milk, you have to try these out! Not only are they delicious (I could have stuck a straw in the can and drank it straight) but customer service was amazing!
Not sponsored, just really love their brand and will definitely be ordering through them again!
Using Mrs. Bautista's recipe, I slightly lessened the sugar for the caramel, swapped out regular condensed and evaporated milk for yummy coconut versions, and used half a vanilla bean instead of vanilla extract. I mean, we're going all out here so I had to whip out the bean!
Tips for a smooth flan
1. Stir gently! I got a little overexcited when beating the custard, so I ended up with air bubbles. Oops! It was still very delicious, but to get a beautiful, bubble-less flan, stir gently and make sure you don't foam up the egg.
2. Run the custard through a mesh sieve. When you pour the custard over the caramel, pour it through a mesh sieve. This helps get out any lumps you may have, and even some of the air bubbles!
3. Bake it in a water bath. Traditionally, leche flan is steamed. My steamer is too small to fit my baking pan so I resorted to baking it in the oven using a water bath. A water bath evenly distributes the heat, so you're less likely to overbake the flan!
4. Chill the flan well! I only chilled my flan for about an hour, because patience is not one of my virtues when it comes to food. I didn't photograph it but I had a crack and a small piece on the side fell off. So be patient, and chill it for at least a couple hours!
This Filipino dessert is so creamy and rich! And because it's dairy-free and gluten-free, it's rich but doesn't sit heavy in your stomach. It's definitely a sweet treat, and while both Tristan and I prefer our desserts to be not too sweet, our spoons wouldn't stop scooping!
I did manage to scoop out a portion for my mom, to remind her of the good old days!
Have you tried using condensed coconut milk in your baking? Let me know in the comments what you've made, and make sure to save this recipe on Pinterest!
Not a fan of flan? Try my no bake blueberry cheesecake bites instead!
Dairy-free Leche Flan
Equipment
- 1 8-inch round pan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 4 large eggs
- 1 can evaporated coconut milk (12.2 fl oz/360ml)
- 1 can condensed coconut milk (11.25oz/320g)
- ½ vanilla bean (about 2 inches long)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 338°F/170°C. Bring a pot of water to a boil, turn off the heat and keep covered.
- In a small pan, combine the sugar and water and heat until golden brown and thick. Keeping a close watch, occasionally swirl the pan to make sure the caramel cooks evenly. Pour the caramel into an 8 inch round baking pan and tilt the pan to coat the bottom (the pan gets hot so be careful!). Place the round baking pan into a bigger baking pan (I used a 9 inch square pan) and set aside.
- While the caramel is cooking, make the custard. In a bowl, add eggs, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and the seeds scraped out of the vanilla bean. Gently whisk together until smooth, making sure not to create a foam. Set aside to rest while the caramel cools in the pan.
- Pour the custard through a mesh sieve over the cooled caramel. Cover the round pan with foil. Carefully pour the hot water into the bigger baking pan until it reaches half way up the sides of the round pan. Bake it in the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the flan completely, and chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours. Run a knife around the edge of the flan to loosen it before inverting it onto a serving plate.
Nutrition
I'm sharing this coconut leche flan at Fiesta Friday co-hosted by Liz and Jenny!
Jenny says
Flan May be my all time favorite dessert, well besides cake and ice cream! Made with coconut milk, I bet is amazing. And looks beautiful.
Ai says
Thanks Jenny! Not many people claim flan to be their favorite, and I feel like it's so underrated!
Jennifer L Falcon says
My flan came out soupy?
Liz says
I have never heard of those products but they sound very useful and this recipe looks delicious. I've pinned it for serving to my several friends who are dairy free. Thank you for bringing it to FF.
Ai says
Thank you so much Liz! I hope you like it 🙂
Louina says
Just fyi: egg is dairy.
Ai says
Hi Louina! Actually, although eggs and dairy products are often grouped together, eggs are not dairy. Dairy products are those that are produced using milk from a mammal (most often cow). Here’s an article that explains it, if you’re interested: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-eggs-dairy#bottom-line
CET says
Eggs are not dairy! Dairy is milk - what comes out of a cow - milk products. So, anything made from milk such as butter, cream, cheese, sour cream, and ice cream are dairy. Eggs are just eggs. An animal product that comes from chickens. They are their own category. People with a dairy intolerance can eat eggs...unless they happen to have an egg allergy also. My friend cannot eat dairy. Eggs are fine however.
Lisa says
Eggs are not dairy. People who are lactose intolerant can have eggs and those allergic to eggs can have milk. Unless it's an issue about both!
Life Diet Health says
Ahhh... we used to have this all the time growing up, but we called it Carmella. I have thought about using my Natures Charm coconut milks to make this but haven't worked out what to use as an egg replacer yet! Have you tried just putting the condensed milk in a pan and heating gently - it makes the most amazing caramel (pour it in shallow tray, then cut and allow to set - if you can!) Thanks for sharing this over at Fiesta Friday. Enjoy the rest of your week.
Ai says
I haven't tried making caramel that way yet! I've seen people make it by boiling the whole can and it looks sooo delicious! I'll have to try that out! Hope you're having a great week Laurena!
Karen says
This looks delicious Ai! I love creme caramel so am looking forward to trying this!
Ai says
Thanks Karen! Hope you like it 🙂
Christy Boston says
Oh my goodness, I love flan! I am really excited to try your variation on this dessert because it sounds so yummy. Can't wait!
Ai says
Thanks Christy! Hope you like it 😉
Gillian Kent says
I need to find these coconut versions of these dairy products. A dear friend is lactose intolerant and I am always looking for recipes everyone can enjoy.
Ai says
Nature's Charm has great vegan products! Definitely give them a try!
Simone says
Ok now you've got me drooling! This looks sooo delicious, thanks for sharing it. I'm going to have to look for evaporated coconut milk... I never noticed it at the store before.
Ai says
Thanks Simone! Definitely keep an eye out, or contact Nature's Charm via email or Instagram and order it in!
Lathiya says
This looks absolutely fabulous. I love flan and the fact I love more is you used Evaporated Coconut milk.
Ai says
Thanks Lathiya! I was always a fan of the classic dairy evaporated and condensed milks, but now that I'm mostly dairy-free, these coconut milks were a great find!
Anindya Sundar Basu says
This looks like a caramel custard and I love the look of it . Will try soon
Ai says
Yes! It is the Filipino version of a creme caramel 🙂 Hope you like it!
Irene says
In Mexico, flan is probably the top item on restaurant dessert menus. Your recipe sounds delicious, and such a nice dairy-free option!
Ai says
Thanks Irene! I've never tried Mexican flan but I bet it's delicious!!
Heather Behrends says
I have never made flan! Honestly, it always seemed like something I would probably destroy. But your recipe makes it look very do-able and delicious! It's on my list to try!
Ai says
I understand! I honestly felt a little intimidated, but it's surprisingly easy 🙂
Monica says
This is *exactly* the recipe I was looking for! Ever since I found the Nature's Charm sweetened condensed coconut milk, I've been wanting to try making a dairy-free flan. It's just the *best* with leche quemada on top (that's when you take a can of the condensed milk, put it in a stock pot with a lot of water, and boil it for ~4 hours... making sure the water never gets below the top of the can. It comes out as even more caramel-y).
It came out *perfect*. I couldn't resist adding a pinch of cinnamon and a glug of rum to it, which worked absolutely fine, too. 😉 I used an 8-inch pie pan, which was NOT big enough (you're calling for an 8-inch straight-sided pan), and so I didn't end up covering it with foil since it was filled to the brim; that didn't seem to matter.
I will definitely be making this again. And again, and again...
Ai says
Hi Monica! I'm SO thrilled you loved this recipe! One of my absolute favorites!! Sorry I hadn't replied to your comment until now.
Denize says
My husband and kids have dairy intolerances, so this recipe was a Godsend! The caramel did not work for me, (I gave up after the second batch) but the flan was amazing!
Ai says
Aw sorry the caramel didn't work! I'm glad you and your family loved the flan!! 🙂
Stef says
Does it taste a lot coconut? My bf doesn't like coconut
Ai says
It's not the in-your-face toasted coconut flavor you might get from a coconut dessert (like the artificially flavored ones) but there is a hint of coconut. It's definitely not the dominant flavor. If he doesn't like it, you could always eat it all yourself😉😂 Kidding! But let me know what you think and what your bf thought if/when you make it❤️
Justyna says
I’ve been baking it for an hour and 40 minutes and it’s still not close to setting…checked the oven temp to make sure it’s running accurately, too. Maybe my canned evaporated and condensed coconut milk are bigger than what is used here? Not sure. It would be good to have the correct ounces in here.
Ai says
Hey Justyna! Sorry your flan isn't setting. As you can see in the photos, the evaporated coconut milk is 360ml (12.2 fl oz) and the sweetened condensed coconut milk is 320g (11.25 oz). Was your evaporated coconut milk and sweetened condensed coconut milk the same size?
Ignacio says
I also had the same issue, each of my coconut milk cans were maybe 1 oz higher than the recipe asked for (I eyeballed to try to get the correct amount). It’s been in the oven for well over 2 hours but still quite liquidy. I’m giving up for the night and putting it in the fridge. Anything I can do to salvage? Or do I just try again? I’m sure it’ll be tasty either way.
Ai Willis says
Hi Ignacio! Are you using regular coconut milk? Or the evaporated coconut milk and sweetened condensed coconut milk that the recipe calls for?
Sadie says
Thank you for the recipe! I plan on trying it soon! Do you know how many llaneras this recipe can hold?
Ai says
Hope you like it! I think it depends on how big your llanera is... what size do you have?
sharon says
my husband made this for me coz I cant have dairy. its so gooooood!!! thank you!❤️❤️❤️
Ai says
Yaaay! So glad you loved it!! Thank you so much for the comment and rating 🙂
Janet Gordon-Thatcher says
Delicious!!
Ai says
Glad you liked it Janet! Thank you for your comment and rating!❤️
Mo says
WOW! I made this today for my wife, who is Costa Rican and has a milk allergy but has been craving flan terribly lately. She absolutely adored it, as did I! I accidentally let my caramel get to hard-ball stage so some of it is still stuck in the pan but everything else came together perfectly. This will definitely be a repeat recipe in our home. Thank you!
Ai says
Yay!! I'm so happy you and your wife loved it! Thank you so much for your lovely comment Mo 🙂
Sirlene Murphy says
Im so glad i came upon your recipe, because earlier today i made a Brazilian flan with Oatmilk ( didn’t know what milk to use in place of cow milk), and Coconut Condensed milk, was tasty, but toooo watery, 😂😂 I will try your way next time. We are dairy intolerant. .
Sophia says
This has been in the oven for over 2 hours and just won’t set up! Not sure why because I followed the recipe perfectly 🤷🏻♀️
Ai says
Hi Sophia! I'm so sorry to hear your flan isn't setting! The only thing I can think of is that your oven isn't hot enough. Frustratingly, all ovens run a little differently, and even if you have the oven set to 240°F/170°C, it could be cooler or hotter in reality. The only way to know is to use an oven thermometer.
Justyna says
Same problem here! I checked my oven temp, too. So weird.
Caryn Hasbrouck says
Yay!! I will try this! I haven't had flan since I had to go non-dairy. Tip for the caramel since it sets so fast: pour it in a spiral pattern so it will cover more of the pan and spread a bit with a silicone spatula. My caramel never wants to move if I just tilt the pan.
Maia says
I found this recently and my wife has a dairy allergy but really enjoys flan, and in the few times I've made this for her it disappears within a day! 😭💕 Though a good amount of the caramel sauce seems to stick to the bottom of the pan however whether I grease it or not (the pan is also nonstick) and I can't seem to figure out why! Any ideas?
Tzuki says
Had some Oatmilk condensed and evaporated milk. It was successful and my family didn't even notice I wasn't using any dairy products. Made it thru a steamer which took 45 minutes as it seemed to still be slightly wet at 40 minutes. The only issue I had was making the caramel and perhaps due to using coconut sugar. It hadn't thicken by 3 minutes. If I cooked it longer than 3 minutes then it would have a burnt taste. Ended up using the excess sugar syrup in coffee, tea, and other baking goods. Not a total lost. I will definitely be making this again.
Ai Willis says
I'm so glad you liked it, Tzuki! Thank you so much for making this recipe 🙂
Emma says
Hello! I was wondering if I use steam setting on my stove instead of aluminum foil. Super excited for the results!
Ai Willis says
Hi Emma! I have no idea how that would turn out, as I haven't tried it. If you do try it out, please let me know how it goes!
Chi says
Miss ma'am, I just want you to know that it would have never occurred to me that I could have flan if I just swapped out the milk and ever since I made this for Thanksgiving I've made it 4x more times! I've even taken to making both types of coconut milk from scratch myself. Thank you!
Ai Willis says
I'm so happy you liked it! And you made the coconut milks from scratch?! Amazing!!